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The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired:
This book is written for everyone involved in the hiring process.
It will help hiring managers and recruiters find and hire more top-notch people for any job, from entry-level to senior executive. Using the two-question Performance-based Interview, anyone who is involved in assessing candidates will quickly be more effective and more accurate.
Just as important, it will help job-seekers find better jobs by giving them an inside view of how most companies look for, assess and hire new employees. Hiring top talent starts by clarifying expectations up front. This has been shown to be the primary reason people perform at peak levels. This book is based on the Performance-based Hiring process Lou Adler introduced in his Amazon bestseller, "Hire With Your Head".
Performance-based Hiring is now used around the world in small and large organizations and companies. However, it is a non-traditional hiring process. Performance-based job descriptions—which we call performance profiles—replace the commonly used skills- and experience-based job descriptions. Instead of emotions, feelings and biases, evidence is used to assess competency and fit within the organization. Rather than weed out people who don’t posses some arbitrary list of prerequisites, compelling career messages are used to excite and attract the best.
Due to this unconventional but commonsense approach, David Goldstein of Littler Mendelson, the largest labor firm in the U.S., was asked to review Performance-based Hiring and provide a general statement of validity. Here’s his
"Because the Performance-based Hiring system does differ from traditional recruiting and hiring processes, questions arise as to whether employers can adopt Performance-based Hiring and still comply with the complex array of statutes, regulations, and common law principals that regulate the workplace. The answer is yes.
In
A properly prepared performance profile can identify and document the essential functions of a job better than traditional position descriptions, facilitating the reasonable accommodation of disabilities and making it easier to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar laws.
Even employers that maintain more traditional job descriptions may still use performance profiles or summaries of performance profiles to advertise job openings. Employers are not legally required to post their internal job descriptions when advertising an open position. Nor is there any legal obligation to (or advantage in) posting boring ads.
Focusing on Year 1 and Beyond criteria may open the door to more minority, military, and disabled candidates who have a less 'traditional' mix of experiences, thereby supporting affirmative action or diversity efforts.
Conducting performance-based interviews ensures that the interviews will be structured and properly focused and minimizes the risk of an interviewer inquiring into protected characteristic. Moreover, since the performance-based interviews are conducted pursuant to a common methodology, one is assured that the candidates are being fairly compared.
Performance-based interviewing promotes fair consideration of the different skills and experiences that each candidate has to offer—which is essential to promoting diversity."
Performance-based Hiring can help companies find and hire the best talent available. On the other hand, understanding how companies make these critical decisions can help job-seekers navigate these tricky waters, the poorly designed hiring processes still in use. But no matter which side of the hiring desk you are on, hiring the right person or getting the right job will increase satisfaction, performance and motivation. All it takes is a little common sense, which surprisingly seems in short abundance in the world of hiring.
It will help hiring managers and recruiters find and hire more top-notch people for any job, from entry-level to senior executive. Using the two-question Performance-based Interview, anyone who is involved in assessing candidates will quickly be more effective and more accurate.
Just as important, it will help job-seekers find better jobs by giving them an inside view of how most companies look for, assess and hire new employees. Hiring top talent starts by clarifying expectations up front. This has been shown to be the primary reason people perform at peak levels. This book is based on the Performance-based Hiring process Lou Adler introduced in his Amazon bestseller, "Hire With Your Head".
Performance-based Hiring is now used around the world in small and large organizations and companies. However, it is a non-traditional hiring process. Performance-based job descriptions—which we call performance profiles—replace the commonly used skills- and experience-based job descriptions. Instead of emotions, feelings and biases, evidence is used to assess competency and fit within the organization. Rather than weed out people who don’t posses some arbitrary list of prerequisites, compelling career messages are used to excite and attract the best.
Due to this unconventional but commonsense approach, David Goldstein of Littler Mendelson, the largest labor firm in the U.S., was asked to review Performance-based Hiring and provide a general statement of validity. Here’s his
"Because the Performance-based Hiring system does differ from traditional recruiting and hiring processes, questions arise as to whether employers can adopt Performance-based Hiring and still comply with the complex array of statutes, regulations, and common law principals that regulate the workplace. The answer is yes.
In
A properly prepared performance profile can identify and document the essential functions of a job better than traditional position descriptions, facilitating the reasonable accommodation of disabilities and making it easier to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar laws.
