I selected the picture of a referee measuring for a first down to symbolize how sometimes a matter of an inch or two can powerfully impact the outcome of a game. Similarly, small details in an interview process that may seem mundane or even unnecessary can sway the decision of a prospective candidate. And not even knowing that something small could make this big impact could be an even bigger symptom of a bigger problem.
Case in point, my family recently went on vacation and we were near a beach that was a popular spot for surfing. At my age I know what is good for me and what constitutes a bad idea. So I did not try to rent a surfboard and attempt anything too crazy. But our hotel did have some boogie boards that were free for hotel guests, so I decided to give it a shot. Little did I know that I was not supposed to be sharing the big waves with the surfers. I was coming into shore off of a larger wave when I saw a surfer heading right for me. The wave went over my head and as I saw my life flash before my eyes this surfboard went over my head by a small margin. The surfer came right onto the beach to check on me and seemed quite concerned. I told him I was fine and went about my way. My wife told me later that she watched it all unfold and said it looked like the surfboard missed me by what appeared to only be a few inches. It could have been ugly. Luckily I learned a lesson the easy way and not the hard way.
I have seen clients learn the hard way during an interview process and take one on the proverbial chin. From not knowing that a candidate was interviewing other places to missing a small detail on an agenda to having someone on the interview panel cancel last minute, there are a lot of moments in the process where thing can take a turn for the worse if you're not too careful. The best defense is a good offense. While never a guarantee, all football coaches go into a game with a plan, learn from any mistakes they make, and never stop trying to get better at making the process as seamless as possible. I wish I would have done the same thing on the beach. Had I just asked a few simple questions of other beach-goers, or even some of the surfers, I could have made a better (and safer) game plan for what I hoped to do on the boogie board. Sure I might have looked a little unprepared or even worse a middle-aged man from the Midwest trying too hard to fit in with the young and buff surfer dudes. But it would have ensured the game of inches was won by a wider margin than it was at the end of the day.
Have you ever had an experience where you missed hiring a candidate by a small margin? And if so, did you learn from that experience and incorporate new details into your recruiting strategy moving forward?
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