1. As a job candidate, would you prefer your CV be reviewed by a machine or a human? Why?

2. As a job candidate, would you prefer to be interviewed by a robot or a human? Why?

I received a total of 20 responses.

And here are the results:

About half (50%) of the respondents preferred HUMANS for both questions.

 

About 25% preferred Machines to review their CVs but Humans to interview them.

 

5% preferred Machines for both.

 

The rest (20%) seemed non-committal (or their answers were not quite intelligible).

From the results of this straw poll, it seems most people still prefer to deal with Humans and not Robots.

I was actually hoping for more HR Professionals to respond and give their views, however only 3 out of the 20 who responded were from HR / Recruitment.

And the reason why I was hoping for more responses from the HR community is to understand what they themselves would prefer as candidates – by virtue of the fact that they are employees means they would be candidates too.

So I wanted to get a feel of what their own preferences were as candidates when they are looking for a job – would they want their own CVs to be reviewed and filtered by Robots or would they prefer Humans to review their CVs.

But what is clear from this Straw Poll is that most of us still want to deal and interact with real people.
And this is not at all surprising to me because we humans are basically social creatures.

We were built this way.

We need and sometimes crave social interactions – simply because we as homo-sapiens require that basic emotional connection with the parties we come into contact with.

Some of the respondents commented that they preferred Robots to review their CVs so as to eliminate bias.

But here’s my question:

How can you be sure Robots are not biased?

Robots run on algorithms.
Algorithms are programmed by people.
And you can be sure those programmers / algorithm developers have their own unconscious biases too.

And here’s the danger:

Most of us using these systems (aka Applicant Tracking Systems or ATS) do not question the validity of these algorithms. We take them as Gospel truths. We assume the algorithms and the filters these Robots apply in sieving out the CVs are not flawed and that they are correct.

So how sure are you the Robots are not biased?

(just think about the frequency and the number of patches and updates are required just for your PC to stay updated. If these systems are flawless, then they don’t need to be patched and/or updated at all)

Now don’t get me wrong.
I’m not against technology.
I’m all for it.

What I’m trying to point out here is that we need to be more discerning and more circumspect when we decide to rely wholly on technology to perform tasks where the algorithms have not yet been perfected – such as reviewing CVs and conducting job interviews.

Because if the algorithm is not perfect, and we automate it, all it means is that we commit to making the mistakes faster!

What do you think?
What’s your take on this?

About the Author

Steven Lock is the Founder of FutureTHINK! Training & Consultancy LLP. He is an Author, Facilitator, Consultant and a Coach. Steven brings with him 20 years of corporate experience.

Steven is passionate about helping organisations transform their teams into high performing teams. He does that by first helping organisations identify and hire the right people, and then training their leaders and managers on how to manage and lead their people to achieve peak performance consistently.

Steven is the developer of The CAAP® High Performance Model. The model focuses on Culture (cultural fit), Attitude, Aptitude and Personality dimensions of their employees and job candidates. It is a highly practical, effective and proven approach.

Steven believes that for organizations to be truly successful and perform at their highest levels, they need to shift their mind-sets to having the RIGHT people on-board – and not necessarily the best or the brightest.

Steven is the author of two books:

• “Hiring for Performance: The CAAP® Model to Hiring and Building High-Performance Teams.”
• “The Right Talent: The Agility-Focused Interviewing Approach to Hiring the Right Candidate Every Time.”

He is the developer of The Leadership STYLE Report that is based on Dr. Daniel Goleman’s research on leadership styles.

Steven has been interviewed twice on MediaCorp’s live radio show The Breakfast Club on 938FM, and has contributed numerous articles to Singapore Business Review, ST Recruit, SHRI Human Capital, LinkedIn and other publications.

His comment on Team Collaboration has been quoted in the Harvard Business Review OnPoint Magazine.

Steven is certified in MBTI® (Step I & II) & DiSC® Personality instruments.

