A few niche executive positions have opened up in our organization. As the senior-most hiring manager, the management has assigned me to fill these positions. It is a daunting task but also critical. I plan to take calculated steps to attract, interview and hire a great fit who will stick around for the long haul.
However, I am nervous about initiating the process as hiring the wrong executive can have detrimental effects on our organization’s bottom line. Not to mention it’s virtual onboarding that we are aiming for.
Kindly suggest a few tips!
Nervous HR
Dear Mr Nervous HR,
First of all, congratulations on receiving this hiring project. It demonstrates the trust your organization has in you.
Secondly, it’s ok to be nervous. The fear of the unknown, as to call. But being able to conquer those nerves and deliver the results will benefit your organization, business operations, the possible prospect and you.
As you know, C-suite hiring differs from normal hiring in terms of the potentiality and quality of the candidate. In this case, we cannot train a candidate after joining, so experience and potential matter. Organizations will prefer the best talent for their top positions. The challenge here is to find the perfect candidate in a post-Covid world.
Here are a few tips that may help your virtual process go smoothly:
-Cultivate leaders from within an existing pool of talent, and if you aren’t sure, then begin the process to look for someone to fill those shoes.
-Jot down granular must-haves and nice-to-haves lists. Map out a baseline to flesh out your ideal executive.
When looking out, the five musts are:
Experience
Technical competencies
Right soft skills
Cultural fit
Success track record
-You are the leader. But you will also need people to assist you in the task. Set up a search and a hiring committee with varied responsibilities and diverse perspectives.
-Map out a thoughtful interview process to set the expectations of the candidate upfront. Figure out the person behind and beyond the resume to capture the leadership qualities.
-Communicate your company culture to the prospects from the initial stages of the interview process. They must align with the values and purpose of the company they work for.
Happy hiring!
