Your business is growing, and it’s time to hire the perfect person for a pivotal role. How can you ensure that the candidates that are coming in the door are right for your organization?
There are several variables. You must find someone that:
- Is capable of the role and has demonstrated success in their career.
- Understands your business niche and your market.
- Has the technical aptitude for the role.
- Has the right certifications, qualifications, and education.
- Is reliable, can meet deadlines, show up on time, and be depended upon to get the job done.
- Shows honesty, ethical behavior, and trustworthiness.
- Can effectively communicate both in their writing and their verbal messages.
- Can listen and identify opportunities.
- Can work well on a team.
- Can solve problems quickly, easily, and efficiently.
- Can take initiative.
- Can be an effective leader of others, and of themselves.
Finding and hiring the best people is both an art and a science. It’s a critical part of organizational health. One great hire can change everything, and one bad hire can affect more than the role. A bad hire costs money, opportunity, and can damage company culture.
While there might not be a single “secret” to mastering this process, one key strategy stands out: understanding the motivations and potential of candidates beyond what their resume conveys. The secret lies not in what candidates can do, but in what drives them to do it.
The process of hiring
Hiring managers must plan thoroughly to hire great employees. From the initial job posting to the offer letter, consider these steps.
Define the role and compensation
- Understand the requirements of the position, including duties, responsibilities, and necessary qualifications.
- Write a detailed job description that outlines the role, skills required, experience needed, and any other qualifications.
- Determine the salary range, benefits, and any additional perks. Consider market rates, internal equity, and the budget for the position.
- Determine which Motivational Dimensions are right for the job. Is the position right for an Achiever? Or would a Relator be a better fit for the role?
Develop a recruitment plan
- Decide where to post the job description. Consider appropriate job boards, company websites, social media, professional networks, anywhere that the potential applicants might be found.
- Determine if you’ll promote from within or look outside the company. Do current employees have any referrals?
- Ensure the recruitment process considers diversity and does not discriminate.
- Evaluate whether pay transparency should be a part of the recruitment process.
Screen applicants well
- Filter applicants based on qualifications, experience, and relevance to the job description.
- Conduct preliminary phone or video interviews to narrow down candidates.
Conduct interviews to understand the entirety of the applicant
- First round interviews involve more in-depth discussions about skills, experience, and cultural fit. These interviews should include multiple interviewers or team members.
- Consider an assessment like Motivation Code to uncover hidden talents and motivations that might bring additional value to the role.
- Use a practical real-world simulation of the job requirements to see how an applicant can perform.
- For second or third round interviews, have different team members, higher management meet the candidate.
- For critical roles, request a presentation or case study.
Check references
- Contact previous employers or professional references to verify work history and performance.
- Ask questions to verify any provided information, and also inquire about specific activities to verify a candidate’s key motivations and drivers.
Make the decision
- Compare candidates on various criteria like experience, cultural fit, potential, and how they align with company goals.
- Gather and synthesize feedback from all interviewers or team members involved in the process.
Make the offer
- Ensure that the offer letter contains all relevant information including the position title, start date, compensation details including benefits, employment conditions, and any relevant policies or clauses.
- Be prepared for some back-and-forth on terms like salary or benefits.
- Extend the offer verbally, followed by a written offer letter. Give the candidate time to consider (usually 1-3 days unless otherwise agreed).
Acceptance
- If the candidate accepts, confirm the acceptance, set a start date, and begin the onboarding process.
- Notify other candidates, whether they interviewed or applied, that the position has been filled.
This process can vary in complexity depending on the size of the organization, the seniority of the role, and industry-specific requirements.
The role of assessments
One of the most effective tools in the hiring arsenal is the use of assessments. These can range from personality tests to cognitive ability assessments and situational judgment tests. The primary advantage here is uncovering not just what a candidate can do, but why they do it. Understanding someone’s motivations can predict how they will perform in your company’s specific culture or under certain workplace dynamics.
- Personality assessments like the Myers-Briggs or the Big Five can reveal traits like openness, conscientiousness, or extraversion, which correlate with job satisfaction and performance in various roles.