If you are, then you know you have to really stretch your hiring dollar and ensure you hire the right people for your organisation. It’s clearly a buyer’s market these days.

As a hiring manager, there is a whole host of confusing advice out there about who you should be hiring and what you should not be hiring for.

there is a whole host of confusing advice out there about who you should be hiring and what you should not be hiring for

I’m sure you have heard some consultants and professional recruiters say that you should hire for Culture Fit. I’m sure you have also heard of calls to hire for Attitude (in fact there is an entire book written on why you should hire for attitude). Some have even said that you should just hire for Personality.

More recently some consulting professionals have come out to preach that you should look for people with potential. In other words, hire people with the Growth Mindset.

So who is right and who is wrong?

So who is right and who is wrong?

What exactly should you be hiring for?

Should you hire for Culture Fit? Or should you hire for Attitude?

What about hiring for Potential or Growth Mindset?

And why would you not hire for Personality?

What Would You Consider When Buying a New Home?

I’d like you to imagine with me for a moment.

You are contemplating buying a new home. What would you look for in your new home? What would you consider before putting down the deposit for your new home?

Would you consider the location?
What about the environment?
Accessibility to and from public transport?
Your new neighbours?
What about carpark facilities?
Would you also consider the growth potential of this new asset you’re about to purchase?
How about the built-in floor area and space?
The internal layout and built quality?

I bet that as a potential home buyer, you would probably consider most, if not all of the above! (and perhaps even more!)

Would you make your purchase decision simply based on just one of the above criteria – say, carpark facilities?

Hiring is like buying a new home

Hiring is just like buying a new home – an asset with the potential of future growth and appreciation in value. It is not a trivial matter that you base your decision to hire on just one criterion. For instance, you cannot simply base your hiring decision just on attitude alone. Similarly, you cannot base your hiring decision just on growth mindset alone.

Hiring is just like buying a new home – an asset with the potential of future growth and appreciation in value

In order to minimise your chances of hiring the wrong person, you will need to consider a combination of factors.

So what is the correct combination that will maximise your chances of hiring the right person for the job?

Here are four areas that I always consider when I hire someone.

This approach has worked wonders for me. It has helped me hire a regional team that achieved 0% attrition and almost 100% KPIs for 10 years straight.

This approach has worked wonders for me. It has helped me hire a regional team that achieved 0% attrition and almost 100% KPIs for 10 years straight

The secret to my success: The CAAP® Model

Culture
Culture refers to Cultural Fit. It is important to select a candidate who is able to fit in with the prevailing culture of the organization or team. Selecting a candidate with the incorrect cultural fit could potentially spell trouble for both the candidate and the organization or team.

Take for instance, the corporate culture at General Electric Co. (GE). GE is well-known for its intensely competitive culture. When Jack Welch was the CEO, he was known to have categorized the employees into three categories: the top 20%, the middle 70% and the bottom 10%. The bottom 10% is the result of a process known as “Forced Ranking”. The top 20% will be showered with praises and financial rewards. The middle 70% would be managed differently and given stretch goals. The bottom 10% will be purged from the organization. As a result of this practice of “bottom slicing”, it created an intensely competitive environment within GE.

Therefore for a new hire to be successful in this case, the candidate needs to be able to fit in and adapt to the highly competitive GE environment.

Attitude
In today’s highly competitive business landscape, candidates with the right cultural fit are no longer sufficient. The candidates should also possess the right work attitudes. For instance, a candidate with a positive attitude will not give up easily when faced with a challenge or a seemingly daunting task. Some examples of positive attitude include:

– Willingness to take on new challenges
– Willingness to take responsibility for things that go wrong
– Willingness to admit mistakes and learn from the mistakes
– Find ways to overcome obstacles

In contrast, bad attitude may include:

– Blaming others when things go wrong
– Criticising others behind their backs
– Self-centred
– Arrogant

Aptitude
Aptitude is the ability and capacity to learn. The aptitude to learn should not be confined to just learning new skills or knowledge. It includes the ability to connect with people; to establish strong relationships with co-workers and peers; and the ability to learn and function as a team.

