by Alison Green
The best way to gauge how people will act in the future is to find out how they have acted in the past or to observe how they actually act in the present, not to ask them how they might act in the future. Make your selection process about the actual, not the hypothetical.
In making your decision, listen to your instincts. Would you be thrilled if this person joined your organization? If you have concerns, pay attention to your instincts. If more information would help, modify the process to gather the facts you need. If you don’t have the right person, find short-term solutions rather than hiring the wrong person.
Throughout the process, paint an authentic picture of the benefits of working with you. Candidates who are a good fit will become excited and more invested in the job.
Additional Reading
Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999), especially “Skills, Knowledge, and Talents,” “The World According to Talent,” and “Talent: How Great Managers Find It” (pp. 83–104).
Jim Collins, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . and Others Don’t (New York: HarperCollins, 2001), especially “First Who . . . Then What” (pp. 41–64).
TOOL 6.1
SAMPLE JOB POSTING
State Health Care Now: State Policy Director
State Health Care Now is seeking a full-time state policy director to lead our state advocacy activities, primarily by building and maintaining alliances among key actors throughout the state.
The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to foster coordination and cooperation among diverse, and even competing, groups. He or she will be committed to getting results in a fast-paced environment and able to handle a heavy workload. This position is an excellent opportunity to engage with policymakers, nongovernmental organizations, industry executives, and constituents to help bring about legislative change.
About State Health Care Now
State Health Care Now is a fast-paced nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring about affordable, meaningful health insurance to every state resident. We work closely with policymakers, advocates, and business leaders, and have built a reputation as one of the state’s leading voices for health care reform. We plan to add twenty-four partners over the next two years and achieve universal coverage for all children in our state by 2015.
Job Responsibilities
The state policy director, who is based in X state and reports to the executive director, is responsible for the following:
Building and maintaining strategic relationships with policymakers, nongovernmental organizations, industry executives, leading experts, and constituents
Implementing our state advocacy agenda—currently, three major programs and one annual conference
Supervising three state-based project staff and two to four consultants and volunteers
Monitoring legislative proposals and trends
Serving as a member of the organization’s leadership team
Qualifications
We’re seeking candidates who excel in relationship building, are results oriented, and have strong project management skills. You should have:
A track record of developing and maintaining strong working relationships with and among a diverse group of stakeholders
A demonstrated commitment to meeting a high bar and a history of getting things done even in the face of obstacles
Experience managing multiple projects and the ability to oversee a cadre of staff, consultants, and volunteers
Knowledge of health care policy issues and prior experience in a legislative environment are both pluses but are not requirements.
Compensation depends on experience and is highly competitive.
How to Apply
Please send a cover letter and résumé to Pat Rodriguez, vice president of advocacy, at [email protected].
TOOL 6.2
SAMPLE TALENT LIST
Here’s a template you can use to track promising potential staff members.
TOOL 6.3
SAMPLE WORKSHEET FOR BUILDING THE APPLICANT POOL
Most hiring mistakes occur not simply because managers select the wrong person, but because they don’t have the right pool to select from. Use this worksheet to build a strong pool of applicants.
Job title: _____________________________________________________
1. Identify potential candidates and connector sources, or people who can put you in touch with other good applicants.
2. Next, brainstorm ways to mass-market the job posting. Mass Marketing Category Places to Post Job Listing
Your own or allied organizations (Web sites, newsletters)
Social networks
Community or industry-specific listservs (idealist.org, indeed.com)
Professional societies or associations (Association of Fundraising Professionals)
Alumni/career services offices
Other
TOOL 6.4
SAMPLE REJECTION E-MAILS
This sample is to a candidate who didn’t make it to the interview stage.
Subject: State Health Care Now State Policy Director position
Dear Josephine,
Thank you for applying for the state policy director position with State Health Care Now. We appreciate your interest in our organization and your commitment to sensible health care policy reform.
We received more than 200 applications for the position, and the hiring process has been a very competitive one. Although we were impressed with your qualifications, we have decided not to move your application forward. However, we greatly appreciate your interest in working with us and wish you the best of luck with your job search.
Sincerely,
Barry Ruiz
Chief of Staff
This sample is to a candidate who did have an in-person interview.
