We are witnessing one of the most unedifying situations as individuals fight to lead the Tory party and become the Prime Minister. There have already been smears, accusations and slick campaign logos. By the end of today, the number of people in the running will have been whittled down to those with the required amount of supporters. It is one of the most unusual ways to secure a job.
It has reminded me of the job interviews I have faced over the years both good and bad. There were ones where my professional ability was tested and this included gladiatorial debates with the other applicants for the role. There were ones where I realised within minutes that it was not the place I wanted to be. There were ones where I was too desperate for the role and managed to forget everything but my name.
In a world where we have such amazing technology and innovative working practices, why do we still persist in carrying out interviews in this old-fashioned way. There has to be a better way for us to decide whether someone has the required abilities, experience and knowledge to carry out a role. In senior police appointments there will be panels, events and an interview among the things that are used to help decide who is fit to lead that force. Senior appointments should never be down to a popularity test. So what should people demonstrate:
- Ability to undertake the role – a bit of an obvious one but you have to be able to carry out the required tasks for the job you are planning to do. Your experience of it may be limited but there is no point in going for a French speaking role if you can’t speak French. In the same way there is no point going for a head of communication role if you have never worked in communication.
- Leadership skills – this is a difficult one as with all organisations there will be different approaches to leadership, what is accepted and what is required. But what I mean is the ability to lead a team, to motivate and support people, to manage the way through when challenges emerge, and to help define and work to a shared future.
- Being human – this may sound a bit odd but many people who get to the top of organisations are in the INTJ group within Myers Briggs – I know because that was where I was on the two occasions I was tested. This makes thinking about people first an alien concept. But being able to motivate, understand and support the workforce is vital.
- Able to collaborate – being able to bring people together to achieve a required outcome whether that is within the business or involving people outside the business should be something that is at the top of any list of requirements for someone in a senior position.
- It isn’t about you – the final and most important thing is that someone at the top of an organisation should be approaching it for the right reasons. It is not about you having a big office, a big car, a big job title, or a big pension. It is about wanting to do the best for the business or organisation in whatever it does. This is even more critical for anyone in public service and definitely the person who wants to be leading the country.
All those elements can not be found by a 45 minute interview or a short test and interview with a panel. It needs a new way of conducting an interview that would really get to understand who is the right person for the job. One thing is sure it cannot be a popularity contest or we will be walking blindfolded into the wrong decision. I am interested to hear about any different ways of approaching recruitment that are in place. If you know of somebody doing things differently let me know.
Amandacomms's Blog 