People who possess the aptitude to learn are continually in a learning mode. They usually possess a high level of personal mastery. They are inquisitive and feel they are part of the team or organization.

Personality
Personality is important because it governs how a person behaves towards others and how the person reacts to others. It governs how a person works within a team, how he/she communicates with others, and how that person makes decisions and manages change.

Conclusion

So what am I saying? Am I saying that my approach is the right one for you?

If you thought so that way, you could not have been more wrong.

What I’m saying here is this: this CAAP(R) hiring approach has worked wonders for me. But it may not be suitable for you – because it all depends on your situation and your current organisational context. However you will not know if it will work for you until you give it a try.

If it works for you, great and continue using this approach for your hiring!
And I would love to hear from you why and how it has worked for you.

If it doesn’t work for you, then it simply means you have to continue looking for a formula that works for you – perhaps even tweaking the CAAP(R) model to suit your environment and context.

Whatever the outcome, the bottom-line is that in this age and time when the economy is so uncertain and the business landscape changing at break-neck speed; and when automation and robotics threaten to take away our jobs, you can’t afford to hire the wrong people for your organisation.

Finally, none of these will work for you if you’re not even clear about what you are looking for in your new hire in the first place.

If you would like to find out how you can apply the CAAP® hiring approach in your organisation to maximise your chances of hiring the right people, check out my book:

The Right Talent – The Agility-Focused Interviewing Approach to Hiring the Right Candidate Every Time.

Get your copy here: https://www.futurethink.com.sg/the-right-talent-book/

Or if you prefer the e-version, it is now available on Amazon Kindle and Kobo.

About the Author

Steven Lock is the Founder of FutureTHINK! Training & Consultancy LLP. He is a Trainer, Author and a Leadership Coach. Steven brings with him 20 years of corporate experience.

Steven is passionate about helping organisations transform their teams into high performing teams. He does that by first helping organisations identify and hire the right people, and then training their leaders and managers on how to manage and lead their people to achieve peak performance consistently.

Steven is the developer of The CAAP® High Performance Model. The model focuses on Culture (cultural fit), Attitude, Aptitude and Personality dimensions of their employees and job candidates. It is a highly practical, effective and proven approach.

Steven believes that for organizations to be truly successful and perform at their highest levels, they need to shift their mind-sets to having the RIGHT people on-board – and not necessarily the best or the brightest.

Steven is the author of two books:

• “Hiring for Performance: The CAAP® Model to Hiring and Building High-Performance Teams.”
• “The Right Talent: The Agility-Focused Interviewing Approach to Hiring the Right Candidate Every Time.”

He is the developer of The Leadership STYLE Report that is based on Dr. Daniel Goleman’s research on leadership styles.

Steven has been interviewed twice on MediaCorp’s live radio show The Breakfast Club on 938FM, and has contributed numerous articles to Singapore Business Review, ST Recruit, SHRI Human Capital, LinkedIn and other publications.

His comment on Team Collaboration has been quoted in the Harvard Business Review OnPoint Magazine.

Steven is certified in MBTI® (Step I & II) & DiSC® Personality instruments.

As this was my first time to Vietnam, I was initially a little apprehensive about how things would turn out. But to my pleasant surprise, the entire event went extremely well. It was very well planned and organised. The entire event, including the various break-out sessions were all very well executed. It was a grand event.

My session on The CAAP® Model to Hiring and Building High Performance Teams was the second last session of the day, and I was concerned that by the time it got to my speaking slot, the audience would have been zonked out after hearing so many speakers speak before me.

But I was wrong.

The audience remained ever-attentive. And they were so eager to hear what I had to say.

