Custom or default personnel selection?
I do not know if you noticed that when you want to install a little program (or an app) many times a little sign appears asking if you want to do it in a personalized or default way. The first of the alternatives involves putting an individual fee to the program, adjusted to the tastes of the user. Instead in the second, it will be preferred to use all the parameters according to what the manufacturer thought was most appropriate. Today, I want to use that analogy to illustrate a story I had to witness last winter…
It turns out that there were two employees in the same office who were doing very well. Atenti: I did not say well, I said very well. They excelled most of the time, and not only because they were given the numbers, but also because they loyally achieved their goals. They were a rare case to see, as they combined high efficiency and results orientation, while enjoying the appreciation of their peers. I chose to name them Roberto and Carlos because I imagine that if we add the friends of both, I do not know if we reached a million but we would be close.
The crux of the matter is that at a certain point there was a vacancy at a higher hierarchical level than theirs: a headquarters had vacated and it was the same company that proposed to fill this vacancy with internal personnel. For this they had published an announcement on their intranet, and as a result these two applicants were left.
Who evaluated was one of those super managers who come from time to time to put on a face rather than to find out what happens, since the latter they have quite controlled with emails and almost daily calls. This man was surnamed Hopkings and lived in the Pilar area, in the province of Buenos Aires.
I must say that, against my prejudice, he was very jovial and open to dialogue. He had not a bit of pedantry and it was clear that he wanted to choose the best. And that "not to miss the attempt" put a little pressure on him, so he decided to share the task with another manager, but a local one. In this way, the jury was composed of these two people.
Personnel Selection Case. Interview
Day 1: Interview with Mr. Roberto
I see him coming half disheveled (evidently his night was not a good one. Could he be nervous, because of the interview? (See anxiety).
In general lines I see that he answers with ease to the technical questions. I think that obviously his fifteen years in the Company were not in vain.
I decide to consult him for his interest in occupying the position, and more than anything for having people in charge. His answer does not entirely convince me. SEE. He said: "I would have no problems" instead of "Yes, I want to", which would have left me more satisfied.
On the other hand, I find it quite conservative. I ask him what he would use to motivate his people, and he tells me that with awards but that he basically understands that stability in the company is in itself a value. And that your biggest concern would be getting employees to understand this. He said: "I will do everything possible so that everyone remains in the place they are today."
He tells me that he is married and has two children. That they are the light that guides his path and makes him get up every day with a smile (I think that he must surely have a dog… haha … he sounds half religious fanatic…). "Do you profess any creed, Roberto?" I tell him but I reject my idea when listening: “Yes, I am a Catholic in my own way. I get bored at mass so I hardly even go… I just try not to hurt anyone, but I don't believe Maria Teresa either… ”.
One issue that kept me going is that I see some chance of stress. SEE will the pressure of the position be banked ?. QUESTION: "Did you have, at any time, a stress problem or something similar?" "Yes, every year end when we close balance sheet I hardly sleep and once I finished interned because the pressure went to the clouds…". I CONFIRM. SEE.
Result: I think it's fine for the job. I do not see negative questions that justify no for an answer. APPROVED (with reservations).
Day 2: Interview with Mr. Carlos
With ten minutes to nine, he knocks on the door. Not so much by force, but with rhythm and firmness. Will it be that dynamic for tasks in general?
After inviting him to take a seat, I continue with the usual questions: Warm-up (talk about the weather / football, family and other similar). Nothing relevant here.
I mark his high enthusiasm for taking the position. In his terms: "I even wrote a kind of medium-term plancito, with actions to be taken if given this opportunity." I urge you to share it, and I see as interesting that training stages are proposed for current staff (your colleagues today), seeking their progress and development. I also see that he takes care of the pocket of the company, when he tells me that he has already analyzed the ROI for training.
I ask him his opinion about the objectives that the Company has set for him, and he states that his satisfaction is not only in reaching them but also in exceeding them. That there is his real goal. In that overcoming.
To round off, and thinking about the future, I tell you what you think about a change of residence. What if Buenos Aires seemed like a chance to live? He says he wouldn't be willing. That for him the well-being of his family is important, not only his own. That his wife has a job that he likes here in Santa Fe, and his boys are very happy with the College they attend (and therefore with their friends). I appreciate his sincerity and I think that this is a type capable of committing himself to the organization, because first he is clear about his commitment to himself. I like it. Approved (+).
Day 3: Results and Conclusions
"My result is in favor of Carlos, I think he will perform better in the vacant position, but I also decide to make a special recommendation for Roberto, since I find several conditions. I understand that this is not the time for you to add another responsibility to your shoulder (between us, I see a certain risk that you could get sick or stressed) ”.
Epilogue
I decided to share this story because it seems revealing to me of many circumstances that occur daily in organizations, in which not everything is black and white and there are multiple nuances that need to be addressed so as not to incur in expensive simplifications or reductionisms. Expensive in a double sense: on the one hand for the company, given that a bad choice entails a potential dismissal and on the other hand for the person, who could suffer a fatal and unfair stop in her professional career.
When deciding on which would be the best candidate to fill a certain position, and more when it comes to leadership, let's try to analyze to what extent that coincides with the person's desire. An applicant has a much better prognosis than another if he has that little flame of enthusiasm for managing other people. The title, experience or previous successes must be read under this sieve, because although they are important, their updating, validity and enhancement will only be possible when the candidate clearly shows his intention to change his job as a personal goal., regardless of an economic improvement or in their social status.
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The following was taken from Dr. Hopkins' notebook, who kindly decided to lend it to me so that I could share it with the readers today.
ROI (Return On Investment) or Rate of Return on Investment. It arises from comparing the benefit or the utility obtained in relation to the investment made. Translated into Creole: How long does it take to recover the money destined for a specific purpose.