- Cognitive tests measure problem-solving abilities and can predict how quickly someone might adapt to new tasks or complex projects.
- Skills assessments validate the technical or specific knowledge claimed on a resume, offering a direct insight into their current capabilities.
Caveats with using assessments
While assessments can be incredibly useful, many assessments come with their own set of challenges.
- Even well-designed assessments can lead to biased interpretations if not administered or analyzed correctly. It’s crucial to train HR staff or use third-party experts who understand the nuances of these tools.
- Many assessments only look at singular aspects of an individual and do not provide a full scope with which to evaluate.
- There’s a risk of over-relying on assessment results, potentially overlooking the human aspects of a candidate.
- Assessments must be used carefully to ensure they’re not just filtering for cultural fit, which can inadvertently reduce diversity. Instead, they should be tools for understanding how diverse individuals can add unique value.
- Ensure that all assessments comply with employment laws and ethical standards. Misuse can lead to discrimination claims or privacy issues.
Motivation is a multi-faceted component
Traditional hiring focuses heavily on skills, experience, and cultural fit. While these are important, they miss a crucial element: intrinsic motivation. Understanding a candidate’s core motivations – what naturally energizes them and brings them satisfaction – can be the difference between hiring someone who simply does the job and someone who thrives in it.
Motivation Code offers a powerful advantage in the hiring process. Unlike personality assessments that tell you how someone might behave, MCode reveals why they take action and what drives them to excel. It identifies their unique combination of 32 possible motivations, grouped into eight Motivational Dimensions: Achiever, Driver, Influencer, Learner, Optimizer, Orchestrator, Relator, and Visionary.
Motivation is the missing element in most hiring processes. Understanding motivation can help hiring managers better evaluate candidates.
Role alignment
For example, consider a project management position. While many candidates might have the required technical skills, an Orchestrator who is naturally motivated to bring structure and strategic direction to projects will likely find more satisfaction and success than a Visionary who prefers creative ideation. The Orchestrator isn’t just capable of doing the job; the very essence of the role naturally energizes them.
Evaluating long-term engagement
When someone’s core motivations align with their daily work, they’re more likely to remain engaged and committed long-term. An Achiever in a role that offers clear opportunities for excellence and recognition will stay motivated far longer than one in a position where individual accomplishments go unnoticed.
Cultivating team dynamics
Understanding motivational patterns helps you build balanced teams. For example, pairing a Driver’s goal-oriented focus with a Relator’s collaborative nature can create a powerful synergy. However, you must know to look for these complementary motivations when hiring.
Better informed interviews
When you understand the motivational requirements of a role, you can ask more targeted questions during interviews. Instead of generic scenarios, you can explore whether candidates’ natural motivations align with the position’s core demands.
Using Motivation Code when hiring
Before your next hire, try this approach.
Analyze the role. Beyond listing required skills, identify which motivations would naturally align with the position’s key responsibilities.
Screen for Motivation. Include questions that reveal candidates’ natural drivers. For example, ask about their most satisfying achievements and listen for clues about what truly energized them about those experiences.
Use Motivation Code when hiring. Consider incorporating the MCode assessment into your hiring process for key positions. This provides objective insight into candidates’ core motivations.
Match Motivations to the role. Compare candidates’ motivational patterns with the role’s demands. Look for natural alignment rather than trying to force a fit.
Core motivations are consistent
Skills can be taught, and experience can be gained, but core motivations remain remarkably constant throughout our lives. When you hire someone whose natural motivations align with their role, you’re not just filling a position. You’re setting the stage for long-term success and satisfaction.
The next time you’re faced with choosing between qualified candidates, look beyond the resume. Understanding and matching motivational patterns could be the secret weapon that helps you build a more engaged, productive, and stable workforce.
This isn’t just about finding people who can do the job, it’s about finding people who will love doing it. That distinction makes all the difference when seeking out high performers that will uplift everyone on your teams.
The best hire isn’t always the most qualified candidate on paper. It’s the one whose natural motivations align with the role’s core demands. When you get this right, everything else can fall into place.
