Everyone Can Be in the Top 25%

It turns out hiring people who will be in the top half is pretty easy. You just have to stop making hiring mistakes.

However, hiring someone who will wind up in the top 25% is a little tougher to figure out. In this case competency is not enough. Motivation is the key. The Hiring Formula for Success shown in the image describes the factors that can accurately predict on-the-success and satisfaction.

Here’s how to stop making mistakes:

• Just replace skills-laden job descriptions with 5-6 key performance objectives (KPOs). These need to define what the person needs to accomplish over the course of the first year to be considered in the top half.
• Then don’t hire anyone who hasn’t done comparable work in comparable situations. Here are the questions to ask to figure this part out.
• You'll use the Quality of Hire talent scorecard to assess all of the factors shown in the wheel on the 1-5 scale shown.

Here’s how to figure out if someone has the motivation to be in the 25%:

• Stop making the hiring mistakes first. Then, …
• Assess all of the fit factors that drive motivation to excel, including intrinsic motivation to do the work required, fit with the hiring manager’s leadership style and fit with the company’s true culture. These fit factors are the most difficult to assess during the interview but the most important.
• Don't compromise on the NO 2s! rule for assessing motivation: Never hire anyone who isn't self-motivated to do the actual work you need done in the environment in which this work takes place. This is an essential for those who make it into the top 25%.
• Before making an offer have the person describe why they’d want the job if it wasn’t for the compensation package. Don’t make an offer if the person can’t clearly describe how the KPOs represent a logical career move. Otherwise they're just taking the offer for the size of the compensation package, not the size of the career opportunity.

Here are some ideas candidates can use to figure out if a job offer is likely to propel them into the top 25%.

Everyone knows the hiring process can be frustrating. Candidates spend hours filling out applications and going through interviews, only to be told they didn't get the job. Meanwhile, employers often have a hard time finding qualified candidates, and the hiring process can drag on for weeks or even months.

Regardless, it's important to remember that hiring is a crucial decision-making process, and rushing into it can lead to long-term mistakes. Too often, companies and candidates make hiring decisions in a rush to alleviate some short-term pain or inconvenience. However, taking the time to make a thoughtful hiring decision can pay off in the long run. For employers, hiring the right candidate can mean having a high-performing employee who is a valuable asset to the company. For candidates, taking the time to find the right job can mean landing a position that drives their growth and learning.

In short, making the right hiring decision can be the difference between being in the top 25%, or not.

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Lou Adler is the CEO and founder of Performance-based Hiring Learning Systems – a consulting and training firm helping recruiters and hiring managers around the world hire more leaders. Lou is the author of the Amazon top-10 best-seller, Hire With Your Head (John Wiley & Sons, 4th Edition, 2021), The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired (Workbench Media, 2013) and LinkedIn Learning’s Performance-based Hiring video training program (2016). Make sure you check out his Hire with Your Head Virtual Book Club for the latest hiring ideas and trends.