The Insight Talent Selection Process for Success
Learn and follow Insight's standard recruiting process for success
Before starting the recruiting and hiring processes, Insight works with the management team to assure that everyone is on the same page with the requirements and expectations of the job. Too many times, managers are on different pages about what are the most important skills and talents for a candidate. Thus confusion can set in about what to look for in the later recruiting steps. We help to create alignment before any confusion sets in by executing the following steps.
Step 1: Role Definition
Before the recruiting process can begin, Insight works with clients to clearly define the job being hired. This outline of essential duties, competencies, skills & proficiencies, education requirements, work environment requirements and physical abilities is important for framing the expectations and requirements for the job. Often managers will skip this step or not detail the tasks required well enough. Thus not being thorough and thoughtful can mislead others in the organization about what the expectations of the job will be when a new person starts. Therefore, we work with the management team to make sure we understand the job and that the details are covered for a sound job profile.
Estimated Timeframe: 1 week
Outcome: Completed job profile. Note: This profile may change internally in the organization and with candidates during the process as further detail evolves.
Step 2: Create Range of Success
The best benchmark for determining job expectations is based on analyzing your past experiences with performers in the job being recruited. By getting to know what ‘makes them tick’ better, we can identify what has worked and not worked in employee past performances. This analysis helps clients feel confident about the job profile, their expectations and ultimately the interview questions that will be developed around the job functions to screen and spot the most viable candidates. The process for benchmarking a Range of Success is the following:
A. Top performers: We utilize the Kolbe Index A and B to assess top performers’ natural behavioral tendencies and personal job expectations. Each top performer will complete the Kolbe A and B. See attachment “Insight’s Whole Mind Assessment” for detailed explanation about these assessments.
B. Cooperatives: Asking only who you perceive to be top performers to take the Kolbe A and B assessments can be awkward when developing a team. Thus, it is best to have the whole team working with this job complete As and Bs, so that you can allow the Right Fit algorithm best determine a range of success that not only matches the top performers expectations set by management, but also incorporates the existing working dynamics of the team. We do not want to hire a candidate who will ‘butt heads’ with a co-worker. Thus, we recommend that team members also take the Kolbe As and Bs. Their MOs will be valued in the algorithm at a percentage factor that can influence the range of success to one that will work compatibly with others in the organization. This is important if for some reason the job is vastly different from existing people that the new hire will work with. As a side note, this will also give management a heads up whether there are any existing team members who are experiencing job stress; which may be affecting team productivity. Sometimes knowing the possibility of this job stress can create an opportunity for an existing employee to be discovered as a perfect fit for the open job.
Note: Kolbe A results are 95%+ accurate of a person’s natural talents throughout his/her lifetime. The results for your employees are stored in our database and are accessible at any time. In future recruiting or employee development activities, where the Kolbe will aid your decision-making, you will not have to invest again in Kolbe A results (unless a person is in Transition).
C. Manager Expectations: The manager or management team, who will be assessing the effectiveness of this role, will each complete the Kolbe C to set their individual standards for operating in the position. If we see that managers are not in alignment with their expectations of the role, we will address this immediately before running the Right Fit report that determines the Range of Success for the job. It is important that the management team be in alignment about how the person in the role is to perform. Otherwise, this will cause turmoil and inconsistencies for leadership down the road.
D. Range of Success: By completing the above assessments, our system will generate a Range of Success for the job. This will identify the target range in each action mode that we need to be sure that a candidate fits. This report is the benchmark for the recruiting comparisons.
Estimated Timeframe: Typically 1-2 weeks depending on availability of employees and managers to complete assessments
Outcome: Results of the target MO outlining Range of Success candidates need to fall within.
Step 3: Post The Opportunity
Now that the job is defined, you are ready to search for candidates. It is important to match your recruiting vehicles to the type of candidate you are searching for. Ask yourself as if you are the candidate:
Where do I live, go to school, or presently work?
What do I do for fun?
Who do I know?
What do I read?
Then consider where to advertise and the amount of information to provide to the candidate upfront.
Ideas of where to post the job:
Monster.com
CareerBuilder.com
Local newspapers
Local universities
Step 4: Receive Resumes and Screen Candidates Using Job Matrix
Now that the job has been posted, you are ready to do an initial review of candidates. It is important to match your screening with the job profile that was created. Insight can provide a job Matrix which helps to quantify the qualities you are looking for and see in the resumes thereby giving you data from which to select those who will be contacted for an initial interview.
