Finding the Perfect Candidate

We’ve heard it said “it’s a seller’s market”, but in these times, I believe we are in a “candidate’s market”.  

Candidates are looking for maximum benefits and flexibility from an employer and it’s competitive out there when searching for the great candidates.  Afterall, if we find a candidate that fits, we want to keep them. So how do we take a deeper look at not only a candidate’s skills, but at their behaviors that make them a long-lasting fit for the job role and the company?  Enter Job Benchmarking.

Job benchmarking is a three-step process. We start by gathering Subject Matter Experts and through facilitated discussion Key Accountabilities of the specific job role are determined.  What competencies or soft skills are most important to the job role?  Does the job role include interacting with customers? Then Customer Focus will be a prioritized skill.  What kind of Driving Forces or passions do employees need for this role?  Is someone with a love for continuous learning important to this role?  This is measurable information. What about DISC style or behaviors?  Does the job require someone who likes to be the leader/decision maker or does it need someone who prefers a more collaborative position?  

Once these Key Accountabilities have been determined, the SMEs take an assessment, which then is used to build the benchmark or the standard by which a candidate is measured.

And once we have the benchmark, we are ready to use it for candidates.  Each candidate, at some point in the interview process, will take an assessment.  This Talent Assessment Report shows what soft skills they have been able to develop and to what degree. If the job role requires someone who has strengths in employee development and coaching, we are able to see if the candidate has that skill well developed.  The assessment report also shows us their Driving Forces (the “why” or the passions behind their actions) and their DISC style (the “how” or the behaviors behind their actions). 

Now we are ready for the Gap Report.  This report takes the candidates competencies (soft skills), Driving Forces, and DISC style and measures it against the benchmark.  It shows us the gaps that may be present between the job role and the candidate. This is an incredibly valuable tool to use in the hiring process.  It not only shows how well a candidate will fit the role, but by seeing the gaps ahead of time the hiring directors can ask questions around those gaps in the interview process and see where potential issues may arise.  It will also give managers the insight into if a candidate will want to be in that role long term.  If the candidate is looking for a leadership role, is there room for growth in the position they are being considered for?  If not, that candidate may not be a good fit. 

To take it one step further, organizations can also use these reports once the candidate has been hired.  By viewing their Talent/DISC report, the information given can increase self-awareness and help them better communicate with others.  It can show us how their DISC style fits within their team and help them see what skills they may want to grow.  

All of our job benchmarks are done using assessments from TTI.  Here’s what they have to say about job benchmarking and why it’s so important.

Interested in creating a benchmark for a job role in your company?  Contact us!