Maximize your return when investing in yourself and others
Author: shandamints
Hi there! I’m the Vice President of Reporting & Analytics and Implementation at a large talent management consulting firm. I’m passionate about my work and have a strong track record of success in the RPO and Talent Acquisition space. My superpower? Building effective teams! I love developing leaders, coaching, and motivational speaking. When I’m not working, you can find me cheering on my kids at their sporting events, exploring new cultures through travel, tending to my garden, or getting lost in a good philosophy book. All the opinions I share are my own. I am fallible, but I believe in failing fast and course correcting.
For those who don’t think they have a budget, nonsense! That’s pure laziness. You always have a budget. You may not yet be aware of it. So, let’s spitball it.
Profit & Loss (P&L)
Budgets are starting points that can change over time with the right justification. Let’s get started!
A P&L works like any budget in that it has all the Income (revenue) minus all the expenses = how well you are doing. In business terms.
Revenue – Expenses = Profit and (Loss), hence the name P&L.
The P&L takes this a step further in breaking up the expenses into two categories: Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), or costs associated with the core revenue production. This gives you your gross profit. But that’s not enough for the street. You must also remove your Operating expenses or Selling, General, and administrative expenses (SG&A). This gives you your Operating Income. This knowledge is powerful, because if you can show clear line of sight to increasing your profitability, you are creating leverage in potential money. Even if you don’t have the money in hand, this leverage is a key to opening the door to get the investments your boss (or investors) needs to make in you to scale your business.
If you don’t have P&L ownership, create your own budget to track. Currently, you generate something – what’s that value? If you are a revenue-generating team, that’s easy to define – what is your revenue? Are you a “cost of goods sold” that doesn’t have direct revenue? Well, those goods couldn’t be sold without you, could they? What is that value to your internal clients? Think about what they would pay if they had to use an external vendor for your services. Now think about the proportion of your services to the overall product of service they are receiving revenue for. If an external vendor charges $100 for similar services, but your company generates the same service cheaper through your team, and the product your service goes into is only going for $80, then your value is something smaller than $80. How much it is will depend on the other costs of the other parts of the product. If you are producing the entire product being sold, but you don’t have the responsibility of paying the team that is selling or marketing the product, well those are costs the company is paying that you need to subtract from the total cost of the product. What remains is your value to the overall product. This is your revenue. Another way to figure out your revenue is to figure out your company’s markup, and then take all your costs and expenses and apply that markup on it. It’s not exactly representative of your revenue, but it’s close enough to get you started.
Now, let’s calculate your costs. For simplicity, let’s bucket it into Cost of Goods Sold (other support costs that you need, such as IT services, 3rd party services, etc.) and Expenses such as labor costs, advertising, office space and supplies, technology costs, utilities, insurance, taxes, and anything else you need to provide. You may not be responsible for all these costs, in which case, you’d bucket them in “cost of goods sold” for the purpose of your mini P&L because they cost your business even if they don’t cost you but go ahead and keep your resource cost and direct cost of resources (facilities, etc.) in your expense bucket because you can use this as leverage later on.
Here’s how it works:
Are you making a profit, or making a loss? A loss is certainly not good, but being aware of it is very powerful. What can you do to trim down your costs or increase your revenue to turn that loss into a profit?
Once you have a budget, the name of the game in capitalism is “Better, faster, cheaper.” If you can take your P&L and identify ways where you can do better, faster, or cheaper without risking profit, you are doing well.
Doing things better increases your street credibility and brand image. That’s sales credit and reduces your costs. That’s profit for the taking.
Doing things faster means you can do more of it in the same amount of time – that’s profit for the taking.
Doing the same thing cheaper, is profit for the taking.
The logic is simple. If you can create more profit, you are creating value for your organization. Spitball it now, what value does your team bring to your organization?
With so many doing it wrong, and so much on the line, what should we do? While a formal onboarding program is designed to help managers consistently do better, a manager is still the make-it-or-break-it factor in onboarding. If you’re a manager, here is a guide for you. This roadmap is meant to flex with your needs.
Pro tip: If you need someone to get up to speed quickly, you can fast-track this by diving into the content for what they need to know now, but fair warning, you should still come back and fill in the skipped content as soon as possible. A poor onboarding experience is risky to both the new hire and the organization. Just as onboarding too quickly is problematic, onboarding too slowly can be equally detrimental. By the end of the second or third week, a person should have experienced the level of pressure they will be expected to endure during their tenure.
Pre Day-One
Onboarding planning begins way before you have an opening. If this is a net new position, it begins when the product or service is identified. It begins with a map of what the role entails and the expectations you have for it, which goes beyond a job description.