Even employers that maintain more traditional job descriptions may still use performance profiles or summaries of performance profiles to advertise job openings. Employers are not legally required to post their internal job descriptions when advertising an open position. Nor is there any legal obligation to (or advantage in) posting boring ads.
Focusing on Year 1 and Beyond criteria may open the door to more minority, military, and disabled candidates who have a less 'traditional' mix of experiences, thereby supporting affirmative action or diversity efforts.
Conducting performance-based interviews ensures that the interviews will be structured and properly focused and minimizes the risk of an interviewer inquiring into protected characteristic. Moreover, since the performance-based interviews are conducted pursuant to a common methodology, one is assured that the candidates are being fairly compared.
Performance-based interviewing promotes fair consideration of the different skills and experiences that each candidate has to offer—which is essential to promoting diversity."
Performance-based Hiring can help companies find and hire the best talent available. On the other hand, understanding how companies make these critical decisions can help job-seekers navigate these tricky waters, the poorly designed hiring processes still in use. But no matter which side of the hiring desk you are on, hiring the right person or getting the right job will increase satisfaction, performance and motivation. All it takes is a little common sense, which surprisingly seems in short abundance in the world of hiring.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2013
90 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 24, 2014
Lou Adler definitely has a process. I've been on the business-side of hiring several times now, and I want to apply a scientific approach to it. Adler has a slew of helpful tips. The next time I'm adding to my team or (gulp) interviewing for a new job, I'll go back and consult this book. Some quick notes:
-Is this the job you want? If no, you'll be disappointed no matter what the pay
-Mistaking activity for progress
-Instead of asking about day one, ask about year one
-Dont be seduced or dissuaded by first impressions
-Look for the "achiever" pattern
-Go easy on those you dont like, hard on those you do
-Phone screen
-Research the company before the interview
-Use questions to get breathing room
-Uncover the company's reeds and then offer a solution
-1. back record of consistent upward progress
-2. formal recognition
-3. Rapid promotion
-6. being involved in big decisions typically over their level
-How do you test for motivation? Ask for examples of going the extra mile
-Go slow as fast as you can
-Offer incentives to grow
-Go for career maximization, not money maximization
-Show our process instead of just giving the solution
-Is this the job you want? If no, you'll be disappointed no matter what the pay
-Mistaking activity for progress
-Instead of asking about day one, ask about year one
-Dont be seduced or dissuaded by first impressions
-Look for the "achiever" pattern
-Go easy on those you dont like, hard on those you do
-Phone screen
-Research the company before the interview
-Use questions to get breathing room
-Uncover the company's reeds and then offer a solution
-1. back record of consistent upward progress
-2. formal recognition
-3. Rapid promotion
-6. being involved in big decisions typically over their level
-How do you test for motivation? Ask for examples of going the extra mile
-Go slow as fast as you can
-Offer incentives to grow
-Go for career maximization, not money maximization
-Show our process instead of just giving the solution
November 2, 2022
The title says it all - it is absolutely essential that all organizations invest the time and effort to hire people with this approach. Many people in the hiring profession do not use these ideas because they don't know or don't "have the time".
I'm glad to say that I was already doing some of these things 15 years ago when I worked in a startup. So you could say that I know that the ideas mentioned herein work. This book has also helped me address some challenges in the hiring arena that I faced. So yes, I will be frequently referring to this book when I work with clients.
The book also has great practical advice for the job seeker. I am again glad to say that I offer the same tips and similar tools when I coach my clients to write their resumes and prepare for interviews based on their strengths.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone who interviews candidates for a living.
I'm glad to say that I was already doing some of these things 15 years ago when I worked in a startup. So you could say that I know that the ideas mentioned herein work. This book has also helped me address some challenges in the hiring arena that I faced. So yes, I will be frequently referring to this book when I work with clients.
The book also has great practical advice for the job seeker. I am again glad to say that I offer the same tips and similar tools when I coach my clients to write their resumes and prepare for interviews based on their strengths.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone who interviews candidates for a living.
July 20, 2018
I tried to start to read this book twice so far. I failed to make significant headway on both occasions.
I kept thinking "is the author ever going to get to the message"? So much repetition, so much fluff, so much promise about showing/telling things but never getting to that point... Maybe one day I'll be patient and brave enough to go through it.
I kept thinking "is the author ever going to get to the message"? So much repetition, so much fluff, so much promise about showing/telling things but never getting to that point... Maybe one day I'll be patient and brave enough to go through it.