After the entire event was over, I realised the real learners weren’t the audience that day — I was. And here are 3 things I learnt at the HR Summit in Ho Chi Minh City that day:

After the entire event was over, I realised the real learners weren’t the audience that day — I was

1. They are very well-read.

As a guest speaker for the event, I had the privilege to join in their break-out sessions. These break-out sessions were led by many established and senior executives from various organisations in Vietnam.

The moderators and presenters were from MNCs such as HSBC Bank, AkzolNobel, Uber and Intel. One of the presenters focused on advanced management concepts particularly from Stephen Covey – the author of The 7 Habits of Effective People.

I was totally amazed at the depth of knowledge of some of these presenters. The depth of knowledge and understanding of the various management models truly surprised me. They were clearly very well-read and they understood many of the management concepts that would put many of us to shame.

I was totally amazed at the depth of knowledge of some of these presenters.

2. They are hungry for new knowledge and skills.

Even though the average Singaporean worker is 15 times more productive than an average Vietnamese worker, I could sense that they are on an accelerated trajectory. These people were HUNGRY for new knowledge and skills. These people, given sufficient time, will catch-up with Singapore and other nations here in ASEAN. And with the TPP in place, Vietnam’s overall economic outlook is set for an explosive growth.

These people were HUNGRY for new knowledge and skills. These people, given sufficient time, will catch-up with Singapore and the other nations here in ASEAN.

3. It is a matter of time before they catch-up with us.

With Vietnam on an accelerated economic trajectory, it is only a matter of time before the typical Vietnamese worker catches up with the Singaporean worker.

I worry that Singaporeans have become very much complacent. Many I have encountered seem to have an arrogant streak in them. Many think they are very well educated and therefore already know whatever there is to know.

The bad news is, arrogance and complacency, will only lead to stagnation. And while Singaporeans stagnate, the other nations and economies around us continue to surge forward. The closing of the gap may not be obvious at this time because Singapore is still very much ahead in terms of growth and productivity. However given sufficient time, this gap will close.

As the saying goes, “Time and tide waits for no man”. And it is a matter of time before their economic trajectory intersects with ours and we’ll find ourselves on an even keel with these fast growing economies.

arrogance and complacency, will only lead to stagnation… it is a matter of time before their economic trajectory intersects with ours…

Author Bio
Steven Lock is the Founder of FutureTHINK! Training & Consultancy LLP. He is a Trainer, Author and a Leadership Coach. Steven brings with him 20 years of corporate experience.

Steven is passionate about helping organisations transform their teams into high performing teams. He does that by first helping organisations identify and hire the right people, and then training their leaders and managers on how to manage and lead their people to achieve peak performance consistently.

Steven is the developer of The CAAP® High Performance Model. The model focuses on Culture (cultural fit), Attitude, Aptitude and Personality dimensions of their employees and job candidates. It is a highly practical, effective and proven approach.

Steven believes that for organizations to be truly successful and perform at their highest levels, they need to shift their mind-sets to having the RIGHT people on-board – and not necessarily the best or the brightest.

Steven is the author of two books:

• “Hiring for Performance: The CAAP® Model to Hiring and Building High-Performance Teams.”
• “The Right Talent: The Agility-Focused Interviewing Approach to Hiring the Right Candidate Every Time.”

He is the developer of The Leadership STYLE Report that is based on Dr. Daniel Goleman’s research on leadership styles.

Steven has been interviewed twice on MediaCorp’s live radio show The Breakfast Club on 938FM, and has contributed numerous articles to Singapore Business Review, ST Recruit, SHRI Human Capital, LinkedIn and other publications.

His comment on Team Collaboration has been quoted in the Harvard Business Review OnPoint Magazine.

Steven is certified in MBTI® (Step I & II) & DiSC® Personality instruments.

Read them at your own convenience. Enjoy!

How Not to Choose a Manager
This is an interesting piece that highlights some common assumptions we make when deciding who to promote or hire as manager.

