Recruiting the right candidate for your organization doesn’t always mean filling the position with someone similar to the person who you had in the role before. Instead, it should depend on the future direction of the company, so always remember to keep the big picture in mind. Character and experience are just as important as the required job skills in order to ensure you get the best fit to align with the company’s goals and vision.
When I started working with First Presbyterian Church of Houston, my first step in the recruiting process was to talk to their hiring manager to find out the type of individual she was really looking for. This conversation revealed the church’s long-term goals and all the key attributes that a candidate would need to be successful in the role, attributes that are rarely listed on a job description. This critical conversation helped me gain a better understanding of the culture, the values and character for which they were looking. Even though the role is common to many organizations, I had to keep in mind that they needed someone who was comfortable working in a church environment, as well as someone who was the right fit for their team.
Based on the information I received, I was able to craft my interview questions to target the right candidates, post the opening on the right job boards, and then it was smooth sailing from there! I conducted phone interviews with the candidates who were qualified and then sent the top choices to the hiring manager for a face-to-face meeting. At the end of it all, we selected the candidate whom we felt was most in agreement with First Presbyterian’s vision and who had the right skills to achieve the goals.
Janelle Escayg, PHR