If this is a replacement position or a duplication of another role, it begins by observing the behaviors of the existing talent. As a manager, take note of what that person does well and where there are opportunities for improvement. Hopefully, you have the foresight to have the person in their role create their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or how-tos and/or review them for updates.
Consider the qualities of people who succeed and the differences between those who do and those who don’t. Integrate these insights into the onboarding plan to set the new hire up for success.
Before the new hire starts, think about the kind of network you want them to have.
Who are their external customers?
Who are their internal customers?
Who are their peers who will form collaborative teams with them?
If they have any direct reports, who are they?
As the proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” If you didn’t plan everything before hiring your new starter, that’s ok. Gather what you can now and consider involving the new hire in documenting their learnings.
About 4 weeks before the first day (this varies by company and by country):
The new hire completes pre-boarding forms, including signing employee contracts.
The manager arranges for a computer, desk space, phone, and other logistics.
Request necessary technology and licenses.
Add the new hire to distribution lists and shared environments like SharePoint, Teams, groups, and files.
Plan who the new hire should meet and inform relevant people. Send a note to each person, including the new hire’s name, role, start date, and topics for discussion.
About two weeks prior to the first day:
Prepare a welcome packet with information about where to go, who to ask for, company culture, and dress code. Even if the work environment is ultra-casual, inform the new hire to reduce stress over attire. If they are onsite, include details about amenities, break room, and lunch plans.
One week before the start date:
Call the new hire and share Day 1 instructions, including parking, security processes, dress code, lunch plans, and office space details. Inform them of anything they need to bring, such as a government ID or a personal device. Walk them through the first day’s schedule. If attending new hire orientation, ensure they know what to expect, where to go, and who to ask for. If they are working remotely, explain system access and share the week 1 schedule.
Pro tip: have some business swag ordered for them to have on their desk for day 1. If you cannot do that, at least get a pad of paper and a couple of nice pens. Even though many people use computers or personal devices such as their cell phones to take notes, on Day One a notepad is very handy.
First Day
Welcome the new hire but don’t overwhelm them. Let them get into the new systems and meet a few key people. Have a welcome pack ready with resources and system links.
The first day is about welcoming the new hire, handling “comfort logistics,” and introducing company culture.
The first day is about welcoming the new hire, handling “comfort logistics”, and introducing company culture.
“Comfort logistics” are logistics that are suited to help the new hire – such as how to sign up for benefits, how they will get paid (including setting up direct deposit where available), how to access email and voicemail, and where and when to take breaks.
Arrange for someone to meet them in the lobby (preferably their direct line manager, but a buddy or host is acceptable if the line manager is not local). After showing them to their desk, give them a tour and introduce them to key office personnel. Don’t forget to stop by the break room, restrooms, and most importantly, IT. Share details about how to get their badge photo and key card.
Pro tip: Plan for someone to take the new hire to lunch on the first day. Know ahead of time if your new hire is comfortable in large groups or prefers smaller settings. A shy person might prefer lunch with a well-chosen peer, while someone eager to make an impact might prefer lunch with a senior leader. A social person may enjoy lunch with the whole team. When in doubt, many would enjoy a low-key lunch with their new boss, where they can ask questions and start building a working relationship.
On their first day, their direct manager should spend some time with them, welcoming them to the company and discussing:
What to expect in the onboarding journey
Key players they will meet
Key facts about the company, department, or role
Even if another team leads the onboarding program, find a way to personally welcome your new hire.
If the new hire is remote, don’t forget to check in early to ensure they received their login information and can set up their computer. Few things are more frustrating for a new hire than planning a great first day and feeling like they’re letting people down because they can’t log in.
First-Day Checklist for the Manager:
Welcome them in person or with a host
Have your new hire sign any incomplete employee contracts
Allow time to set up the computer (typically 1-2 hours, but some companies may take all day)
Allow time to set up the phone and voicemail
Send an announcement to the team welcoming the new hire
Cover the agenda for the day and the first week
Share the company overview (Mission, Vision, Values) – this is your opportunity to introduce the new hire to your company culture and, more importantly, the culture you want to create in your team
Introduce them to a Buddy/Host/Mentor – someone other than the manager who can help them navigate the company. Common topics include how to navigate HR topics, the company intranet, internal websites, and where commonly stored information is. This person can share unspoken guidelines and expectations necessary for success and introduce the new hire to other people in the company
First Week
The first week is about “success logistics” and team culture. “Success logistics” are essential for the new hire to succeed at their job, including necessary tools, training (though not all training may need to be completed this week), building relationships, and team building. Set the new hire up for success in owning their development and navigating your organization. This may involve navigating people and tools and showing them where key things are housed. During the first month, your new employee will meet new people. Prepare them to have the best meetings possible by having them prepare an elevator pitch about who they are and what they hope to accomplish in their role.
