Getting the best man for the job

Strange how I manage to link most situations that I’m in to recruitment.   The wedding I was at this weekend got me thinking about how the depth of your recruiting process affects the success of the placement.

Everyone at the pre-dinner drinks had made an effort to look their best and they all seemed keen to make a good impression.  This is the equivalent of a basic interview (without the CV in front of you).  But are you taking your chances on a hire after spending just one hour with someone?  Breakfast the next morning was a metaphor for a month after they join your organisation.   No one had made any effort in their attire; some people smelt funny and no one could be bothered to smile at anyone else, never mind string a sentence together.   However, by spending the hours between 5pm and 3am with these people you would have seen a fuller picture.  This time period is the recruiting equivalent of role plays, verbal aptitude tests, personality questionnaires and “meet the team” exercises.   So who got the job?  Probably Nick, the best man.  Especially after his superb speech and the way he kept everyone in order.  Shame he wasn’t around when the obligatory fight broke out at 3am!