How to hire: pay attention to the person, not the resume?

Resumes are puff pieces. They’re written by an individual, about the individual. I’ve found that all too often managers get distracted by seeking out resumes that match the job they’re looking to fill. The “good on paper” candidate is rarely the right fit for the job, your company or your management style. So here is my best hiring advice: start with the person. Find great talent first, hire them, and then put them into a job where you think they’ll thrive. To that end, it’s your job as a manager to make sure you are meeting people ALL THE TIME, not just when you are hiring. You should be actively growing your network so that, when it’s time to hire, you’re a step ahead. Starting the hiring process with a resume as your main tool will lead you directly to someone who has all the qualifications, has probably done the job ten times before and can do it with their eyes closed. This isn’t a good thing. In a world where you have to be different to be successful, it’s of vital importance that you hire someone who brings something new to the position. They need to approach it differently, bring a fresh perspective and most importantly, be ready to try the ‘impossible’ things that no one else will. You’ll recognize these candidates immediately because they’ll have come to the first meeting with ideas to share. You might not agree with everything they suggest, but you’ll learn two very important things. The first: this candidate is creative and can develop new ideas. The second: they are proactive, have actually thought about the company and did their research beforehand. I also believe in hiring someone for whom the job is a real stretch. The employee wants to prove both to themselves, and to you, they can do the job – and they’ll work much harder to get there. One last piece of advice. Seems obvious, but people overlook it all the time. Hire people you like.