First Week Checklist for the Manager:
Have the employee complete onboarding forms: Such as I-9 or local workforce forms.
Review HR policies and Code of Conduct: Provide them the opportunity to review these documents.
Schedule safety training content: Depending on the content, this may need to be completed in the first week or may be delayed.
Cover HR topics: Such as benefits setup and expense policies.
Order business swag: Show them how to order items like polos with logos, jackets, coffee mugs, or even business cards or letterhead.
Locate the staff directory: Show them how to find this.
Team overview: Provide them with an introduction to what the team does.
Terminology: Start a terms and acronyms sheet so they can interpret the local lingo right away.
High-level role expectations: Introduce these on Day 2 or the first actual working day. Setting expectations early is crucial in the onboarding process.
Introduction to peers and stakeholders: A simple hosted drop-by hello is ideal for this first week. Before longer 1:1 meetings with peers and stakeholders, which should occur during the first month, give the new hire an overview of their own responsibilities and your expectations of the new hire. That way they are prepared when stakeholders start setting their own expectations.
Pro tip: Plan an activity with key stakeholders and the new hire. This can be a lunch among peers, an easy or fun project, or even a dinner with a senior exec. Leverage opportunities to build genuine relationships early on.
Active work introduction: What will they be working on right away.
Product or service knowledge: Cover any necessary knowledge.
Required training: Introduce required training and deadlines.
Tools training: Train them on the tools used in the first week. There’s time later to train on other tools.
While this may sound like a lot, the above content only takes a few hours to cover. Give them the gift of a solid foundation, and you will reap the rewards later.
First Month
Set the new hire up for success by equipping them with the knowledge they need for their job. While they bring many skills to the table, you should show them how to find out what they don’t already know, including where to find content and who the key knowledge holders and well-networked individuals are in the office.
The first month is about making sure your new hire will succeed long-term. This is a great opportunity to give them clear goals with achievable deadlines and confirm whether they have the skills for the longer road ahead or if you need to help them develop additional skills for their journey. During this time, you’ll be showing them the concrete SOPs along with the unspoken culture of “how” to get the job done. But you’re also going to give them the keys to the city: a network that will help them find what they don’t know. This network is going to be stronger than you ever could be by yourself.
You’re also going to give them the keys to the city: a NETWORK that will help them find what they don’t know.
Be sure the new hire has a rotation of meeting key players they will be working with. This includes key internal and external clients, peers, and support personnel who will enable their success. The new hire should be ready to ask and answer how working with this person will help them and how they can help that person. For those meetings, whether face-to-face or over a call, I recommend the new hire meet key stakeholders during 1:1 meetings where the purpose is to make introductions and discuss how they support each other. These meetings are anywhere from 15-30 minutes long. When thinking of the stakeholders – think of everyone they will be supporting and everyone who will support them. Who’s going to set them up for success? Who will they need to impress if they are to succeed?
I like having other people take a rotation of showing new hires different aspects of their job so that they don’t hear everything from one source, namely me as their manager. I divide up topics among peers and stakeholders and give them something specific to chat about. However, I have found that not all people intuitively know the points I want to have made on the topic.
Pro tip:
Pro tip: Think about all the topics your new hire needs to learn and create key talking points around each one. You can do this yourself or have your experienced resources create talking points that you review for gaps. Share the talking points with both the experienced resource and the new hire. That way, the resource knows what to cover, and the new hire is empowered to ask questions if the resource doesn’t cover a topic. They keep each other accountable for ensuring the conversation stays on track.
If the trainer wants to cover additional topics, that’s encouraged too. They have the flexibility to hit all the key points in one meeting or in a series of meetings—their time is theirs to use as they wish.
During the first month, focus topics on culture and networking, understanding who the knowledge holders are and how best to work with them, training on any tools that will be used in the first quarter, market-specific education, and process training. Set goals and timeframes for when those goals should be achieved and touch base weekly.
This is also a month for you to observe your new hire’s behaviors closely. If they are not acclimating or showing the skills you hired them for, identify it in this month and communicate a plan to course correct with them as soon as possible. One can always tell a superstar right at the gate, but don’t let that fool you about late bloomers. Some of my most solid employees were late bloomers who had a larger learning curve than I hoped for, but once they got past it, they became the best trainers for others.
