Good job specs don't create good hires

A few years ago I wrote a blog arguing that "hire the best talent" shouldn't be the main focus of a hiring strategy. It got a few raised eyebrows. I still think it's right, just for slightly different reasons now.

The most common mistake I see in investment technology hiring is treating it as a sourcing problem when it's a positioning problem.

Companies spend weeks refining the job description. Requirements, responsibilities, reporting line, the tech stack, the must-haves and the nice-to-haves. Then they spend almost no time answering the only question a strong candidate actually cares about: why would I leave a stable, well-paid job to come and do this?

The best people don't buy job specs

The people you really want are already doing well somewhere. They're getting approached every week. And the moment they show any interest in your role, their current employer will suddenly find a pay rise, a promotion or a "we didn't realise you were unhappy" conversation.

A job spec can be matched or beaten by a counter offer within 24 hours. A compelling reason to join usually can't.

What they're buying is a vision, a leadership team they believe in, a product that's going somewhere and a real chance to build something. That's what needs defining before anything goes out to market.

What I'd do first

Before a single line of outreach, get the CEO or hiring manager on the phone and answer one question properly. Why would someone good join us? Not the brochure version. The honest version, risks included.

Then make sure everyone who'll be interviewing can tell that story the same way, with the same conviction.

The spec still matters, just less than you think

A job spec is a starting point. It lists what you need. It doesn't tell anyone why they should care, and it definitely doesn't tell you who's going to be brilliant in the role.

Some of the best people I've ever placed wouldn't have made it through a spec-matching exercise. The best one almost didn't get an interview at all. Two years later he was the company's top salesperson globally.

Good job specs don't create good hires. A good reason to join does.

Photo: Nathan Jennings on Unsplash