I am continually amazed at the lack of diligence that is invested at most companies in acquiring and cultivating their most valuable resource: their people.  The interviewing and hiring processes of most organizations are sloppy and surface-scratching, at best.  Comedian Chris Rock does a great bit about first dates, saying that the façade that people put on makes it seem like they sent their “representative” to meet another person’s “representative” for dinner.  Businesses seem to take the same approach by collecting vague resumes, searching for common keywords, and asking tip-of-the-iceberg interview questions.  Of course, most employment candidates make the same mistake of viewing a prospective employer through rose-colored glasses and not drilling down on important specifics. 

When I think about the amazing people that I have had the chance to recruit over the years, the traits which helped them succeed had little to do with what was on their resumes or their answers to simple interview questions.  Sure, I need to know if someone has applicable experience, skills and acumen in order to ramp up quickly, but how can I get a feel for his/her values, attitude or interaction with teams from a two-page resume or a brief conversation?  More specifically, what are the truly important characteristics that lead someone to succeed and how do I investigate them?

I have learned that many of the companies that I have grown to respect over the years have a rigorous interview process where many stakeholders have the opportunity to weigh in on each candidate.  However, it’s not just your hiring manager and his/her cohorts that have the best insight.  How many of us are tapping into more knowledgeable resources, like former customers of a client services candidate, partners of a sales candidate or analysts in an executive’s industry?  Better yet, I have found that certain activities and hobbies can tell you more about a person’s character.  Take a look at the volunteer organizations in which a candidate invests his/her time.  Also, if self-motivation and discipline are traits that will lead to success at your company, look for evidence of those unique qualities in other areas of a candidate’s life.  For example, many of the most exemplary coworkers I have worked with over the years have been athletes in their personal lives.  It’s hard to find someone who is an Ironman triathlete, a martial artist or a former Division I star who doesn’t also possess drive, discipline and perseverance.  Lastly, I have found over-education and pedigree to occasionally be a hindrance.  Often times, I’ll take that scrappy commuter school alumnus who graduated with honors while working his way through school over the parent-subsidized ivy leaguer who lacks real world experience.   

Still, sitting on the other side of the desk can be more challenging.  I had a friend once ask me how he could ensure that he could find a future employer with a more rational and strategic CEO than his current one.  That’s a tough one.  How can you accurately judge someone’s ration and strategic planning skills during a simple interview process?  I suggest taking some unorthodox steps to really investigate a prospective employer.  Ask members of a hiring manager’s team about him/her.  Talk to an industry analyst about an executive team.  Reach out to customers of the organization.  Also, spend your interview learning more about the company’s strategic plan than the simple tactics of the role for which you are applying.  Sure, you might not get a comprehensive answer, but that shouldn’t detract you from trying to cover all of your bases.

Overall, we call it an interview because it’s supposed to be a two-way conversation where each party gains a view of the other party.  Make sure you aren’t missing your chance to do your due diligence for the sake of seeming agreeable or eager.  If you’re going to spend the majority of your waking hours doing something, it needs to be a good fit for you and vice-versa.