Step 5: Prepare for Interviews
At this point, our clients now know the target range for the candidate they need to hire. Now we have the information needed to develop meaningful interview questions that will help assess the candidates’ knowledge of their own skills and talents, as well as their personality fit for the organization.
The interview is the opportunity to screen candidates before investing time and money in the upcoming assessments. We help our clients develop a list of questions that are job and company-culture specific.
Estimated Timeframe: 1 week
Outcome: Prepare interview questions
Step 6: Telephone Screen Interview Candidates
Insight can also provide guidelines for effectively completing the telephone interviews. This helps the interview results be easily compared between candidates. It is after this step, the candidates are chosen to whom you will administer assessments (Kolbe A) for the next round.
Estimated Timeframe: 1-3 weeks (includes time to conduct interviews)
Outcome: Completion of interview preparation with interviewer and data collection recommendations to create valuable information for making next round selections.
Step 7: Kolbe A Assess Top Screened Candidates
Based on the interview results, clients select the most preferred candidates to complete the Kolbe A: This will be compared to the Range of Success created above. Candidates will be graded (A, B, C, D, F) based on their fit to the range created in Step 2. Those with a rating of B or higher should be selected for the next step.
Estimated Timeframe: 1-2 weeks
Outcome: An understanding of each candidate’s natural mode of operation and if it fits your requirements for performance of the job.
Step 8: Select Candidates for Internal Interviews
The steps prior to this point can be administered by an office manager or Insight. Regardless, a job offer at this point should not occur until the management team and key cooperatives have had a chance to interview the candidates per the interview questions previously developed. Make sure you have a specific process for interviewing and debriefing each candidate. We recommend a matrix that is developed per the requirements you are searching for, from which each management member rates each candidate.
Estimated Timeframe: approximately 2 weeks
Outcome: Assist management in their interview objectives and the decision-making process for candidate selection. Or, the decision to restart the recruiting process if no one is selected.
Step 9: Complete Composite Whole Mind Assessments
After completing the first round of interviews, the management team should compare notes and decide who will be selected for completing the Whole Mind assessments below – meaning these assessments in addition to the Kolbe will help you understand all three parts of the mind for each candidate. (See attached article.)
After reviewing the assessments and the recommended interview questions that they provide (Profile XT), candidates should be narrowed to those in consideration for a second interview or offer. Preferably, second interviews should be arranged for candidates to meet selected company representatives. A more specific outline should be prepared giving the managers and cooperatives a list of like objectives to achieve in their interviews, so that they can compare results on an equal playing field.
DiSC: This assesses personality traits and social preferences.
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode: If the position requires the employee to interpret conflict which often occurs in creative environments where there can be differing points of view, this report will tell you their likelihood of collaboration versus avoidance among other traits.
Profile XT: This assessment looks at thinking and relating abilities on a scale from 1 to 10. It also compares the scores with a benchmark range set as the national benchmark for the position you are recruiting. You are able to adjust this benchmark range as you wish.
After the second interviews, interviewers should meet with their picks and reasons for selection. If no consensus is arrived at and no candidates are preferred, the recruiting process should be restarted.
Estimated Timeframe: approximately 1-2 weeks
Outcome: A composite picture of each candidate that will help you assess their individual strengths and lesser strengths in comparison to your expectations for the job. You will also receive a candidate-specific list of interview questions that can be used by managers in the next round of interviews.
Step 10: Make Offer
After selecting a new employee, create a job offer letter. There are numerous templates in BLOOM™ for this. See Manager’s Guide under MyTeam tab. There are also template rejection letters for candidates that were eliminated.
Estimated Timeframe: Varies based on needs
Outcome: Preparation and approval of job offer
Step 11: New Team Member Orientation
Create orientation and training schedule for first number of weeks. In addition, prepare HR forms that will need to get completed and ensure employee handbook is ready. Introduce new team member to your culture, its mission and values.
Estimated Timeframe: One week, plus other role training
Outcome: Preparation and approval of orientation outline and materials to help new hire get started well.
Step 12: Complete Performance Dialogues
Provide instant feedback and development opportunities. Utilize a system like the BLOOM feedback and development system as a performance management tool. Engage in routine performance dialogues and goal setting activities for supporting success.
Estimated Timeframe: One per month for goals and twice per year for performance dialogues, plus other training
Outcome: Ongoing feedback and development to retain top talent.
>>Read more about the Insight Whole Mind recruiting and selection process