Arlen Lee and his company implement a hiring system that seems almost scientific. About two years ago, the company began using the hiring process outlined in the book Who: The A Method for Hiring.
“When you follow [the book’s process] correctly, it works,” Lee says. “When you don’t, you can see it.”
The process begins with the team identifying the position they need to fill, as well as the job requirements. Jennifer Payne, recruiter at Lee & Co., says the team writes a scorecard that includes a short job description and explicitly states what the job outcomes are.
“They must be measurable and tangible outcomes,” Payne says. Once someone is hired, “that scorecard becomes their new job description.”
Applicants follow a four-step interview process. First is a phone interview, followed by two in-person interviews. Finally, strong candidates are brought in for a working interview to meet the team.
“We get everyone to meet them and then [provide their feedback about the candidate to me,]” Lee says. Danielle Deltorchio, assistant business manager, adds that by doing this, Lee allows all of his employees to get their own impression of the candidate and to play a hands-on role in the hiring process.
Lee & Co. has been using this hiring process for about two years, but it has only been in the last year that the team has made sure all new employees complete the full hiring process. Lee says he feels the process brings the team together and improves employee retention.
Lee also stresses the importance of making sure that companies hire for the right role. “The mistakes we’ve made were that we were looking for the wrong role,” he says. “You hire what you ask for, then the pressure is on us to determine if we’ve hired for the right thing.”