January 7, 2019
Awesome talent management book for recruiters and managers
Coming from a non-HR background, bought this book to understand the recruiting industry and it has served that purpose well. The concepts are simple and well-explained. Being a veteran recruiter, the writer knows well how to use real life examples to support these concepts!
Coming from a non-HR background, bought this book to understand the recruiting industry and it has served that purpose well. The concepts are simple and well-explained. Being a veteran recruiter, the writer knows well how to use real life examples to support these concepts!
January 7, 2019
Having never really thought about how to hire, this was referred to me by a friend. I really liked the principle of hiring someone that will be successful in doing the job and not someone who meets all the listed job requirements. I am in the process of hiring a faculty line right now, so let's see if this book actually helps
January 15, 2018
A seemingly valid approach to recruiting and hiring thoroughly explained
Whether you are a large company, small business, or government hiring manager, you would do well to study and implement the concepts laid out in this easy-to-read book.
Whether you are a large company, small business, or government hiring manager, you would do well to study and implement the concepts laid out in this easy-to-read book.
June 3, 2018
The content of the book is great and immediately useful. Unfortunately, the book is just too long. There are too many useless repetitions. It is still worth reading, just skim over the stuff which is repeated.
August 4, 2018
Good points but way too long. Could have been a book half the length - a quarter dedicated to candidates and a quarter dedicated to recruiting managers.
Still, worth reading if you want to structure the interviewing process on either side of the fence.
Still, worth reading if you want to structure the interviewing process on either side of the fence.
October 5, 2020
So sensible that it baffles me that not all hiring teams don't operate the "Adler Way".
Stop sourcing or interviewing until you've read this book! If your hires don't make it past their first 100 days, this will tell you why.
Stop sourcing or interviewing until you've read this book! If your hires don't make it past their first 100 days, this will tell you why.
November 8, 2020
I found it useful as a hiring manager that I will continuously return to as a guide, but useless as tool to get hired. The getting hired portions of the book are more of an afterthought and the main focus is help hiring managers.
June 16, 2023
A lot of great tips, and great for those hiring managers looking to add a new level to their process when looking for skilled employees. However, I found with looking for entry level positions his methods break down.
January 24, 2018
Great approach to recruiting, but needs buy in from the organization if you want to really make it work.
August 23, 2018
Nothing revolutionary on the pages for business professionals, but good introductory read for consumers. Good prespective of how how headhunters and recruiters view candidates and assess resumes.
October 7, 2018
Read the authors “hire with your head” instead.
August 26, 2019
Good
Good job liked it great thanks for the help bs d d d d f r r r t to
Good job liked it great thanks for the help bs d d d d f r r r t to
November 16, 2021
Okay but not earth shattering, slightly dated the industry has moved on.
February 4, 2016
Книга для меня оказалась очень полезной. Конечно же, это один из многих инструментов, которые можно использовать при подборе персонала. Но имея многолетнюю практику подбора людей, понимаю, что предлагаемый автором performance based approach как к конструированию требований к вакансии, так и к отбору людей больше всего позволяет нам понять, соответствует ли кандидат той работе, которую ему придется делать.
Могу сказать, что интервью по компетенциям и ситуационное интервью с легкостью может быть заменено предлагаемым Лоу Адлером методом. Нашла для себя массу полезных инструментов и в ходе прочтения книги даже попробовала составлять описание вакансии в соответствии с моделью beyond year one, когда ты не фокусируешься на том, что надо делать, а описываешь цели, стоящие перед вакансией и перспективы развития человека в должности.
Предлагаемый подход также позволяет дать конструктивную обратную связь кандидату, если мы видим, что он не подходит для выполнения работы. Более того, если кандидат не может ответить на конкретные вопросы о том, что и как он делал, не может предложить решения проблемы, стоящей перед компанией (а problem solving question автор предлагает задавать кандидатам), он и сам поймет, что не дотягивает. И тогда вопрос предоставления обратной связи почти отпадает - интервьюеру нужно просто резюмировать, что он увидел и услышал. Чтобы на вопрос рекрутера о том, чего же не хватило кандидату для того, чтобы его рассматривали, не придумывать или говорить: "Тут немножко сложно описать. Больше это как внутреннее чувство. Он просто производит впечателние если не менее зрелого, то точно не более зрелого сотрудника, чем наши", а дать четкий ответ по всем важным для вакансии параметрам.
