Hire Top Talent

One of the greatest frustrations in hiring is having candidates lie convincingly, or exaggerating-embellishing what they've done. Most CEOs and Executives believe that at least 100 percent of candidates fake it in the interview. How do you overcome this tendency to misrepresent and get to the TRUTH?

The number ONE frustration I've heard over 2 decades is around the idea of what are we measuring in people - how do we know we're hiring a winner vs. falling victim to "You're NOT the Person I Hired".

What are the most common frustrations in hiring we've heard from over 25000 CEOs and Senior Executives in the last two decades? Do any of these match up with your frustrations?

Where did most of us learn what interview questions to ask - perhaps these were the questions you were asked 20 years ago when you were hired, or perhaps you plucked them off a random Google list. What are the right questions that get at whether someone can achieve your desired results and do it with a set of behaviors that are consistent with your culture and values?

Do you make it a rule to Google everyone you are considering interviewing? Are you in shock over some of the things you see candidates post as their profile pictures in places like Twitter and LinkedIn?

Counterintuitive article on whether looking at "cultural fit" is overrated. Do you think it's important and should have the same focus as measuring success traits, comparable performance, and other abilities? OR would you give it a minor effort? My experience has been that it's equally important as the performance side. Unfortunately, most companies screw up the measurement of "fit".

Would you invest the same amount of time, due diligence, and focus as you would if you had to interview heart surgeons to work on you? Probably NOT. Most hiring executives VIOLATE the old adage to hire slowly. Usually, the decision to hire is made with minimal data and information. This error/mistake helps lead to the statistic of 50/50 probability in hiring. When will you no longer accept random results from the hiring and interviewing process?

A lack of a good rigorous hiring process results in outcomes that are comparable to rolling dice in Las Vegas - crapshoot hiring. Are you willing to bet your company on average and mediocre processes around talent?

The number one frustration I hear as a do 60-70 talks a year to CEO groups is "we can't find enough good people. There's a reason for this - you're going about it all wrong. Your old, tired, traditional, and tribal techniques are now bringing the bottom 1/3 of the candidate pool to your doorstep.

Over 20 years, 1000 presentations to CEO and Executive Groups, I've discovered that there are some common frustrations that drive hiring managers crazy.

Recognize, acknowledge, and understand the implications of making a first impression during interviewing. Most hiring managers make mistakes on 2/3 of the candidates they meet due to wrong first impressions.

Traditional job descriptions masquerading as advertisements repulse, reject, 

The vast majority of CEOs and senior executives have told me over the last 20 years that they think 100 percent of candidates they interview tend to lie, embellish, and exaggerate. The big question is HOW DO YOU GET TO THE TRUTH?

Study after study has proven the value of referrals in the recruiting and hiring process. Yet most companies efforts in referrals generation of candidates is lackluster at best. Referrals should represent at least 50% of your hires. If you're not making 50% of your hires through referrals, maybe it's time to take a check-up on your referral program.