Since being named to the Republican ticket, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been dogged by media reports of alleged ethics violations, potential inexperience, her unmarried teenage daughter's pregnancy -- and questions of whether she was fully vetted. Our panel of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and recruiting experts weighs in on what makes for an effective hiring process.
Partisan squabbles aside, many seasoned workplace recruiters would agree that, by most standards, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin went through a speedy hiring process in becoming Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's running mate for the November elections.
According to media reports, McCain's team arrived in Palin's home state just days before officially announcing her candidacy. McCain himself interviewed his future second-in-command only once, offering her the job moments later. Few, if any, of Palin's colleagues in state and local government say they were contacted by background vetters, while nearly all of her closest friends and neighbors describe last week's announcement as a complete surprise.
Although McCain and his advisers say they thoroughly reviewed Palin's financial and legal records, potentially damaging revelations that arose this week -- among them Palin's involvement in an ongoing ethics investigation, past political experience, and the pregnancy of her unmarried teenage daughter -- have led both Democrats and even some Republicans to question the vigor of his recruiting process, if not the wisdom of his choice.
And while hiring a new employee is very different from picking a vice presidential candidate -- unlike a corporate vice president, you can't fire Dick Cheney -- the two decisions have much in common. Whether you're looking for a new intern or appointing the second most powerful person on the planet, experts say you need to gauge how a new hire will work with your existing management team, how they will motivate other employees, whether they have the vision and skills to take your company to the next level, and how they represent you.
For a non-partisan perspective, we brought together a panel of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and leadership experts for a refresher course in the Do's and Don'ts of recruiting. Here's what they had to say.
Based on what you know, what's you're assessment of McCain's recruiting process in picking his running mate?
John Baldoni, leadership coach and author of Lead By Example: 50 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Results: Frankly, it’s a gut decision. McCain is reverting to type. He's a former naval aviator and taught to think and react quickly. But when you're making your "first decision as (potential) president," it seems hasty. McCain's judgment seems more based on guts than intellect.
Clint Greenleaf, chairman and CEO of Austin, Texas-based Greenleaf Book Group: We don't really know how long they were talking, but it did seem kinda quick to me. That said, McCain is a maverick and when you know in your gut, you know. I'm probably in the minority, but I'm not finding huge fault with his methodology.
Nancy Cooper, an employment lawyer at Garvey Schubert Barer in Portland, Ore.: All the things that are forbidden in an employment interview are fair game in the public scrutiny of a political candidate. It may be that the process really was a carefully contemplated political strategy aimed at solidifying the party and uniting the various fronts. Or it could be that it was just a horribly mixed up appointment that demonstrates all that is wrong with a reactionary hire. Only time will tell.
Francisco Dao, founder of StrategyandPerformance.com, a Los Angeles-based executive coaching and consulting firm: A politician's goals are very different from a business owner's. A business owner's primary focus is running a successful and profitable organization. McCain's primary focus in choosing Palin is to get elected. Once in office, effectively running the government is almost irrelevant.
What do you consider essential interview questions for any position? What shouldn't an employer ask?
Dao: I believe the most important question you want to ask a candidate is, "Why here?" Ideally, you want people who are looking for more than a job, who have reasons other than a paycheck for wanting to work at your company. I’m not a big fan of, "Why should I hire you?" It's really just an invitation to brag or put down the other candidates.
Michael Alter, CEO of SurePayroll, a Chicago-based small-business payroll firm: I focus on employment transition questions and find that those questions tell me the most about a prospective hire. Why did they move from one position to another position? Why are they leaving their current position? There are questions you cannot ask from a legal perspective. Don't ask them. However, if a candidate volunteers some personal information that might impact their ability to do the job, I think it's fair game to take that information into consideration in your hiring process.
Cooper: Essential interview questions should focus around the skills required to do the job. This may include working under high stress environments, like dealing with intense media scrutiny, and other qualifications. If the candidate has a specific qualification that enhances their desirability for the job, that should be explored.
Greenleaf: I'm a big fan of very thorough interviews. As long as the employer avoids the legal pitfalls of questions that he or she cannot ask, I think everything is fair game. Important questions include all details of previous employment and how those experiences will help in the new position.
Baldoni: You want to know what excites an individual. What gets the person up in the morning? Is it work or play? What about the work excites the individual. I would also want to know about personal goals as well as long-term and short term objectives. That is, where do you see yourself in six months or a year. How about five years? Then ask how they will achieve their goals.
How important is it to dig up a job candidate's past? How crucial are background checks? How far back should an employer delve?
Greenleaf: General background checks are important for everyone. High-level checks for people with financial positions are critical. The Certified Fraud Examiners have a great website (www.acfe.com ) and I recommend doing a thorough check with them for anyone with financial access.