Однозначно рекомендую к прочтению ЛИНЕЙНЫМИ МЕНЕДЖЕРАМИ, рекрутерами и кандидатами.
Могу сказать, что интервью по компетенциям и ситуационное интервью с легкостью может быть заменено предлагаемым Лоу Адлером методом. Нашла для себя массу полезных инструментов и в ходе прочтения книги даже попробовала составлять описание вакансии в соответствии с моделью beyond year one, когда ты не фокусируешься на том, что надо делать, а описываешь цели, стоящие перед вакансией и перспективы развития человека в должности.
Предлагаемый подход также позволяет дать конструктивную обратную связь кандидату, если мы видим, что он не подходит для выполнения работы. Более того, если кандидат не может ответить на конкретные вопросы о том, что и как он делал, не может предложить решения проблемы, стоящей перед компанией (а problem solving question автор предлагает задавать кандидатам), он и сам поймет, что не дотягивает. И тогда вопрос предоставления обратной связи почти отпадает - интервьюеру нужно просто резюмировать, что он увидел и услышал. Чтобы на вопрос рекрутера о том, чего же не хватило кандидату для того, чтобы его рассматривали, не придумывать или говорить: "Тут немножко сложно описать. Больше это как внутреннее чувство. Он просто производит впечателние если не менее зрелого, то точно не более зрелого сотрудника, чем наши", а дать четкий ответ по всем важным для вакансии параметрам.
Однозначно рекомендую к прочтению ЛИНЕЙНЫМИ МЕНЕДЖЕРАМИ, рекрутерами и кандидатами.
December 17, 2016
Picking the right person for the job can be complicated and stressful. “The Essential Guide for Hiring and Getting Hired” by Lou Adler seeks to provide some assistance in this difficult task.
Normally, I wouldn’t pick up a book like this one. But, as my mentor advised that I read chapter 10 of this book, well, I did. (That chapter is all about job interviews.) I thumbed through a few other parts of this book as well, but mainly I focused on that chapter.
For the most part, this book is aimed at hiring managers and helping those folks figure out who to hire, how to get those people and what strategies you need to use to hire them. There are some parts that are geared toward job seekers, which were insightful. Each chapter ends with some bullet points, so you don’t have to absorb every word. (This is helpful when you’re short on time and attention.)
Not the best book I’ve read on jobs, but it was certainly helpful to peek inside the thought process of hiring managers. I’m sure I’ll reread parts of this book. If you’re looking for a job, my mentor was totally right, chapter 10 is pretty awesome.
Normally, I wouldn’t pick up a book like this one. But, as my mentor advised that I read chapter 10 of this book, well, I did. (That chapter is all about job interviews.) I thumbed through a few other parts of this book as well, but mainly I focused on that chapter.
For the most part, this book is aimed at hiring managers and helping those folks figure out who to hire, how to get those people and what strategies you need to use to hire them. There are some parts that are geared toward job seekers, which were insightful. Each chapter ends with some bullet points, so you don’t have to absorb every word. (This is helpful when you’re short on time and attention.)
Not the best book I’ve read on jobs, but it was certainly helpful to peek inside the thought process of hiring managers. I’m sure I’ll reread parts of this book. If you’re looking for a job, my mentor was totally right, chapter 10 is pretty awesome.
February 1, 2016
In a word? Excellent! Must read if you're looking to build a great team. The great value of this book for recruiters, hiring managers and candidates is that it lays out a decision-making process that can be used to help and make fair each and every hiring and job decision you make.
August 25, 2014
Describes a thorough process to hire and get hired. It helped me in implementing various changes both as an interviewer as well as a potential candidate.
September 22, 2014
Very good, I think it will catch on.
November 28, 2017
Must read on how to hire the right people.
June 20, 2016
Excellent book for recruiters (all should read it!), more of a mixed bag for job seekers.
Want to read
January 24, 2016Great insights into hiring process for recruiters and long-term unemployed.
September 16, 2016
Contains a great message that's surrounded by too much repetition. Feels like a drag at times. It could probably have been half as long without sacrificing anything essential.
September 27, 2018
I had to read this book for work, and I do think it’s made me a better recruiter. That said, the evidence given for Adler’s recommendations was almost entirely anecdotal, and felt a bit like a long opinion piece or a collection of advice columns.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews