The Rare Find: Spotting Exceptional Talent Before Everyone Else

Why did I choose this resource?

I chose this resource to help improve our recruiting process and to learn how to recognize an A employee who may not be an obvious choice.

What did you learn from it?

I learned skills to help make accurate early assessments of who has the right stuff, and who does not by non traditional methods.

Key Knowledge

• Central Principles
  • Look for hidden virtues  – Resilience
    • Work hard, don’t complain, and don’t lose faith.
    • Come back tomorrow morning and do it again.
  • Learn something new – find the diamond in the rough
  • Push your candidates to be better – look for motivation
• Before reviewing resumes, write up a list of desired traits
  • Based on these traits, sort resumes in 3 piles; Yes, no, and maybe.
  • The maybe piles is for “jagged resumes,” ones that don’t exactly fit in either the yes or no pile
• Methods for reviewing “jagged resumes”
  • Compromise on experience, not character.
  • Use your experiences to relate to candidates
  • Hold an “audition,” witness why a person succeeds
• How to spot hidden winners
  • Ask a series of questions that require a candidate to explain their character.
  • These questions should ask about rewarding experiences, overcoming adversity, areas of pride and moments of exclusion
• Look for ‘effort’ people.
• Hold auditions for candidates
  • exposes strengths and flaws
  • shows the real candidate, see beyond a great resume (someone who looks great on paper may not actually be an A player)
• The key techniques for unconventional searches for talent:
  • Break down barriers that restrict where you look.
  • When exploring, ask: “What can go right?”
  • Figure out how to take tiny chances — so you can take more of them.
• Positive enthusiastic approach when first speaking with a candidate. Next meeting, move to “inquisition” and “decision.”
• Main Three Principles when searching for your next star employee
  • Widen the scope
  • See inspiration that is in front of you
  • Keep talent searches simple

How are you using what you learned?

I am using what I learned to create a new outline of questions for interviews as well as creating new methods for finding great talent.

Key Changes / Key Actions

• Organize resumes into 3 groups, not 2
• Examine the “maybe” pile further to find a hidden A player

Source

• Name : The Rare Find
• Author : George Anders
• Summary.com: Link to Book