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hiring a Friend
Deciding to hire a friend? Read this article first. The author highlights some tough questions we should ask ourselves before we decide on hiring a friend.

Top tips: interview preparation and technique (from the candidate’s perspective)
If you are looking out for new opportunities, there are some good advice in this article.

Here’s How To Get The Most Out Of Your Seasonal Hires
Planning to bump up your hiring due to seasonal requirements? You might want to read this article to get some ideas on how to deal with it.

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Yes, Purple Cow.

This was a concept popularized by Seth Godin in his bestselling book Purple Cow. The basic concept of the Purple Cow is to stand out and be insanely different from your competitors. According to Godin, the world is full of mediocrity and if you want to be successful in business or in your personal life or in anything that you do, you need to be different – really different – in order to be noticed and to get ahead of your competitors.

The term “Purple Cow??? can also be used in the same way with expressions such as “Purple Squirrel??? or “Purple Elephant??? – all commonly used to describe something that is very different or very rare.

The funny thing is many recruiters and hiring managers are looking for their Purple Cow in their next hire – that one rare hire who meets all of their job specifications spelt out in their job descriptions.

For instance, take this job advertisement I pulled from a career site recently looking for Global IT Helpdesk Specialist:

You will be part of a larger Global IT Operations Centre team consisting of three tiers; Helpdesk, tier 2 support escalation, and the tier 3 Network Operations Centre (NOC) with locations in Singapore, Edinburgh, and Seattle, WA. Additionally, this position will act as the hub for a satellite Chinese Helpdesk located in China. There are advancement opportunities in Singapore to tier 2 and tier 3, in additional to local site support in Singapore and elsewhere in APAC.

That is a really tall order for an IT Helpdesk Specialist position, which in most organizations is considered a junior level position.

The question is: How many IT Helpdesk Specialists out there in the market would meet ALL of these requirements?

Now, imagine you were looking for a plumber to fix your leaking basin. What would your requirement be for the plumber? Would you list the following as requirements for your plumber?

Plumber needed. Must have eight years’ experience in the maintenance, troubleshooting, testing, installation, and repair of pumps, pipes, fittings, and fixtures, including both cut, threaded, and welded pipes, as well as familiarization with local, regional, and national plumbing, heating, and cooling codes and regulations. Good level of personal hygiene and professional demeanour and attire are required. Must be able to demonstrate effective verbal, presentation, and listening skills as well as operate computerized accounting, spreadsheet, and database programs at a highly proficient level.

In all honesty, how many plumbers do you think would meet this list of requirements?

Or would you try:

Plumber needed. Must be great at fixing leaking sinks and basins. If you have experience in discovering why a sink or basin is leaking and can fix it quickly, you are hired!

Which of the plumber advertisement do you think would be more effective?

Of course, some of you reading this would be thinking: “Hey but how can you compare an IT Helpdesk Specialist position with that of a Plumber????

But that’s not the point.

The point is that if you are looking for a Purple Cow, Purple Squirrel, or a Purple Elephant in your next hire, then you are probably barking up the wrong tree.

Keep your job description short and sharp, and simple to understand. Ask yourself what two or three things that are absolutely critical for the person to be successful in that position – and then highlight these two or three things in your job advertisement or job description.

Clarity is absolutely important when you are writing the job descriptions or the job advertisements. The clearer you are about what is needed for that position to be successful, the more precise and concise you will be with your job description and the job advertisement.

So stop looking for your next Purple Cow or your next Purple Elephant. Ask yourself these three questions before you write your next job description or your next job advertisement:

• Why are we hiring for this position?
• What do we need this position to accomplish within the first three months, six months, and twelve months on the job?
• What are three things this person must have in order to be successful in this position?

Asking these question will help you focus on those things that are most important and would likely result in finding the RIGHT candidate for your organization – because we all know Purple Cows and Purple Squirrels don’t exist.

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