Solutions
The Tandem Topgrading Interview has been hugely beneficial not only because it has allowed NANE to hire better, but because it allows the hiring team to review all interview notes if a hiring mistake is made to see what was missed and adjust the process to prevent future mistakes.
Alice Johnson, NANE’s VP of People Development, reminds other Topgraders or future Topgraders to follow through on reference checks using the Topgrading Reference Check Guide. “We learn as much through reference checks as we do through the interview,” she says. NANE understands that successful deans genuinely care about the people they manage, have a strong achievement drive, and are resourceful. Some failed deans seemed to be very people-oriented in interviews, but reference checks disclosed problems. Johnson states, “People can fake warmth and caring in interviews, but if recent references only rate the person Good rather than Very Good or Excellent, we’ve found that Good is not Good enough.”
Once candidates are hired, NANE uses Topgrading hiring methods in their talent reviews. Johnson explains, “The talent review is used to track our hiring success, but also to call us to action with individuals who are underperforming expectations as well.”
