Aug

31

Are Performance Metrics Really Half Baked?

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I’m no master chef – just ask my wife! I can make awesome scrambled eggs. I’m a master at the grill. But ask me to whip up a soufflé or anything that takes more than a few ingredients, and it’s likely to fall flat. What can I say? I know recruiting, not baking racks.

However, when I think about assessments and measurements, and performance in general, I can’t help but to think about baking.

Baking is a well measured science. It’s chemistry. You need to have the right ingredients; carefully measured out, and make sure you combine them in the right order before your batter goes into the oven at the right temperature for the required length of time. Otherwise, the results get ugly.

Is professional performance like this? How do we measure the right “stuff”? What makes people rise to the occasion? What makes people perform? Read More→

Aug

29

Self-Reporting Evaluations: Reliable Answer or Pain in the ASSessment?

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Self-rated assessments tend to raise a few eyebrows, if not all-out skepticism. Suspicion is not without warrant. Job applicants anticipate “testing.” They know what job they are applying for, and can guess what to say or not to say. The “truth” can easily be stretched, embellished, or altogether “faked.”

What, then, is the point? The debate over the validity and value of self-assessments rages on.

Personality Assessments

Everyone knows employers have tried-and-true preferences when it comes to personality traits in employees. Honesty is usually one, plus the ability to control one’s anger. Conscientiousness, perseverance and an ability to work well in teams also rank high. When such traits are readily transparent in pre-employment testing, applicants know how to answer in their favor, even if that means distorting the truth a little. Read More→

Aug

15

Is a straight line between point A and B really the best way to get there?

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Short detours can often save you time, money and lots of heartache.

As smart as most seasoned talent acquisition executives think they are, many have prematurely pulled the trigger on a strategy because of the perceived need for speed. The pressure is always there:  “Do it now; get it done; make it happen – today.” Much of the time, experienced recruiting managers can pull this off with minimal damage. But every once in a while when the stars and moon don’t align as planned, a serious misstep can occur and be darn near lethal. In the rush to solve problems or take advantage of opportunities, executives take shortcuts – and they should, provided they pause periodically for a sanity check to ensure they’re not sacrificing quality for speed. (Sounds a bit like time to fill versus quality of hire – I will save that for another blog!) Read More→

Aug

13

Universal “Recruiters” Flunk Ethics 101. Teachers File Lawsuit.

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As a professional who highly regards the value recruiters bring to organizations as well as the talent teachers bring to classrooms, I am horrified and angered by one of today’s leading headlines on CNN.com:

‘Teachers accuse recruiters of scam’

A class action lawsuit was filed yesterday accusing an L.A. based firm of a human trafficking scheme to bring hundreds of Filipino teachers to Louisiana public schools using exploitive contracts that charged outrageous, illegal fees.

Universal Placement International Inc. and its owner Lourdes Navarro are accused of racketeering and fraud in a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Teachers and the Southern Poverty Law Center on behalf of 350 teachers in a California federal court. Read More→