HireBetter Blog

Case Study: Living Direct Finds a Leader

April 26th, 2012 | by | case studies, employee relations, hirebetter, human resources, interviewing, management, topgrading

Apr
26

Client: Living Direct

Role: VP of eCommerce and Marketing

Location: Austin, Texas

 

 

 

Sometimes a client approaches HireBetter with a pretty good idea of what they think they need in a new hire and they’re right.  Other times, we get a chance to shine when we help a client realize that a truly great hire can mean so much more for a company than they originally thought.  When Rick Lundbom came to HireBetter, he thought that he just wanted someone to manage his eCommerce and Marketing division.  Little did he know that we would deliver his right hand man who would quickly propel his business to new heights!

 

Intake:

Rick initially was really set on hiring a serious, but simple marketing person.  He wanted someone who had a very strong grasp of traditional e-commerce marketing principals AND was comfortable with big web data.  Furthermore, he wanted someone who was competitive and would thrive while working with his very young team (in his mid-30s, Lundbom is the resident “old guy” in the office).

He had a very specific model of an ideal candidate (even one “perfect” candidate in town who he said we would not be able to get) and a few specific types of candidates that he wanted to target.  He asked us to recruit those candidates first, but still use our expertise to find the right person for the role, whoever that was.

After we did a full intake evaluation, however, we realized that what the client really needed was a leader, someone with the leadership acumen AND technical skills to mentor and inspire his very young team.

 

Strategy and process:

As the client requested, we were sure to recruit the specific candidates that he wanted.  So we did.  And after we finished recruiting, we had three very strong candidates who met Rick’s criteria lined up and wanting the job:

 

  • A candidate with both Internet and retailing experience?  Got it.
  • One with e-commerce experience at a top 200 e-tailer?  Done.
  • Someone like his ideal local guy?  We actually got the “perfect” one who he thought would be unattainable.

 

…But we also found someone better.  From the first time we met him, we had a feeling that Dave was the guy.  Dave didn’t really fit the mold of what Rick said he wanted; he started off in tech and had only later gained an affinity for marketing.  We convinced the client to at least give him a call, and though he remained interested in his other candidates, we could tell that he knew that we might be onto something.

Then came the Topgrading® interview…

After putting the candidates through the VERY thorough Topgrading® interview process, it became abundantly clear who was the right one for the job.  After four hours with Dave, Rick was totally sold.  Though he didn’t look like the candidate the Rick initially had in mind, he knew that Dave was an A-player.

 

Results:

He was right.  Not only has Dave been able to lead the eCommerce and Marketing division at Living Direct, he has become Rick’s right hand man.  “He’s earned my trust,” Rick said.  And more than that, his presence has allowed him to work on growing the company.

“We are up 30% year over year and Dave is a big part of that…but he’s also freed up my time to work ON my business instead of IN my business.”

Dave has been fitting in very well at Living Direct, and even allowed Lundbom to get some much needed R&R: “I was able to take a two-week vacation for the first time in a LONG time.”

There’s nothing better for us than to see our clients so surprised when they see how much great talent can help their business.  Rick Lundbom came to us looking for a simple marketing guru.  What he got was a leader for his company, trust in his new partner, and the time to live his life again.  We’re glad to have gotten to help.

 

Want to see how HireBetter can go above and beyond for you and your company?  Take a look at how we’ve helped other clients, and then drop us a line.  We’d love to show you how HireBetter can help take your talent to new heights.

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Charisma in the Workplace

April 10th, 2012 | by | employee relations, hirebetter, interviewing, talent

Apr
10

The Greeks thought that charisma, or “the gift of grace,” was a divine gift.  And when used in business, charisma can certainly help you advance your career.  Think of someone you classify as a “charismatic person” – they’re typically outgoing, personable, and they never meet a stranger.  Everyone wants to be a part of their circle.

So why is charisma so important in business? Olivia Fox Cabane, author of The Charisma Myth, says it is charisma that “makes people want to trust you and follow you…Employees of charismatic leaders experience greater work satisfaction, greater personal commitment, and exhibit higher productivity.”

Not just for bosses

But Cabane points out that charisma is not only important for leadership roles.  All employees can benefit from a healthy dose of charisma. It can often be the deciding factor in determining which ideas are heard in the workplace. Or it can help you when dealing with a particularly difficult co-worker. And everyone can agree that having charisma is beneficial when applying for a new job.  Cabane goes as far as to say that charismatic people are even “viewed as more attractive by their superiors.”

