Microsoft and Google both have a very healthy focus on finding and recruiting Talent. McDonald’s recently announced that they want to hire people who smile more. The first strategy works, the second won’t. Talent is too smart to stay long at a company that wants it to be a cog in a machine. Great companies want and need talent, but they have to work for it.
The old fashion ideas that HR is more clerical than functional and helpful are out dated. Over the last few years I’ve worked to find individuals in my HR organization who can help focus us on talent. As with anything you’ll need to think a little differently, but those who can find and retain a strong pool of talented contributers will be able to weather almost any challenge.
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I guess it depends on how you are defining “talent” and what industry you’re in, but…
I look to hire people of strong character rather than God-given talent.
It’s hard to teach a grown adult good character.
Overly talented people have gotten by in life on that and may not have learned to work at something.
ie: talented athletes who are given large contracts and won’t show up to practice.
Interesting thoughts.
Hire talent or good character? Is it possible to get both in one person?
I’ve had good luck finding highly talented and driven people. The hard part is you need to make sure you put effort into keeping them challenged and highly engaged.
I think Seth was getting more to the point that you need support in order to facilitate “awesome” from your highly talented staff.
Microsoft is screening for talent that is aggressive. Certain interview questions make sure they screen for this characteristic. It is no different then trying to hire people who smile more. McDonalds is just being more up front and public about it.
Talent is great but hiring 25 talented people is not as good as hiring 25 talented people who fit your culture.
Disneyland and Disney World have this down if your looking for a good example. Their drive to find talented people to work in the theme parks who also have the Disney spirit is effective and clearly can be seen by anyone who visits the park.
As I always say a Disneyland employee on a bad day is nicer then many employees on their best days.
Talent is potential but does not make the person the right hire. One must look at many factors and a clear direction from leadership and management to the hiring managers as to what the culture of the company is to be will allow them to hire the right talented people.
Hey Andre….and friends
The best piece of wisdom I have come across so far on how to best hire (and I train managers on this so I am always looking) is start with the question: What does a successful person need to DO in this role? What are the 3-5 key deliverables/outcomes/results they will be judged on?
And then for those 3-5 objectives – ask yourself for each : What do they need to DO to get those big objectives done. And then what skills (not specific experience) would they need to get all that done?
Then narrow those skills down to the dealbreaker “must haves” and interview for those. The “nice to haves” can be coached or trained on the job.
In my experience, this makes the talent quest specific and sets the hiring manager up for success.
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