What to consider when designing a talent selection process

7.October.2024

As candidates, as hiring managers or as executive search practitioners we’ve all either experienced or deployed a range of assessment techniques during the talent selection process.

Variables can include the number and personality of the people involved, practical logistics such as availability or location, sector norms, organisational culture, and personal preferences.

At Hanover Fox, when designing a recruitment process with our clients, we find it invaluable to establish early on what might be the best combination of techniques with the aim of providing sufficient data for both organisation and candidate to make a decision and a fair opportunity for all.

As our client, we’ll work with you to agree where and when you need our support or advice or when you prefer to manage this yourself.

There may be multiple stages to this process with different techniques used to progress from possibles to preferred or alternatively this might involve an assessment centre for a day or more.

Firstly, interviews. Whilst it is not hard to find studies which point out the weaknesses of interviewing as a technique (unrealistic environment, past behaviour might not predict future performance, too much focus on appearances, some people exaggerate or even lie), some form of dialogue between candidate and representatives of the organisation is essential. Whether meeting in person or online, interviews can take many forms.

You can use your time together to explore claimed competencies, to dig into prior experience or simply to try to match skills and attitude to the requirements of the role. Interviews need a structure. Methods such as STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can be useful.

Be careful to mitigate for the impact of biases (including your own) and especially when conducting a panel interview, consider the diversity of its composition. The candidate is assessing you at the same time as you are assessing them, wondering whether this is an organisation or team in which they will be able to thrive. Giving prior notice of questions or topics you will cover is increasingly seen as good practice. Make the playing field as level as possible and if meeting in person, don’t forget to provide some water at least.

In addition to interviewing candidates, we’d advise clients to consider the following:

1. Role-playing/Simulated business scenario

When relevant to the role, asking candidates to handle a simulated scenario can be an effective way to gain some insight into how candidates might respond in the real-world. This can be a genuine business problem or a potential risk. Always remember to account for the human factor including the time needed to assess, consider options and respond. Are they showing evidence of analytical thinking? How well are they handling the pressure? How effective are their communication skills? Do they listen well? Are they able to use knowledge and experience to suggest practical solutions? Don’t forget it’s a role-play not real-life but you might learn something new too.

2. Task/Test/Exercise

By giving candidates something to do which they might encounter if doing the job for real, you can get a sense of how they approach specific tasks. This might be analysing data, evaluating code, framing a written response to an issue – whatever is relevant to the role. Management of time, an ability to prioritise, focus and handle pressure are all important skills. Remember that the working environment and tools you provide for the task will have a variable impact on how candidates perform.

3. Presentation

If presentation skills are an essential requirement for the role, asking candidates to speak to a relevant topic is a good way to test this with the added benefit of giving you a fresh perspective on what you have asked them to explore. Make sure you allow enough time to prepare and do try to be an attentive, engaged audience.

4. Site visit/meeting the team

Unless the role is entirely remote (and maybe even then) candidates will expect to have the opportunity to experience their possible future working environment. You can combine this with meeting a few potential future colleagues. For all involved this type of more informal interaction can offer further valuable insight into style, attitude and fit. An initial view from team members helps with the dynamics of how the team might function with the new appointment.

5. Psychometric Testing

If you are going to ask candidates to be assessed in this way it is important to think through when in the process, this type of insight will be most useful. There are many options to choose from including C-me Insights, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Hogan Assessment and the Watson-Glaser Critical thinking appraisal. All have their strengths and provide more data to inform your decision on whether or not to progress individual candidates. Depending on which approach you use, you’ll gain insight into levels of cognitive ability, emotional intelligence, communication styles or behaviour and personality traits. Seek expert advice.

6. References

References must – by law- be fair and accurate and whilst they have a vital role to play in the process, they are by no means infallible. There are studies which have found the referencing process to be even less reliable than unstructured interviews at predicting future effective performance. Insight from former employers, colleagues, or clients can provide insight into a candidate’s abilities, style, values, ethical standards and past effectiveness in role. Yes, you should take references and carry out background checks when relevant, but do not be overly reliant on this one technique at the expense of a more rounded assessment.

For hiring managers and candidates alike, the talent selection process requires the investment of significant time and effort. The decisions either of you ultimately make are consequential for individuals, teams and organisations and all involved owe it to themselves – and each other – to think carefully about how to go about gathering the data you need.

Effective leadership – at any level in an organisation – requires a mix of hard and soft skills. In our experience as executive recruiters we find that organisations which deploy a mix of approaches can gain a comprehensive understanding of a candidate’s strengths, potential and areas for development and importantly also give candidates a good sense of their future working environment.

This enables both candidate and hiring organisation to make a well-informed decision and when this leads to the offer and acceptance of a role, as your executive search partners, we’d consider this a job well done.