 

Charisma can be learned

So what’s a person to do who doesn’t have that charisma? Do you just hang up your hat and call it a day? Well, thankfully, for those of us with more introverted personalities, you’ll be glad to know that scientists have discovered that charisma is actually an acquired social skill; one that can be learned. Cabane points to Steve Jobs as a prime example. She suggests that with practice, anyone can learn to get into the right mindset and project the body language of a charismatic person.

Here at HireBetter, we frequently get feedback from Hiring Manager that charisma and personality, as well as skill set, played a role in your final hiring decisions.  That is why finding the best qualified candidate is just the first step for us. Using our process of behavioral interviewing, HireBetter is able to present you with candidates who are not just “qualified” for the job. We strive to present you with candidates who also have that “WOW” factor.  And that often comes from having an extra dose of charisma.

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Does Facebook really play a big role in a Hiring Manager Decision?

April 3rd, 2012 | by | guest post, social media

Apr
03

Does Facebook play a role in the decision making process of Hiring Managers today?  And should it?

According to an article written in 2010, 70% of recruiters and hiring managers had rejected an applicant because of something they’d seen on Facebook.   Things such as “inappropriate” comments, “unsuitable” photos and videos, and “criticism” of employers, co-worker or clients.

But what else can Facebook reveal about a potential candidate?  According to a recent study done by Northern Illinois University, Facebook can help reveal the Big Five personality traits – openness, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.  For example, people who have lots of pictures and discussion about travel on their Facebook profile indicates that they are open to new things. While someone who has a large number of friends on Facebook is indicative of an extrovert.

However, Don Kluemper, one of the study’s authors, says that companies really shouldn’t use Facebook to screen applicants until more research has been done.  He suggests that hiring managers continue to use personality tests which do a better job of predicting performance.

As mentioned in previous blogs, HireBetter uses behavioral interviews to provide a superior snapshot of a candidate’s personality.

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HireBetter at SXSW 2012!

March 8th, 2012 | by | communication, hirebetter, networking, social media, technology

Mar
08

Each year, thousands of the brightest minds in business and technology converge on our home city of Austin, Texas for the SXSW Interactive conference.  This year, HireBetter is proud to be attending and looking for insights into how to attract, manage, and motivate today’s top innovative talent.

I’ll be blogging and tweeting throughout the week with ideas and questions about all sorts of talent issues and opportunities.  I hope to paint a picture of how to think about this special kind of talent.

If you’re attending SXSW this year, please let me know!  I’d love to meet in person.  If not, is there anything in particular that you’d like to know about high-tech, marketing, or media talent?  Let me know in the comment section below or Twitter, and I’ll see if I can figure out for you.

I’m looking forward to sharing what I learn with you, so keep an eye out for my coverage of SXSW 2012.

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What is Topgrading®?

March 5th, 2012 | by | hirebetter, hiring, human resources, interviewing, topgrading

Mar
05

In our previous post, we talked about behavioral interviewing and how it is a superior way to predict how your job candidates will actually perform inside of your company than traditional interviewing.  This week, we’re going to introduce you to a specific type of interviewing that we use here at HireBetter: Topgrading®.

Topgrading® basics 

Topgrading® was created by Brad Smart back in the 1970s while he was working on his Ph.D. studies.  He decided that many companies’ inability to consistently hire top performers was unacceptable, so he began to develop what would become the Topgrading® methodology.

Topgrading® is a method for hiring and promoting top performers.  It is an objective, thorough, and tested way to determine which candidates are most likely to become A Players.  At the center of the methodology is the Topgrading® interview.

 

A Topgrading® interview

A Topgrading® interview will probably look different from most other interviews you’ve seen before.  It is intense.  Very intense.  Lasting four hours and relying only on facts about your interviewee’s past behaviors, this interview cuts through to the core of your candidate.  Candidates can’t really prepare for a Topgrading® interview, because it is specifically designed to strip them down and make it impossible for them to fabricate a false image of themselves.  It helps you collect facts and use those to make your decision.

These interviews are Comprehensive, In-depth, and Structured.  By following this structure closely, we objectively create a picture of each candidate’s personality, motivations, and probability of success.

 

Why we Topgrade

HireBetter uses Topgrading® because it works.  Its history of success goes back decades.   While working with Jack Welch at GE, Brad Smart helped them hire and promote employees who ended up being high performers ninety percent of the time!  We have been using Topgrading® with our clients for years, and we can deliver this same kind of success to your company.  Contact HireBetter to learn more.

