By definition, an employee is: “A worker who is hired to perform a job.” While short and to the point, this definition gives us minimal insight into why employers sometimes spend countless hours interviewing and ultimately hiring the wrong person.

All too often, organizations spend so much time concentrating on hiring the “right person,” they forget to focus first on ensuring they are hiring for the “right position.” The best “worker” may easily be overlooked if the “work” or “position” itself is not first clearly defined. To safeguard against ineffective hiring, appropriate time and effort should be spent on positional analyses. Whether company-wide or in response to a single recent need, taking this time will aid in eventually bringing in the right candidates and subsequently the best fit for your specific organizational requirements.

Haste Makes Waste

Some studies have indicated that as much as 80 percent of turnover is caused by bad hiring decisions. These are extremely costly mistakes. The cost of replacing an employee can be as great as one-third of a new hire’s annual salary according to the U.S. Department of Labor, and could potentially be even more in some cases. This cost includes items such as recruitment, selection and education, plus additional training costs and other associated losses due to decreased productivity, affected teams/departments and foregone opportunity. Therefore, it is advantageous for organizations to ensure that the right position is being filled with an appropriate match the first time around.

Hiring challenges in our current job market are quite different than in the past. In today’s economy, many companies attempt to do more with less by piling on additional responsibilities to existing staff rather than replacing an employee who just left, adjusting roles and responsibilities, or creating a new position. Considering the high costs of replacing an employee and tightening corporate budgets, when a position is being filled, there is a smaller margin for error now than ever before.

All too often, job descriptions are written hastily to quickly put a person into a role that is viewed by the organization as being necessary. In many cases, job descriptions are overlooked entirely. The “right person” may or may not have the required skills for that position, but it is difficult to know for sure if details and expectations for the position itself have not been effectively drawn out in advance.

A general lack of investment, focus and resource in the hiring process is a major contributor to bad hiring decisions. The inability to adequately profile the position before selecting the candidate seriously amplifies this reality.

Understanding the Job…Positional Analyses

Before you can expect to find the right person for a position, it is essential to first analyze the position thoroughly, and then consider what type of person would be most successful. It is often worth taking an initial look within your existing departments or teams for those who might possess the most aligned skill set to the position you are trying to fill. Seeking out top talent from within the organization shows existing employees that you are interested in their development and career progression. Not only should you interview the star performer, but also include those around that person to gain understanding of how and why others view them as being successful. It can also be a solid financial decision, as hiring from within typically offers a shorter learning curve, flexibility in role development and aids in overall employee loyalty and retention.  As a starting point, performing a comprehensive positional analysis helps the company gain a better understanding of the skills, knowledge and overall fit that is required for the position.

Regardless of where a positional gap may exist, many factors should be taken into consideration in order to fill the need. There is an “ideal wish list” of qualities, skill sets, personality traits, experience, knowledge and interest desired by management in a potential hire. One component of a positional analysis is to identify various attributes that are required in order to expect success from a particular role. By first identifying such attributes, the hiring decision will then have a foundation on which to build and make competent decisions.

For any position, there are numerous critical success factors that contribute to the success of the individual who is ultimately placed in a role. These include the skill set(s) required, the needs or specific deliverables expected by internal and external customers and more. Once key competencies and critical success factors have been examined through a positional analysis, an overall profile and job description can be developed for the desired position. This type of analysis can be conducted to ensure that the position is not only right for the organization but also sets clear expectations for potential candidates of what it takes for them to be successful in the position as it is defined.

A better correlation between the position and candidate can ultimately be achieved through this best practice. The knowledge gained by the business will help to fulfill the expectation of a more effective and efficient hiring process. Remember, to be efficient in your process, you must first be effective in your identification of positional requirements and the final selection(s) that are made. Candidates are consistently judged on established common criteria. A positional analysis is not just recommended—it is critical.

 

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