Admiral Hiram G. Rickover, often hailed as the father of the U.S. nuclear Navy, was a man of...
If you’re consistently interviewing the wrong candidates, it’s time to rethink your process. Not only does this waste valuable time and resources, but it also damages your employer brand.
“I still haven’t found what I’m looking for…”
Bono’s famous lyrics seem to sum up a common frustration among hiring managers. They interview numerous supposedly pre-screened candidates, only to realise very quickly that none of them are a suitable fit. Internal recruiters and HR teams pass candidates through multiple rounds of interviews, only for the hiring managers to discover that the individuals don’t meet the requirements. Meanwhile, candidates themselves jump through hoops, take time off work, travel to interviews, and invest in the process, only to hit a metaphorical wall with no real explanation. The feedback? “You’re just not what they’re looking for…”
So, what’s really going wrong?
Why are so many candidates making it through screening and interviews, only to be rejected at the final stages? Why are hiring teams wasting time and resources on a process that leads nowhere? More importantly, why are we risking damage to our employer brand and candidate experience?
A Real-Life Example
Let me share a recent experience. While enjoying a well-deserved John Collins at a high-end bar in Spinola Bay, Malta, I struck up a conversation with a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) from a payments company. After some light-hearted chat about the best bourbons, we got onto work topics. The CTO, whom I’ll call Gary, had been searching for a Head of Software Development for over three months. Despite interviewing more than a dozen candidates, none had been a fit.
Intrigued, I asked Gary for more details. His frustration became apparent: the candidates all seemed great on paper, had been through multiple rounds with HR, but within minutes of meeting them, Gary knew they weren’t right for the role.
The Core Problem
Upon further investigation, it became clear that the root issue was how the recruitment process was structured. Human Resources led the process, sourcing, screening, and conducting the first two interviews before passing the shortlisted candidates to the CTO. And that’s where things began to fall apart.
I’ve seen this happen countless times, and my experience developing talent acquisition strategies for businesses like HP and Atos told me what was wrong. The recruitment process wasn’t aligned with the role’s specific requirements, especially in terms of cultural fit and behavioural traits.
The Following Week
We scheduled a meeting at the company’s office. I met with the CTO, the Head of Talent Acquisition, and the HR Manager. Naturally, there was some initial scepticism about what value I could bring.
I asked them to walk me through their process, from the job requisition to the final interview stage. It quickly became clear that the fundamental issue was a lack of alignment. No one had clearly defined what the ideal candidate looked like beyond a basic job description. Hard skills had been considered, but the critical soft skills, behavioural attributes, and leadership qualities hadn’t been adequately assessed.
The result? A lot of wasted time and effort, and no suitable candidate in sight.
Defining What You’re Looking For – The Simple Solution
To address the problem, I got the team to complete an online assessment. This allowed them to objectively assess the role in terms of required personality traits, leadership style, and other soft skills. In less than 10 minutes, it became clear that the team’s expectations were misaligned:
- The Internal Recruiter believed the candidate should be energetic and fast-paced but considerate of the team’s needs.
- HR expected a team leader who would guide and support the team, encouraging collaboration.
- The CTO wanted someone results-oriented and assertive, a traditional leader who would take charge.
Each stakeholder had a completely different perspective on what the ideal candidate should look like. This misalignment was why the process wasn’t working.
The Benefits of Getting it Right – Every Time
Imagine the time, money, and effort wasted in scenarios like this. However, when everyone is on the same page from the outset, you can avoid such pitfalls.
By working with GrassGreener Group, we ensure that you don’t fall into these traps. Our award-winning recruitment process not only helps you find the right candidate but also ensures they stay with you for the long term.
Want to Hire Right the First Time?
If your hiring process feels familiar to this, we can help. Before you start your next recruitment drive, let us help you accurately define your candidate requirements, ensuring that everyone agrees on the ideal traits and skills. This will save you time, improve your hiring accuracy, and protect your employer brand.
At GrassGreener Group, we offer consultancy services to assess and improve your recruitment process. We’ll help you benchmark your ideal candidate and provide the tools to assess potential hires before they even reach the interview stage.
If you want to reduce downtime, increase hiring accuracy, and interview candidates who truly meet your criteria, contact me. I’ll offer you over £1,000 worth of consulting time and access to online assessment tools, completely free of charge.