Subject: State Health Care Now State Policy Director position
Dear Dan,
Thanks so much for talking with Tracy and me last week about our state policy director position. We really enjoyed the meeting, especially hearing about your work with United Way, and we were impressed with your qualifications.
We’ve had a very competitive pool and have had to make hard decisions, and unfortunately I won’t be able to advance you into the next round of interviews. I have no doubt, though, that you’ll be a real asset to an organization in the right position, and I wish you the best of luck with your job search.
Best,
Barry Ruiz
Chief of Staff
TOOL 6.5
SAMPLE JOB SIMULATION EXERCISES
Having candidates complete exercises similar to what they’d be doing on the job can give you a good idea of how they would perform if hired. This list of sample exercises tests for specific qualities. Brainstorm activities for your candidates in the space below.
Position Must-Have Qualities Sample Exercise
Chief operating officer Critical thinking, writing Observe the organization in action (delivering a training session, staging a rally, holding a hearing) and propose recommendations for improvement in a two- or three-page memo.
Manager of programs Strategic thinking Read and analyze a set of goals and objectives and come up with recommendations to pursue.
Director of communications Public speaking, judgment Rehearse a press conference or a call with a reporter about a controversial program we support.
Manager of a small- or medium-sized department General management, staff supervision Simulate giving positive and corrective feedback to a supervisee.
Fundraising associate Persuasive communication Write a brief funding proposal or cover letter to a donor.
Special events associate Organization or project management Develop a project plan for an annual conference.
Director of policy and advocacy Strategic thinking, interpersonal skills Sit in on a meeting with a potential partner organization. Afterward, give f
eedback, including a recommendation on whether and how to engage with them.
Senior associate for policy and advocacy Ability to explain complex ideas in a simple way Produce a visual outlining key players in the health care industry and the relationships among them.
Research associate Strategic thinking, writing Write a memo on how a specific change in legislation might affect state support for low-income families.
Trainer Presentation and teaching skills Make a short presentation teaching a skill of your choice (how to write a grant, how to create a work plan, how to plan a conference, and so forth).
Executive assistant Fast paced, attention to detail Complete a fifteen-minute scheduling exercise involving multiple meeting requests.
TOOL 6.6
SAMPLE INTERVIEW PREPARATION E-MAIL
This is a sample e-mail to a job applicant prior to a second interview.
Subject: Meeting on Tuesday
Susan,
I’m looking forward to speaking with you again next week about the state policy director position here at State Health Care Now.
As I mentioned on the phone, in addition to talking more about your prior experiences, I’m also hoping we can spend a portion of our time focusing on materials related to the position. Enclosed you will find:
Monthly and quarterly goals. During our discussion, I’d love to get your feedback on these goals and hear how you might approach them.
A newsletter and informational brochure from the Small Business Owners’ Health Forum. As we discussed, you will be sitting in on Daniel’s meeting with the forum’s advocacy officer next week. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how this conversation went and on whether and how you would structure a partnership with them.
A list of our core values, a statement of expectations for managers, and a one-page version of our annual objectives to give you more background about our organization and where we are headed.
Thanks again for your interest, and I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday at 2:00.
Best,
Tracy Brown
Executive Director
TOOL 6.7
SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
The overarching key to each category is to listen carefully, probe to get beneath the surface, and focus the questions or activities around the key traits that you are most interested in.
Probing Prior Experiences
Of your prior jobs, which do you think was the most significant?
What was the part of your role you spent the most time doing [or, What was the most significant project]?
What were you trying to achieve?
How did you approach it?
Walk me through your process. What did you do first? Why? What did you do next? What happened after that? What was the result?
What was the biggest challenge there?
What was your biggest achievement? What was something you accomplished that you think someone else in your role might not have gotten done [or, Where you approached it differently from how others might have, or where you went above and beyond]?
It must have been hard to do Y. How did you approach that?
On your résumé, you mentioned that you accomplished ABC. How did that come about? What was your specific role in it?
Why did you leave X job?
Tell me about Z job. What led you to work there? What was your role?
Direct Questions About Specific Qualities
Tell me about a time at X when:
You were faced with a really difficult challenge.
You went above and beyond to get a result.
You persisted despite obstacles.
You gave up or almost gave up.
You had to put your ideas into writing.
You had to deliver an important speech.
You had to motivate someone to do something.
