Motivation - Job #1
You run an ad, look at a few dozen resumes, bring someone in for an interview and qualify
their skills against the job. Maybe you like
them and bring them back for a second interview.
And sometime right between then and the time you
think about offering them a job, you realize -
you have no idea what this human being wants out
of life.
They can do the job - they have done it before.
They seem available and the logistics fit.
You think they would respond to an offer. And you should stop, before you make a horrible
mistake. Because performance on the job is completely different than just doing it. And performance is only possible when someone is motivated to perform.
In the great scheme of things, motivation is
the FIRST interview topic. Before history, before
skills, before money - motivation.
You need to understand first why someone is
looking for a job and what they want out of a
position. When asking this question you'll often
get canned answers initially - people tell you
what they think is the right thing to say: moving
up, more money, challenge and the like.
Motivations run a lot deeper than that, and usually
if you press you can get to the truth. I'll say
something like, "I realize that challenge is
really important for a lot of people. Tell me why
challenge is important to you personally." And I
keep asking that question until I feel like I've
reached an emotional truth for that individual.
Most people are either trying to get away from
some situation, or trying to get to something
they don't yet have. The more you know about
their motivation the better you'll know whether
you can offer them what they're looking for.
And this is ALWAYS more important than the
experience, the duties, or the money. If you hire
someone with all the credentials and skills
and experience, but they lack the desire, or
the rewards and motivations you can offer them
are substantially different than what's in their
heart, you'll lose.
If the "why" isn't there, the what doesn't
really matter. So remember - motivation FIRST. If
that fits, then discover whether the rest fits.
Want to talk about how to add motivation to your screening or interview process - email me at the link below.
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