However, sometimes managers have warning signs in front of them but are afraid to take swift action in this first month. Remember, some of my best employees took a long time to learn their roles because they learned it meticulously. They asked many questions, and once they got it down, they were the best trainers available. These people may not yet have all the success skills, but they are very engaged and eager to grow, and you can see their growth, even if not at the pace of your expectations. These people are worth the wait.
But not all slow adopters are eager to learn. Some will not succeed in the long run. You’ll be able to identify those most at risk of not being successful because they are off track and not showing significant effort in making it up. They do things your top employees wouldn’t dream of, such as making excuses that may sound reasonable to them but don’t feel justified to you. This is your month to act swiftly before their apathy affects team culture and morale.
First 90 days
Set the right expectations and goals with the new hire and develop a graduated plan where goals increase over the first 90-120 days. During the first 90 days, check in with your new hire not only on their progress towards meeting goals but also on how they are growing their knowledge. This doesn’t have to be a formalized assessment process, but you should rotate through all their responsibilities to ensure comprehensive training. During this time, inspect what you expect to ensure your employee understands and aligns with expectations. Be sure to transition out of this inspection mode quickly to avoid being seen as a micromanager. Make sure your employee knows this close oversight is temporary.
Plan monthly check-ins on progress to provide and receive feedback. New hires often have valuable insights into improvement opportunities. I like to ask new hires to list what they wish they had known or provide feedback on the onboarding process for future hires.
After the first 90 days, a new hire should be working at a long-term pace. Some roles take longer to learn, but 90 days is generally a good stabilizing point. Between 3-6 months, employees may face significant challenges that test their abilities. They might even make significant mistakes, but that’s okay; they will learn from them and be better for it in the long run. That, too, is a journey and learning opportunity and they will be humming back along on path in no time.
Here’s a quick overview of what that onboarding roadmap looks like:
Onboarding is more than just a process—it’s a journey that shapes an employee’s future within the organization. By thoughtfully planning and executing each step, from the initial welcome to ongoing support, you set the stage for long-term success and fulfillment and reduce your chances of the employee leaving. The roadmap provided here is designed to adapt to the unique needs of each new hire, ensuring that they are not only equipped with the skills and knowledge they need but also feel valued and integrated into the company culture. Remember, a successful onboarding experience paves the way for a productive, engaged, and loyal workforce. Let’s make every new hire’s journey an inspiring one.
Have you ever felt like you just keep going around in circles? You think you’re moving forward, and then you may get discouraged if you’re not seeing the progress happening fast enough. Science proves that the fastest way to get from point A to point B is in a straight line. And in life, many people want to go in that straight line to their “destination,” or goal. We call the road between point A (where we are now) and point B (our end goal), “The Journey.” If we want to get the most out of life, we’re called to focus more on the journey than the end destination.
But even when we know that we should appreciate the journey, I’ve noticed that many of us still innately want to go in that straight line. We may get frustrated in the crooks and bends that come along the way. So let’s pause and reflect for a second. If life is a journey, why are we rushing through it? Do you really want to take your life journey in that straight line? Do you really want to get to your final destination as fast as you possibly can?
Have you ever felt like you were enriching your life, doing all the right things, on the metaphorical “Cloud 9,” only to be knocked on your butt a few days later? I sure have. It seems life has this ebb and flow to it like the waves of an ocean, we go up, we come down, we go up, we come down. For every action, there’s an opposite and equal reaction. Or a pendulum swing. I’ve noticed this in business often. For example, we need everyone in the office, then we see the value of giving employees the flexibility to be remote, then we pull them into the office again so they can capitalize on the power of groupthink, only to run out of office space, allowing employees to go remote again. The dress code does this too. Business, casual, business, casual. Data: dive deep, come high, dive deep, come high.
Don’t like something now? Sit it out, this too will pass. Love something? Unfortunately this too with pass. We don’t sit in the highs and the lows, we swing through them. I heard a saying once, “Praise and blame, it’s all the same.” As discouraging as that may be when praise came, it made a huge impact on my ability to anticipate the downswings and better handle the blame when it inevitably came too.
What if taking the path of the circle might actually be the more exciting path? Or maybe you prefer the more serene wave if you wish to avoid the extreme ends of the pendulum swing. Either way you choose, the fastest path may not be the right path for you.
Let’s look at it from a different perspective. Think about a road trip. Sure you can get from Dallas to LA in 20 hours, and that’s a long road trip. But did you know that if you add in just 3 hours to that drive, you can see the majesty of the Grand Canyon along the way? That’s quite a different experience, and I’d venture to suggest the journey may be even more enjoyable and peaceful going the longer route.