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Why You Need To Hire A COO

February 2nd, 2012 | by | hiring, human resources, management, talent

Feb
02

You’re a high-growth, middle market CEO…trying to “make hay while the sun shines” and grow your company.  You probably see your days getting bogged down in your business’s day-to-day activities.  You’re likely spending your time keeping plates spinning instead of growing your business.  And I bet you get so bogged down in daily minutiae that sometimes you just feel like you’re drowning.

Your solution, more likely than not, is that you need to hire a head of operations.  Depending on your size and stage, it could be a VP of Ops, Director of Operations, or Chief Operations Officer (COO).  [For purposes of this blog, we’ll simply refer to this position as the “COO.”]

I can’t tell you how many times through the years I’ve counseled emerging market CEOs on this (while at Ernst & Young, Tatum, or through my experience as a YPO’er).  So often, it simply comes down to hiring an A-Player as your number two.

 

“But we’re too small for a COO…”

…you might say, and you may be right, but maybe not.  You’d be surprised how a COO can add significant value to small and medium sized, middle-market businesses, just like they do for large ones.  Indeed, a COO might just be the piece that you’re missing.

 

Is it time for you to hire your number two?

Like any business decision, you should hire a chief operation officer if they will add more value to your company than they will cost you (obviously).  But how can you predict how much value they can add?

You need to consider how your new COO will free up your time and allow you to make your company more profitable.  What will you do instead of managing operational issues?  What can your COO do better than you?

  • Will you drive new sales or make new partnerships that will grow your top line?
  • Will your COO save you money by making your operations more efficient?
  • Will you use your time to explore new strategies and/or markets to expand your business?

If you can come up with a forecast of how your financial situation will improve through ways like those I outlined above…and that’s more than you expect to pay a COO, then it’s time to hire up!  Keep your company moving up to the next level!

 

Trust is your most important asset

Your chief operating officer will likely be the most important (and most difficult) hire that you will ever make.  That’s because, in order for them to be successful, you will have to trust them with a job that, until now, you’ve chosen to do yourself.  Not only will you have to make sure that they have the skills and experience to be ready for the role, you have to trust their judgment and character.

 

How to find your COO

Please, don’t hire the first pretty face or impressive resume that walks through the door.  And don’t just go for the big name.  Just because they’ve been at GE for 10 years doesn’t mean that they are the right fit for your $15 million business.  In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

If you’re looking at someone who successfully transitioned a company from $15M to $50M and that’s also your goal…then you might just have a solid candidate: someone who has successfully accomplished the main 3 or 4 goals you have for your company and this position.

I’ve found that a behavior-based interview processes, like the Topgrading methodology, is a great way to build confidence in such an important hire.  That’s why we use Topgrading for our clients and our team at HireBetter.

 

A COO can be your new secret weapon

You, as a CEO, are uniquely positioned to make big changes to your company.  But if you get bogged down in daily activities, your hands are tied.  If it looks like you can create real value by breaking free of your daily obligations, consider hiring a COO.  It might be the most liberating decision that you can make for your company, and yourself.

If you think it might be time for you to hire a COO, please contact HireBetter.  We can work with you to help you determine exactly what the COO needs to accomplish, and then we deliver A-Players to you.

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How to Hire the Right Size Candidate

January 11th, 2012 | by | hiring, human resources, management, recruiting, talent, videos

Jan
11

In the clip above, HireBetter’s founder, Jonathan Davis, explains how difficult it is for a candidate with a small-business background to “make the jump” to a large company, and vice versa.

The skills and attitudes which may have led to success in one kind of company may set someone up to fail in another.  Even though it may seem like a good idea hire someone from a big company for a small company (or the other way around) some time, it’s a very risky move.  Here’s what our statistics show:

 

  • Hires moving from big companies to small companies fail two thirds of the time.
  • Hires moving from small companies to big companies fail four out of five times!

 

That’s more of a risk than you want to take, especially considering how expensive bad hires are.  Bear this in mind when you’re looking to make your next hire.

For more insights that we’ve learned from years of hiring experience, keep reading the HireBetter Blog and subscribe to our YouTube page.

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Workforce Planning: Forging a Path or Flying Blind?

January 4th, 2012 | by | hirebetter, human resources, management, talent, technology

Jan
04

Have you noticed that you seem to get much more done when you actually write out what you plan to do?  Whether you’re shopping for groceries, packing for a trip, or doing your job, a written plan helps you visualize what needs to be done.

Have you applied that same principal to planning your workforce?  Purposeful workforce planning provides an assessment and a decisive action plan.  And considering how the right team is the most critical attribute of a successful company, don’t you think you should do it right?

 

A HireBetter shortcut

We can help, and we’ve developed a simple tool to assist you.  This download will make it easier for you to visualize your goals and plan the steps you need to take to achieve them.

