Some people are bad at hiring.

“Would you hire someone who wasn’t competent?”

Yes, if I could train them to become competent and they fit the culture and the job.

“Someone who wasn’t educated, or experienced, or … ?”

For engineers I would require an education.

“I’ve been in unethical places, and seen (and alas worked with) unethical people.”

There are many of them.

“If the requirement is not stated, it very well may not be considered – even if you and I agree that it should be something so fundamental that “it need not be said.”

You mean if we don’t state that an applicant must be ethical then we cannot make sure that they are ethical?

Why would anyone consider hiring an unethical applicant? It seems to me it need not be said.

Bob Gately, PE, MBA

The best candidates may (20%) or may not (80%) be a good hire.

· Competence is the King of job performance.

· Talent is the Queen of job performance.

· Potential is the Prince of job performance.

· Education is the Princess of job performance.

· Experience is the Court Jester of job performance.

Competence and Talent rule job performance.

There are many factors to consider when hiring talent but first we need to define talent unless “hiring talent” means “hiring employees.”

Everyone wants to hire for talent but if we can’t answer the five questions below with specificity, we can’t hire for talent.

1. How do you define talent?
2. How do you measure talent?
3. How do you know a candidate’s talent?
4. How do you know what talent is required for each job?
5. How do you match a candidate’s talent to the talent demanded by the job?

Employers need to assess for:
– Cultural Match (Cultural Fit)
– Skills Match (Competence)
– Job Match (Talent)

Some employers assess for all three.

Potential is identified during the Job Match evaluation.