But despite the fact that life and nature both show us there’s an ebb and flow, we seem to be programmed to want to go in a straight line. If we don’t step back and watch ourselves, we drive towards the destination as fast as we can get there.
The key is that once you are on the momentum train, it’s exhilarating, but you have to take a step back sometimes and pause to ensure you’re headed in the direction you want to go. Swing forward. Pause and reflect. Make a mistake. Get knocked down. Learn from it! Enjoy every moment of the journey.
But what’s beautiful, truly beautiful, about this journey is that it may seem like you are traveling in circles and getting nowhere, but if you take a step back and look at it from afar, you will see that the whole time, it wasn’t a circle at all!
Before conducting interviews, familiarize yourself with skills-based questions, behavioral interviewing techniques, and strategies for eliminating biases. Here are some great resources for that:
Also, anticipate the questions interviewees might ask you. Here are some questions to consider having the answers to:
What’s the company culture like?
Why is the position open?
What do you like about the job & what don’t you like about the job?
How did you get into your role?
What are the goals and expectations of the role? What are the metrics of success?
What’s a day in the life like?
How does the company support work life balance?
What is the company’s perspective on ESGs (environmental, social, and governance)?
When meeting with your candidate, treat them like a client or a customer. Sometimes they will be your customers, and always being a good human means acting with kindness. I’ve been employees by people who eventually became my employee. I’ve also had employees leave my company, go into leadership roles elsewhere in ways that I eventually work with them again. The same can be true of candidates. Whether it’s a phone screen, video interview, or in-person meeting, make a positive first impression.
Here are some helpful tips:
Lighten the mood and help them relax by dialing down the formality. Remember that the candidate is likely nervous, which can cause them to be more guarded or less authentic.
Show Genuine Interest: Ask them how they are doing. Let them know that you’ll be taking notes, and occasionally, you may pause or ask questions in between. This humanizes the interaction and puts them at ease.
Allow the candidate to ask you questions. Treat the interview as a mutual exploration. Just as you’re assessing them, they’re evaluating you and the company.
When closing the interview, outline the next steps. Let them know what to expect in terms of follow-up or additional rounds.
If the candidate isn’t moving forward, provide constructive feedback. If they lack specific skills, ensure your questions highlight those gaps. If you’re unsure whether they understood, ask again.
Avoid leaving them in the dark. While you need to be tactful about the reasons for not proceeding, you can still communicate respectfully. Remind them that you have other interviews and specify when you or your recruiter will follow up.
Be honest but avoid making commitments you may not be able to keep. If the candidate performed exceptionally well, unless you’re ready to extend an offer, don’t promise them the job.
Remember, a well-handled interview process reflects positively on your organization and contributes to finding the right fit.
Of course, please please please, from all of us who have been in the interviewee’s seat before. Please do follow up and make sure the person knows within a few days whether they will be moving to the next step or not.
If you have been interviewing and you are not finding your right person, consider whether the combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities exists in the marketplace. Whatever you do, don’t settle! Settling has detrimental effects to your entire team. If your team is suffering because this role is vacant, you need to step up your efforts in hiring. If you have found that the qualities you are looking for are not available in the market (at least not at a rate you can offer), then you need to consider whether you can reshuffle work around to adjust your requirements. Consider working with your manager on breaking up the role or closing the gaps by offering training. If you do adjust your requirements, you need to go back to your posting and open up your role again from scratch.
Once you know who you’d like to offer, do not neglect to check your network for insights into the candidate. Seek out people you may know who may have worked with the candidate who can give more candid references. Don’t discount someone just because someone else didn’t like the way they approached work in the past, but seek to understand and determine whether the historical situation will be of impact in the future ahead. Take all variables into consideration.
Once you’ve found that stellar candidate, close that candidate and fast! Remember, they were interviewing you just as much as you were interviewing them. Be honest and set appropriate expectations. Don’t oversell the job or your company, because if you do, they will be disappointed in the first few days or weeks. Find honest ways to get them excited about the work enviornment. Sometimes I find it particularly hard not to oversell the role because I genuinely love what I do and it shows. It’s easy to talk about how amazing my bosses are, the CEO’s vision, and the greater things we do to bring a human element to work. The best part? The people I work with are simply awe inspiring. We hired the right people. Won’t it be great to say the same? Put in the effort. You’ve got this.
