Over time, good employees will leave your organization and before you replace them, you should consider a simple hiring process tip. Because if you’re not careful, you could end up hiring a stunt double, instead of the right candidate.
Fans of movies and TV are familiar with stunt doubles. These are the stunt performers who step in when an actor or actress can’t perform a complex action move or should not try to do it for safety reasons.
Typically, a stunt double is about the same size as the performer he or she is replacing. The person may also wear a wig or makeup to fool the audience into thinking the stunt double is the star.
With the right camera shots, the illusion works. On set, after the stunt, the double’s work is applauded and the star returns to play the role. You wouldn’t want the stunt double, someone who looks a lot like the actor, to continue performing in the main role.
In business, when one of your stars leaves your organization, are you trying so hard to replace him or her that you end up hiring a stunt double? Want to avoid this trap and others? Consider these suggestions:
Hiring Process Tip: Avoid Easy Choices
While you may cherish the departing employee, you may not want to hire someone who seems like an exact copy. Trying to fit a stunt double into a leading role could represent the easy route and it may not lead to a successful partnership.
Nostalgia can trick you into thinking an average candidate would be a great one, simply due to his or her resemblance or similar background to the former employee.
You should ask yourself, “Is this person the most qualified for the job?” This can help you see whether your gut feeling is right or whether you need to expand your search.
Has the Job Changed?
Another hiring process tip has you reevaluate the position. You may have had a great employee, who performed very well at certain things. Since then, the needs of the marketplace may have changed.
For instance, years ago, marketing a business may have seen a daily sales offer sent by fax to prospects. While that may have been a successful strategy, you would hope that the marketing efforts would have evolved to the online world and might even include modern tools like video email marketing.
Changing a position after a great employee leaves is not reducing his or her accomplishments. It’s smart to make adjustments that match the current marketplace.
Hire Potential, Not Perfection
It’s unrealistic to think that on someone’s first day, he or she will be the perfect fit in a job. As a leader, you need to be supportive but have realistic expectations.
Also, will you allow the new hire to bring some disruption to the position and maybe do a few things differently? These are parts of the job you should be discussing during the interview and onboarding processes.
Finally, don’t refer to the new employee as being the new version of the departed person. Saying, Bob is the “new Pat,” doesn’t allow someone to be an original.
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