With the mass resignation of employees in recent months, boardrooms have been forced to confront the talent they have - and, more importantly, the talent they lack. To avoid being caught in a position where they are scrambling to find qualified candidates, businesses need to be proactive in their approach to talent acquisition.
When it comes to hiring new talent, making a quick and informed decision is essential. You don't want to waste time interviewing candidates who are not a good fit for your company, nor do you want to miss out on the perfect candidate because you didn't act quickly enough. In this blog post, we will outline three critical steps that will help you evaluate talent and make a quick decision about whom to hire.
1) Identify the Skills
The first step is to identify the skills required for the position you want to fill. This will help you create a list of criteria that candidates must meet to be considered for the role. Once you have your list of criteria, you can begin to screen candidates. In a recent Forbes article, Yolanda Lau, a Forbes Councils member, suggested that employers must look not just for hard skills (technical abilities) but also for soft skills, the so-called "people skills."
"As more and more job activities become automated," Lau wrote, citing a Deloitte study projecting soft skills will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030, "soft skills, which cannot yet be replicated by machines, have become more important."
Â
2) Make Your ABCs
The next step is to categorise your candidates into three groups: A-Players, B-Players, and C-Players. This decision-making framework was recommended in another Forbes article by football coach-turned-business executive Joe Moglia. The A-Players are the top candidates who meet most, if not all, of your criteria. The B-Players are the second-tier candidates who meet some but not all your criteria. The C-Players are the bottom candidates who may have one or two skills that meet your criteria but otherwise do not qualify.
"Whether you're trying to decide on a new job, which creative project to pursue, where you want to live, or what investments to make, breaking your choices down into easily understood categories—A, B and C—and then focusing on the best attainable options will make your decision-making process smoother, more efficient and easier," wrote Moglia.
3) Use a Decision Matrix
Once you have the three groups of candidates, Moglia suggested getting rid of the C-Players immediately. Of course, they may have some redeeming qualities, but if they don't meet the majority of your criteria, it's best to move on. The next step is to evaluate the A-Players and B-Players. This is where a decision matrix can come in handy.
A decision matrix is simply a table that allows you to compare and contrast the different candidates. The matrix should include all of your criteria, as well as a rating system for how important each criterion is. You can then use the ratings to help you decide which candidate is the best fit for your company.
The steps we've outlined here should help you evaluate and hire talent quickly and efficiently. By being proactive in your approach to talent acquisition, you can avoid being caught in a bind and make the best decision for your business.