In case you missed them, check out the other posts in the Hiring Right series
Don’t let biases stand in your way. Most of us who have done interviewing have learned about biases. The tricky biases are the unconscious biases. One effective way to navigate this challenge is not to interview alone. However, you don’t need an army of 14 interviewers. A well-structured interview process would include 2-5 interviewers. Remember, the more critical the role, the more interviewers needed, but if you find you are needing more than 5 interviewers in your process, likely another issue is occurring, such as a breakdown in trust amongst the interviewers.
Once you have decided to interview as part of a panel or with a recruiter, ensure consistency in understanding job requirements and expected responses from candidates across all interview stages. Consistency promotes fairness and objectivity. Clarify your conflictive understanding of what you are interviewing for, and then divide up the responsibilities. You should trust that each interviewer will assess the candidate to your standards. If it’s a recruiter doing a pre-screen, they will often ferret out hard skills and experience (resume review). If you trust your recruiter you don’t need to do this again.
But what if you have never used this recruiter before, or worse, you have and you still don’t trust them? Spend time in advance agreeing what they will be doing. Seek the recruiter’s understanding of the skills you are looking for. If they struggle to answer basic questions, how can you expect them to probe into your candidates appropriately?
Sometimes lack the background needed to do a hard probe. Remember, they are skilled recruiters and don’t often have the experience in the role you are hiring. That’s okay! Leverage their strengths. Can you trust them to validate a candidate’s working experience, reasons for leaving a job, job hopping or gaps in employment? A good recruiter should be able to identify that the candidate has met the basic requirements of the role. If you are receiving candidates who are not meeting the basic requirements, revisit your calibration with the recruiter. At the same time, you, as a manager, should know what truly sets someone up for success in your organization.
If another person on the interview panel doesn’t align with your interviewing expectations, scrutinize their fit. Consider whether they can effectively contribute to evaluating candidates for the specific role you’re trying to fill. If they cannot, they might not be the right fit for the panel.
As a leader, you might want someone on the team who can learn how to interview like you. In such cases, conduct joint interviews with that person. Assign them specific questions, but be present during the interview. You can probe where necessary or gently guide the conversation. If the person has never interviewed before, do not have them interview alone until you are confident in their feedback. If you put them in that position, it’s your job to make sure they have all the tools and skills necessary to succeed.
Yes, doing all this preparation before you hire takes a long time, but the effort put up front into hiring the right person, will pay off.
Identifying the required competencies and experience is one thing, validating them is another. When deciding on your questions, you need to identify questions that will go beyond surface-level answers. These questions will reveal depth and, more importantly, authenticity.
Once you identify the skills needed, what questions can you ask to ferret out whether the person truly possesses those skills or is merely appeasing you? What are the key competencies that lead to success? What behavioral questions can you ask that will uncover the competency or reveal if the candidate needs development in a specific area?
Experience is a indicator that a person has built the necessary skills or competencies. Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. That’s why experiences matter. The easiest way to check for experiences is to look at a resume. Understanding a person’s resume will tell you what they have done and answers several of your questions. However, don’t assume that the resume tells the whole story. It often presents the version the candidate wants you to see. In fact, in today’s world, recruiters are seeing candidates who not only embellished their resumes using AI, but also some candidates who created the whole resume using AI. Some candidates don’t even know what’s on their resume because of this. Because of this, the recruiter or hiring manager has to do some validation. The resume is a launching pad to probe into those experiences in search for the skills you need.
Currently, there is a shift from experience-based hiring to skills-based hiring. Many companies are prioritizing skills over specific experiences (such as working for a particular company in a specific role with a specific education background). The essence of experience is to demonstrate that the candidate has acquired the necessary skills. I’m not suggesting you skip the experiences – not at all! Experience is the fast track to the likely skill. However, if a candidate lacks direct experience, probe for the underlying skill.
If you find that your person has gaps, decide for yourself, are these gaps that I can train or grow within them, or are these gaps that I need filled from the onset?
As you embark on the interviewing process, document your questions. Understand the core reasons behind each question. Was your question a key competency or fit-related question, was it to explore the experience a person had? Was it a probing question? Probing questions to understand a prospect’s answer will vary by prospect, but the key competency, skills, behaviors, traits and drivers that you trying to uncover should be consistent with all of your prospects.
You can’t ask one person about their ability to create data analysis in visuals and another person about their ability to consult with others, and then compare the two responses. These are not like-for-like comparisons, and your decision-making process should be designed to reduce as much bias as possible.
Interview questions are key. Some takeaways for managers:
They should be focused the same skills, competencies, traits or drivers for the same role.
You can ask different people different probing questions, but the basic questions should be the same across all candidates.