Our complimentary Workforce Planning Tool will help you:

  • Keep track of high performers inside of your company
  • Make note of who needs additional coaching
  • Be sure that your Team lives up to your Core Values
  • Pinpoint who you need to hire each quarter
  • And much more!

Click here to download your very own Workforce Planning Tool, compliments of HireBetter.

 

Planning is the first step, but not the last 

Our tool will help you get started, but it takes a real expert to truly know what (and who) you need.  If you really want to make a meaningful plan and start building a team that will lead your company to future success, contact HireBetter.

Image used under Creative Commons from adesigna.

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Two Ways to Avoid Bottlenecks in the Hiring Process

December 15th, 2011 | by | guest post, hiring, networking, recruiting, technology

Dec
15

From time to time, HireBetter’s blog will feature guest posts from writers with a unique insight into a particular talent issue.  Today’s post comes from Kyle Lagunas of Software Advice:

A business is a well-oiled machine, relying on the seamless execution of a number of processes to drive it forward. Disruptions and delays (bottlenecks) will occur unless you keep these processes in ship shape. In the hiring process, bottlenecks are more than just an inconvenience. They can damage company culture and tarnish your brand – making it more difficult to attract and hire top talent. Smoothing out bumps in the road before they turn into more serious issues is essential to the ongoing success of your recruiting and hiring efforts.

Kyle LagunasThat said, here are a couple leading causes of bottlenecks in the hiring process – and ways to avoid each one:

 

 

Sequential hiring style

You post the same ad you used last time, find three candidates to interview, and hope one of them has what you’re looking for. If not, you go back to square one–you post the ad, find three candidates, and the cycle repeats. But relying on the same old iterated process to meet myriad staffing needs is more than shortsighted, it’s inefficient.

The greatest value lies in having a working process. By designing a hiring process that works in tandem with talent management and supports your business strategy, your recruiting efforts will be much easier to manage. You don’t have to read every book ever written on hiring strategies, but you do need a uniform process that meets your organization’s culture, values and needs.

 

Living in the Dark Ages

Without the proper technology, the sheer volume of applications a single online job posting attracts can be nearly impossible to manage. As such, many organizations experience delays at the onset recruiting–which is frustrating for candidates and hiring managers alike. Accepting resumes and screening for experience and qualifications are a part of the process, but applicants perceive that nothing is happening until an interview takes place.

Online application and screening tools help companies maintain momentum by reducing time spent in this initial stage. If you don’t have an applicant tracking system, you need to get one. The first step toward minimizing bottlenecks in hiring is automating the most menial aspects of hiring so you can focus on engagement.

 

Best Practices are the Cure for Hiccups

Strategic staffing requires the cooperation and shared effort of multiple parties, and as with any business process, hiccups and delays in hiring will happen. With a sound process in place that keeps stakeholders informed and engaged, however, bottlenecks will be fewer and further between. By incorporating the best practices that make the most sense to your organization–and by leveraging solid technology–you’ll be better prepared to deal with any other flaws that emerge.

 

About the Author: Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst at Software Advice – a company that reviews human resources systems. For further reading on ways to avoid bottlenecks in the hiring process, this article can be found on Kyle’s HR blog in full: http://blog.softwareadvice.com/articles/hr/four-ways-to-avoid-bottlenecks-in-the-hiring-process-1120911/

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How To Become A “Recovering Job Description Writer”

December 8th, 2011 | by | hirebetter, hiring, human resources, job descriptions, recruiting, talent, videos

Dec
08

Jonathan Davis, HireBetter’s founder, considers himself a recovering job description writer.  And in this video, he explains why and how you can become one too.

Traditionally, to write a job description, you probably piece together attributes that you’d like in a new hire.  You start from the beginning and work forward.

 

Start at the end to know where you should be

But what we do, and what we encourage our clients to do, is start at the end.  Determine what this person should accomplish in their first 90 days, six months, or year on the job.  Now, when you look at your candidates, ask yourself whether they’ll deliver the success that you’ve just described.

This lets you be able to look at their background and determine if they have the skills to be able to do that, rather than them trying to convince you that they have the attributes that you asked for.

 

What kind of employee do you really want to hire?

No one really wants to just hire a “go-getter” or a “real closer,” you want someone who can successfully achieve specific results for your company.  So find out what “success” means in your role, and your accuracy will go way up.

 

For more, take a look at HireBetter’s YouTube Channel, and stay tuned to the HireBetter Blog for more information on how to attract, recruit, manage, and retain top talent. 

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