You came up with a new approach for tackling a problem.
You had to come up with a strategy for how to get to a particular outcome.
You had to move a group to action (within or outside the organization).
You had to stay on top of a large volume of work or had to multitask.
You had to explain complex ideas in a simple way.
What did you do in this situation? What did you do next? What happened after that? What was the result? Would you do anything differently? Did you ever face another similar situation? How did you handle that one?
Personal Goals and General Fit
What makes you want to work here?
What leads to your interest in X issue?
Where does that desire to improve things come from?
What do you think is the most important problem facing our society today?
Where do you see X [one of your organization’s issues] fitting in?
What are you looking for in your next job? If you could design the perfect job, what would it look like? Why?
Some people are at a point in their career where work is their top priority and they’re dying to immerse themselves fully in their work. Others are at a point where they want to do interesting work but it may not be the most important thing for them. Both are legitimate positions. Where would you put yourself on that spectrum right now?
What was your favorite job and why? What was your least favorite and why? How do those things compare to what you’re looking for now?
Note: Be careful not to ask about marital status, family, etc. here, though the interviewee might bring those things up. You are trying to figure out whether the person is looking for a job that might require going above and beyond, or whether they are looking for a 9 to 5 job, regardless of their external circumstances.
The following questions can be followed up by probing prior specific experiences: “So tell me about a time when that happened/when you demonstrated that/when that came up? What did you do next/how did you handle that?”
What really frustrates you at work?
What do you think it is that makes you outstanding at what you do? What do you think you need to get better at?
If I were to talk to your colleagues or your managers, what would they say are the things you’re best at? What would they say you need to improve in?
What works for you in a manager? What doesn’t work for you?
TOOL 6.8
SAMPLE INTERVIEW OUTLINE
Candidate: Susan Smith Date/location: 9/18/2012, D.C. office
Interviewed by: Tracy Brown, ED Interview round: 1
Key Must-Haves
Relationship building
Results orientation
Project management skills
Nice-to-haves: Knowledge/experience related to our issue or legislative environment, good writing skills, ability to think strategically, belief in social issues
I. Introduction
I thought we’d start by having you share a bit more about your interest in the position and then dig into your background by discussing some of your past experiences. I’ll then share with you more about where we’re headed as an organization and what we’re looking for in this role. At the end, we’ll talk next steps. Sound good?
II. Warm-Up Questions
1. What led you to apply for this position?
2. What kind of role are you looking for at this point in your career?
Start off with one or two quick questions as a warm-up; then dive into the meat of the interview: probing prior experiences.
III. Prior Experiences
General (seeking useful information keeping in mind all the must-have qualities)
1. I see from your résumé that you worked with Neighbors in Action. Tell me more about that. What was the project on which you spent the most time?
What were you trying to achieve?
How did you approach the development of the campaign? Walk me through your process: What did you do first? Why? What did you do next? What other options did you consider? Why did you end up pursuing that route? What happened after that? What was the resul
t?
Who else was directly involved with you in designing that campaign? What were some of the challenges in working together? How did you approach them?
What other challenges did you face during the course of this campaign? How did you deal with them?
What were the major victories? Would you say you met your original goals?
How did the campaign conclude? Lesson learned?
2. What other job or project has been significant in your prior professional experience? Tell me about that.
Delve deeply into three or more prior experiences. Don’t be shy about pressing for details and concrete evidence.
Direct (probing for evidence of specific must-have qualities)
1. Relationship building: More than anything else, this position involves a lot of relationship building. You mentioned partnering with a couple of other organizations when you worked on the Neighborhood Safety Campaign. Can we talk about another time when you had to build relationships with other actors? How did you go about pursuing that relationship?
How did you gain access to their top level of management? Who else in that organization did you speak to? How often would you meet?
What were the major outcomes of that partnership? Is there a particular success in this area we could discuss? A challenge?
Stick to real examples and avoid the hypothetical.
2. Project management: As the state policy director, you would be managing several projects at the same time, from our advocacy campaigns to monitoring legislation to building the statewide coalition. Can you tell me about a project you managed that went well? What do you think made it successful? How did you plan it, and how did you manage to the plan?
What about a time when things didn’t go so well? Was there ever a dropped ball on a project you were managing? What happened, and what did you do?
