Written by Not Real | Nov 8, 2016 6:00:00 AM
Whether you are a Topgrader or not, these proven methods can save you a lot of time, but maintain the standard of hiring all high performers, for ALL jobs. We keep learning from clients the methods that they have discovered, so this is a series of blogs and might go on and on indefinitely! Before explaining time saving methods, please take one minute or more to learn the basics of Topgrading. Why? I want you to hire better, NOT just save time mis-hiring people! If you aren’t familiar with Topgrading, I want to get your attention: Topgrading is the best, most effective, most proven method to hire. From the free eGuide, multiple blogs or dozens of documented case studies, our hiring method is tried, true and proven. The average improvement hiring HIGH performers across all the companies we have worked with averages growth from 26% to 85% -- that’s HIGH performers! We are proud to say CEOs credit Topgrading’s methods for making the company more profitable. No other approach we are aware of has multiple case study backups, a fraction of the results, or CEOs saying it improved profits of the company. Key Topgrading Steps. 1. Job Scorecard. Topgraders convert a vague job description (which is confusing and leads to mis-hires) into a Job Scorecard with clear, measurable accountabilities (and that assures better hires). 2. Recruitment. Everyone knows this, and Topgraders use job boards; however, they say their best hires come from referrals A Players. 3. Candidate Screening. In Topgrading, candidates complete your application form infused with Topgrading IP including with a “truth serum” that really works. The candidate presses send and you receive the Topgrading Snapshot, the best candidate screening tool ever created. Even before talking with candidates, Topgraders know a) low performers have dropped out, b) liars with fictitious resumes have dropped out, c) full salary history, and d) how all bosses would rate their performance. Amazing but true! 4. Phone Screen. After screening candidates with the Topgrading Snapshot, the next step is to talk to candidates for the first time in a phone screen interview to determine if it’s worth the time to bring the candidate in for a day of interviews. Phone interviews cover what the candidate is looking for and delves into the most recent two jobs. 5. Visit to the company. Topgraders typically use competency Interviews and the Tandem (2 interviewers) Topgrading Interview during that day. The Topgrading Interview is the most revealing interview, producing accurate, verifiable insights into every competency important for the job. 6. Candidate-arranged reference calls. There is no phone tag because finalist candidates do arrange the calls, and these calls with managers and others YOU want to talk with provide solid verification of everything the candidate said. Here are the most important hiring truths: More than half the people hired every day turn out to be disappointments because of rampant dishonesty (C Players lie and get away with it), shallow interviews, and weak verification (reference checks are almost worthless and everyone knows it so C players can get away with fudging the truth). Topgrading assures total honesty, the most revealing Topgrading Interview, and solid verification (in reference checks millions of A Players have arranged with former managers). But, the biggest criticism of Topgrading is the time it takes. “It’s very time consuming to bring a candidate in for a full day to conduct maybe four 1-hour competency interviews plus a 4-hour Topgrading Interview; is the 4-hour Topgrading Interview of a manager worth the time?” Yes, because that Topgrading Interview enables you to hire 75%, 80%, or even 90% high performers! Non-Topgraders mis-hire at least half the people they hire, and each managerial mis-hires costs them $500k+ plus 200 wasted hours. Although it will take up more time on the front end, Topgrading SAVES TIME overall because mis-hires are avoided. Now that you are familiar with us, let’s talk about saving time and money!
Time Saving Method #1: Use the Topgrading “Truth Serum.”
First let’s talk about WHY most people you hire turn out to disappoint you. DISHONESTY! Research shows more than 25% of resumes contain serious falsehoods. Every book on hiring says to lie on your resume and lie in interviews. Further exaggerating the lie, these books encourage if they ask for references, even if you are a lousy performer, give them names of your buddies – your insurance agent, your priest, and a golfing buddy. This makes it difficult to distinguish between C Players and A Players merely by looking at the resume or references. So, what can you do to sort out the best of the best? Well, I solved that problem years ago … This method is worth a million bucks to a hiring manager or CEO (in costly mis-hires you’ll avoid throughout your career). Its so good, it should be patented! Leading companies (General Electric, Honeywell, and hundreds of others) have saved a HUGE amount of time hiring people using this method and they avoided many mis-hires, costly mis-hires. I was interviewing someone in the first year of my career, and when I asked about talent (percent As, Bs, and Cs inherited and hired), the candidate had said 75% of his hires turned out to be As. Accustomed to hearing 25% success, I asked how and here is Method #1: Let candidates know, right from the start, that a final step in hiring is for them (not you) to arrange reference calls with former managers and others the interviewers choose. That’s it! Literally millions of candidates have read and hear those words during the screening process and wonderful things happen: 1. Low performers drop out. They know they would not be able to get former bosses or others to talk with you. Good! It saves time and money because you did not want them as candidates. 2. BS-ers drop out. They know they are “busted,” that the fictions in their resume will come out and they will be rejected. Good riddance. Now all the candidates left are at least honest and solid producers. Great! 3. Interviewers (you!) decide after the Topgrading Interview which bosses (all in the past decade) peers (2 recent ones), direct reports (2 recent A Players) you want to talk with … and they arrange the calls. No telephone tags! 4. Candidates DO arrange those calls. Even if it against company policy, managers and others do NOT fear a lawsuit by a former A Player so they talk. 5. If references mention the company policy, just say it’s a “personal reference, not a business reference.” It works (though I don’t know any difference. Or … the candidate can say they are considering a change, and it’s a “developmental call, asking for suggestions for how the candidate can grow and develop.” Whatever – these words are rarely necessary. 6. No one gets in trouble. I have never heard of a reference ever being criticized (by their company) for taking a reference call. Let us know if you have discovered any time saving methods and we’ll keep the dialog going!
