The 2010 Performance-based Hiring Recruiting/Sourcing Checklist for Hiring Top Performers

• Use metrics and tools to stay on top of all assignments
• Keep the ATS beast up-to-date

Define top performance when taking the assignment

• Ask hiring team to define success using the big projects and tasks the person will handle and their expected performance
• Develop the employee value proposition (EVP) by asking “why would a top person want this job?”

Prepare prioritized sourcing and channel plan

• Develop 360° internal/external sourcing plan considering niche sites, social media opportunities, groups, societies, and conferences.
• Create a network map of who would know the ideal person, including employees, customers, and vendors.

Prepare recruitment advertising messages for postings, banners, emails, and voice mails. (Note: this and Step 2 are the most important parts of this checklist approach if you want to hire top people or passive candidates.)

• Lead with EVP, describe the challenges and tasks and their impact, and minimize skills and experiences
• Develop multiple messages by channel that are targeted to the person’s job-seeking status

Build the prospect pool

• Implement the sourcing plan and track metrics by channel
• Build, nurture, expand, and search the pipeline of existing internal and external candidates

Develop the candidate slate

• Screen and qualify on potential, job fit, career focus, and job-seeking status
• Track metrics and quality of candidate by channel

Conduct the assessment

• Separate the good from the weak using insight, not box-checking
• Qualify the candidate, recruit, and/or network

Organize and manage interview and selection process

• Conduct candidate prep and debriefing with each candidate
• Lead a collective evidence-based assessment process with the hiring team addressing all job needs
• Under no circumstances use a yes/no voting process

Recruit, negotiate, and close

• Prepare offer and compensation package — optimize internally
• Test and negotiate all components of the offer and get candidate’s 100% agreement before presenting it formally

Follow-up and onboarding

• Review performance profile with new hire and manager before and upon starting
• The recruiter and hiring manager need to maintain constant contact before the start date