Vacancy to Fill? This is How I Select Employees
“If you want to make a good action film, you need good action actors!”
That’s what Arnold Schwarzenegger said, probably just before pulling off a crazy stunt. His little piece of wisdom can also be applied outside showbiz. I need the kind of person who is best suited for my project. So, for example, if my project is to sell something, then I need a good salesperson.
I find suitable employees with a scorecard
Now, say I have an open position to fill. When I plan to make an action movie I now invite all the best action actors that I know. Also I think about what kind of hero I need exactly. The experience of the actor, their skills etc. When building a team in my company, I approach the search with the same concept: I define in a role description what exactly I’m looking for. We call this role description a scorecard. Both in the recruiting process and after hiring, I can use it to measure how well a person fulfills the respective requirements.
My scorecard may include the following items:
Title – I give the position a name, usually in 2 to 3 words.
Summary – I summarize what the role is about in 1 to 3 sentences.
Goals – What is expected from the candidate? I can formulate SMART goals or list O-KRs. An example would be the objective “to provide good customer support”. Which means “to respond within 24 hours” and “solve 90% of problems within 3 days”.
Activities – These tasks are part of the day-to-day work in this role. Possibilities include: Answering phones, managing social media channels, writing invoices, or even window decorating.
Competencies (Skills & Knowledge) – Here I list what the applicant can do, have, or know in order to be a good fit for the job. Examples are languages or operating a certain software. Driving (having a driver’s license) or a master’s degree are also possible requirements that can count as competencies.
Remuneration – This is what the person will receive if they work for us in the job position. In addition to pure pay, there are other benefits and rewards I can offer: a higher number of vacation days, a bonus for certain achievements, or two professional development courses per year are among them.
More details about the vacancy
I can extend the scorecard with the 5 P’s: People, Pounds (money), Projects, Processes, Products. I list them and add: How exactly would the new employee work together with other people? What budget is managed? Which projects are in their hands? In which processes between the teams is the new one involved or leading? And which products is the person responsible for? So my role description gets even more info, clarity and weighting.
Once I’ve finished writing it, I test the scorecard. I have others look it over. Is it clear what I’m looking for? Would they know if they are qualified for the role? If so, then it’s time for practical application!
