“Every employer is out to find the 'achiever' - 'the one who can get the job done', 'the superstar who can make a difference'.
Good Morning Folks,
Hiring people and evaluating talent is one my most challenging responsibilities as a leader. Finding rock stars among them is even trickier.
People always present their best selves in an interview and resume. Often times, I've found someone may look great on paper but if they lack the intangibles, they will be doomed for failure. I like people who can communicate, can verbalize or put to paper their thoughts, and see things from the customer's perspective.
That in mind, to inspire you this Friday and to usher in the weekend on a high note, I am sharing Lou Adler’s excellent performance / leadership article “12 Ways to Spot a High Achiever” that should be a litmus test for "employees you should keep".
Every employer is out to find the 'achiever' - 'the one who can get the job done', 'the superstar who can make a difference'.
Rock stars in their discipline will float to the top and create their own opportunities by their capacities and their drive. Amazing people like rock stars always look to improve, streamline and make things better and more efficient. That's what gives organizations efficient, building competitive advantage and market share.
But, you can be a high achiever until the cows come home. However, if you work for a company that doesn't recognize high achievement and is unable/unwilling to allow a high achiever to progress and move up, it doesn't matter. At that point, the high achiever moves on.
And that’s exactly how FSO is finding rock stars and building teams that will forever shine above the rest. Because here we DO care about the training and motivation that’s required to offer an employee a sustainable, fulfilling career. Where going to work is fun whereas previously employed by our competitors, it has been the other way around.
Now over to Lou:
As part of my day job, I run a company that trains recruiters and hiring managers on how to attract, assess and hire top performers using Performance-based Hiring.
Being pretty cynical and somewhat analytical, the following is how I go about spotting a high achiever. (Note: job-seekers can use this information to make sure the Achiever Pattern is easy to spot on both your resume and LinkedIn profile if you have it. If you’re not quite there yet, use these tips to find a job that offers you the chance to get into this elite 25%. See point 6 below for the importance of this.)
==>They've been assigned difficult challenges ahead of their peers.
The best people, including engineers, accountants, and sales reps, plus everyone else, are typically assigned tasks, clients and projects that are normally given to more senior people. If it happens regularly, especially during the first year of each new job, you’ve found tangible evidence of the Achiever Pattern.
==>They volunteer or ask to be assigned to projects over their heads.
A person needs a lot of confidence to take on a task where they have little or no experience. If they’re successful at it multiple times, the person deserves double bonus points.
==>They’re put on important multifunctional teams.
Managers assign their strongest staff members to critical team projects. Look for a consistent pattern, including teams growing in size, importance and impact over time. This is great evidence of strong team skills, as well as the Achiever Pattern.
==>They get a chance to demonstrate their abilities to more senior executives.
Managers put their subordinates in front of a company exec to both demonstrate the manager’s good judgment, and to help the subordinate get more exposure.
==>They get promoted more rapidly.
Look for promotions due to exceptional performance. More proof: a consistent track record of increasing responsibility at different companies.
==>The reason they change jobs is long-term career focused.
For each job change, ask the person how they got their new job, why they changed jobs, and if these objectives were met. Changing and accepting jobs is one of the most important decisions a person can make. Make sure you hire people who have made them wisely.
==>They’ve established and achieved major goals.
Rather than asking about a person's goals, ask first about the biggest goal they’ve already achieved. Then ask how they’re going about achieving their next one.
==>They’ve been rehired by a former manager.
Top managers tend to rehire their best subordinates from previous companies.
==>They rehire their former subordinates.
Ask more seasoned managers if they’ve ever hired someone they’ve worked with in the past. Top people follow other top people.
==>They’re the “go to” person inside their department.
Find out where the person has been recognized for outstanding work and where they’ve coached others. Map this to what you need done.
==>They’ve received formal recognition outside of their department.
The best people have reputations beyond their department and function. It could be a company award, a white paper, a fellowship, speaking at a conference, or assigned for special training.
==>They were mentored and /or mentored others.
Just ask, and look for a continuous pattern. Then find out why, and the results.
Many times candidates overlook these important factors, so it’s up to the interviewer to seek them out. Once you hire a few top people this way, you’ll realize it’s worth the extra effort.
Love Life!
Have a Happy, Healthy and COOLER Weekend,
Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer
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"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get."
-- Dale Carnegie
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Lou Adler (@LouA) is the creator of Performance-based Hiring and the author of the Amazon Top 10 business best-seller, Hire With Your Head (Wiley, 2007). His new book, The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired, (Workbench, 2013) has just been published.
