How to Hire A-Players: Finding the Top People for ... - GIT home page

Would You Know an A-Player if You Met One? 35
A-Player Principle: When you interview, ask questions
that test prospective employees against your knockout
factors. This saves you time and helps you to focus your
recruiting efforts on potential A-players.
A-Player Payoff Points
Chapter 2: Would You Know an A-Player if You Met
One? Defining Your A-Player Profile
Companies ‘‘intentionally’’ hire the wrong people all the
time, so define your A-Player Profile early on to avoid
shooting yourself in the foot.
Know the skills that people must bring with them to the
job versus the skills that you can teach them. Defining
your A-Player Profile allows you to hone in on what makes
people A-players in the first place.
Your A-Player Profile helps you to identify the right places
to look for would-be hires. It often leads you to pools of
candidates that your competitors are overlooking.
In the end, hiring is a numbers game. You have to interview
a lot of qualified people to find an A-player. Your A-Player
Profile allows you to cast a wide net, run a lot of people
through your interview system, and hire the true standouts.
Just because people went to a prestigious school or worked
for one of your biggest competitors does not mean they are
A-players. You have to dig in to understand the profile of
the person who excels in your environment.
Whether your A-Player Profile is a ‘‘single-mother waitress’’
or something completely different, understanding what motivates
your top performers helps you to attract A-players
to come to work for you.
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