Taking a Punt

I have done different roles in my career - finance, accounting, audit, risk, sales, marketing, relationship management, back office and general management.  I noticed that when I tried to shift from banking front line to a back office, it was not very easy.  A German decided to hire me in to a global back office.  While hiring me he said something that really struck me and I will never forget it. He said that he was hiring me because I have no clue of back office operations and hence will bring a fresh perspective and because I play the guitar.  Many years later I asked him why playing the guitar was a reason for him to hire me.  He told me that if I had a passion outside of my job, it helps to rejuvenate.

As leaders we spend a lot of time meeting new people for hiring them in to various positions in our organizations.  We tend to look for people who can hit the ground running so that we need not spend too much time trying to explain the role and job to the person when he/she joins.  However, what has worked for me is to try to look for a person with the right skill sets, the right attitude, a smile on the face and is very well prepared for the interview.  So, when I needed someone who could bring a customer centric approach to the back office operations, I hired someone who had done Sales in the Media Industry. Similarly, I have hired many people who bring diversity of thought and the skill sets needed for the job, not necessarily experience in the particular industry or vertical.

Human beings adapt and we need to give them the time to do so.  If we provide that opportunity, we end up getting the best of talent when there is seemingly none.  I do not believe that I would have been in this position today if leaders who gave me the opportunities did not want to take the risk.

Typically, I look for a huge smile on the face, an attitude that is easy going, skills that match the job that is on hand, a sharp mind and capacity to work hard.  I also look for hobbies and prefer someone who comes well prepared for the job discussion.  What has worked for me always has been when I have prepared well for an interview.  I do a lot of ground work on the role, what is needed for that role, what is my fitment in terms of skill sets and where I would need improvement.  As a person being interviewed, you need to show that you are keen on the job and have prepared well.  

Hiring is not an easy task and it takes years before one starts making lesser hiring mistakes.  It is difficult to make judgement calls on a person who you have never known in a short interview.  Yet we make such decisions.  The biggest mistake we make is that we do not use the same approach to someone who works for you and wants the same job.  Since we know all the improvement areas of the person working with you, we tend to be biased while making a choice.  That is why many a time, senior positions are filled from outside of an organization than from within.  As leaders, we must have the courage to take the punt.