Prepare to fill positions
Some preparation is necessary before the search even begins. Boone meets with his senior vice president of human resources to write a job description that reflects both professional skills and personal characteristics that would make someone successful in that position.
While the description is important, it shouldn’t be too prescriptive.
“I like a position description to only be 85 percent accurate because the individual coming in the door provides the other 15 percent,” Boone says. “People will have different skills, experiences and knowledge from various positions of responsibility they have had. If you have a position description that’s so detailed down to a cookbook approach and all you’ve got to do is follow the recipe to be successful, you’re missing the whole wonderful experience of human behavior.”
The 85 percent comes mostly from the technical side of the position. Leave more leeway when it comes to personal interests. You probably won’t reject candidates who aren’t involved in their children’s activities, for example — although discovering that later in the process may better illustrate someone’s makeup.
Next, Boone targets certain groups when recruiting. Thanks to technology, this is easier than ever.
“There’s just so many different ways that you can reach out to a constituent group, either through LinkedIn or Facebook and obviously job boards,” he says. “Market segmentation is becoming increasingly more sophisticated today.
“If we’re looking at a position in accounting, for instance, then we will certainly target organizations that are geared toward the accounting profession — starting with associations, networking with accounting firms, job postings in publications that those types of individuals would read. We’re diligently reaching out to a constituent group we think could introduce us to the right type of person versus just a blanket ad.”