Keep interviews down to 5-10 questions max. Sometimes a good behavioral interview may take 5-10 minutes of discussion. If you have more than 3 behavioral interviews, consider breaking up the interview. But also, if you need too many interviews, consider whether you can consolidate down to the core competencies that drive performance outcomes.
Hiring is one of the most important and difficult tasks for any manager. When you’re hiring your team you need to find someone with the right knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors, and fit for your organization.
While many hiring managers primarily focus on competencies or experiences, we shouldn’t overlook the other dimensions that may not be easily assessed in an interview. For this reason, assessments that can look at all dimensions are of value. Different types of assessments work best for different types of needs. For instance, the KFLAP works great in leadership roles or roles of a very critical nature. But for more entry-level roles, a skills assessment could be appropriate. Where you place an assessment is also important. If you’re looking at a hard skill, such as typing speed, you can place the assessment before an initial interview. If you’re looking for a competency or behavior, you should place the assessment before the interview so you can develop probing questions to get a deeper look during an interview.
But what if you’re short on computer-based assessments? Let’s explore a few tools you can put in place today to help make sure your next hire is the right one.
Defining Success: A prerequisite
Before embarking on the hiring journey, clarity on success criteria is essential. Begin with the end in mind. What does success in this role truly look like? Do you have a job description? If not, pause and build it, thinking about it carefully because it is the basis of the contract you will have with your future employee. Do you have clear expectations for the role? Expectations and goals are different but very closely related. Expectations represent an expanded job description. If your employee does everything on the expectation list, they will be doing the job well, not just getting by. In fact, this would be a person you would want on your team so long as the role is needed. Goals, on the other hand, elevate that person to their next level. If they are not meeting expectations, perhaps leveling up to meeting expectations is the goal. But if they are already meeting expectations, then what can they do to raise the bar? It is important to understand your own expectations of the role before embarking on the hiring journey.
If you already have employees in the role, think about what they are doing well and what you tend to coach them on. Consider elevating the job description based on your learnings of the role. Expectations for the role can and should change over time because the role should evolve over time.
When you are ready to go public with your job description, don’t just rely on the traditional posting venues. Lean into your network. Everyone knows someone, and the highest source for hires is traditionally referrals. Who do you know who might know someone good for this role? Where are you already networked where you can get the word out? Do you have a LinkedIn account where you can advertise your role in your network? Even though referrals are a great source, if you get a referral, do your due diligence. Vet the referral. Ask the referrer how they know the candidate and what they know about the candidate’s work output and work ethic. Seek a deeper understanding of potential skills and behaviors that would make this candidate a good fit for the role. Make sure the referral meets all your qualifications before progressing them through the process. If they don’t meet the qualifications and you still want to progress them, then you need to pause. Were all those qualifications really necessary? If you’re willing to budge on a requirement for one person, you need to budge on that same requirement for everyone. Not doing so can be the limiter to allowing your RIGHT hire in the door.
Also, don’t forget your internal network. Sometimes internals with less experience are still better candidates because they bring the company knowledge to the table. Company knowledge should be treated like a skill that can only be trained on the inside. It’s up to you and your specific situation to determine how much you prioritize previous company knowledge. Sometimes having an existing network can leverage a person into productivity faster. Sometimes, if you’re trying to change the culture, for instance, it can be best to go externally.
Be humble. Be fearless. I whisper this to myself when no one is around. In the car. In prayer. While taking my daughter through the aisles at Target looking for a birthday present for her classmate. Be humble. Be fearless. It has become my new mantra. And I must admit, the breadth of the impact has been quite surprising.
The mantra came to me while meditating upon “Be not afraid, I go before you always” of which part is a Christian song I was taught in my youth. When I look up the phrase “Be not afraid” from the Bible, I found 25 results, and of those, at least 2/3rds are quickly followed by some reminder that God is with us. In the old testament, God says “Be not afraid, for I am with thee to deliver thee” (Jeremiah 1:8 KJV) and similar verses that show God goes before us, the battle is not ours but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15). In the new testament Jesus says, “it is I, be not afraid” (Matthew 14:27 and Mark 6:50 and John 6:20).
God doesn’t promise to remove the burden from us in this life, but time and time again, he reassures us that he is with us and that we need not trust in ourselves, but in him. For this, I can securely say – be fearless.
But, “be fearless” alone would lead me astray. I cannot be fearless in my own ambitions. The battle is not mine, but God’s.
If I’ve learned anything at all, it’s when I think I’m in control that God provides me with gentle reminders that I am not. That gentle reminder may appear to me as my entire empire crumbling, which took years of building, the stone blocks bore on my own back sealed with sweat from my brow. I need to remember my back is not strong enough to bear the weight of those blocks, my sweat not strong enough to create the seal. If it stood up, it was God’s strength that carried the weight, his grace the seal.
Nothing that is of me is from me. For I am not mine alone. I am made up of stories passed on by my parents and grandparents. Friends who have given advice. And countless peers and experts along the way. I have read many books. Studied the studies from other greats. And I continue to learn from those who walked before me and who will rise after me. Anything that I can do, He does through me. From this I will strive to remember to be humble. And because I can be humble in knowing I am not standing here alone: That. That encourages me to be fearless.
Data Privacy and Security continue to be on the rise. While we may all feel a little exhausted from GDPR, it is not losing traction. In fact, more and more states and countries are joining in. In 2023, the US saw a surge in states joining the data privacy movement, with the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) leading the way, quickly followed by the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CDPA), Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA), Virginia Consumer Data Privacy Act (VCDPA), Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBR), Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA), Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA), and many others. 2025 already has Iowa, Texas, Delaware, Tennessee, and Indiana on the docket. It’s not just US who is standing with the UK on this, other countries including Switzerland, Israel, Qatar, Turkey, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, and Canada have all implemented similar laws. China’s recent PIPL laws has TA companies scrambling to review how they store China’s data.
Companies are becoming increasingly reluctant to integrate any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) into technology. This goes beyond the SPII restrictions of old (for example beyond birthdates and country IDs) to include names and even company email addresses. This creates a tricky environment for balancing the tech-forward needs of the digital era with the privacy and security needs of the GDPR era. Will our personal data be part of some sort of blockchain algorithm in the near future? Only time will tell.
Speaking of the future, AI is on the rise! Those worried about AI taking their jobs should be, not because the technology is so advanced that robots will be doing their job, but because if they aren’t keeping up, they will be left behind. Think of AI like the invention of the computer. People with typewriters and filing systems were reluctant to migrate over to computers, but the fact remained that computers were faster, so eventually, everyone migrated. Even then, it took years for people to stop printing out everything they created. AI is the same; it will take years for adoption. But if you aren’t an early adopter, you will be left behind because with machine learning, the growth of AI will accelerate exponentially faster. Like computers, AI has both good and bad potential. What is clear is that companies need to race to identify what AI they will use, and more importantly, how they will govern AI in their business. States and countries need to determine what parameters they will put around AI to keep their citizens safe.
In 2024, the skills gap is rising, so companies are turning to Skills-based Hiring and focus on learning & development. The situation is real. Consider this:
The US private Employment is back to pre-pandemic levels
So with jobs up and unemployment down, it’s a candidate’s market again, right? Wrong! What’s happening is that there is a significant skills gap, with not enough qualified people for the jobs that are available. In addition, those who are qualified have different work requirements than in a pre-pandemic world, as they are more aware of the impacts of mental health and other factors that drive personal and professional satisfaction. We are seeing the impacts of #MeToo and social injustice awareness, causing a magnifying glass on company policies. Companies know they must treat their employees better than in years past in order to retain them. Retention and management practices are definitely factors on CHROs minds. But it’s the skills gap that is creating the most immediate needs. Employers are getting creative, replacing schooling and experience requirements with transferrable skills.
While this is all happening, we’re continuing to see a rise in the % of population retiring, as a result of the baby boomers reaching their retirement years.
When you add in the need to keep up with ever changing technologies, the skills gap will only continue to rise, and companies will have a new problem on their hands.
And we’re seeing that continue to play out according to Indeed.com
So what does this all lead to? As a result of the current landscape, you can expect change burnout, and TA companies hesitant to do unnecessary technology reform. However, they will continue to do technology upgrades where necessary, such as implementing AI tools, to keep up with market demands. Instead of major overhauls, you may be more likely to see them move to more “merge” technology that allows them to bolt on to their existing infrastructure. Middleware, integration specialists, and change management specialists, get ready – 2024 is your year!
You can see more crack down on data privacy and security.
You will see a wave of advancements in AI, followed by a wave of pull backs as new legislation comes out that regulates that AI.
You will see more companies lower education and employment requirements and seek out skills assessments and education programs, as well as develop partnerships with schools to offer mini-education programs that are aligned with company skills gaps.
You will see companies trying to drive employee retention, but employees continuing to job hop in search for better wages and greener pastures. As a result, companies will have to adjust and turn to an even wider temporary and contractor base to fill in those gaps.
What else are you expecting to see? I’d be very interested in hearing from you.
Check out these other great articles about TA and HR trends for 2024:
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