Three Hiring Lessons From the FDA

Resumes are powerful things, carefully crafted by the actual person or by a highly-paid career consultant. There’s a lot of information on a resume about experience, education, accomplishments and personal interests. There are also some subtle things that can trigger interest in one candidate over another.

Recruiters and hiring managers are supposed to make decisions on an applicant’s qualifications. But if you’ve been in the recruiting game, or looking for a job lately, you know that’s not always the case. Where you went to school, an interesting hobby, association with a company or individual can make an otherwise average candidate look much more interesting. There is a saying, “You’re known by the company that you keep.” These associations can be helpful to a candidate and, at the same time, become pitfalls when it comes to choosing the best candidate.

This predicament was illustrated by a recent article in Forbes Magazine. While it isn’t about recruiting, it has some important lessons for hiring managers and job seekers alike. The article, "A Drug Recall That Should Frighten Us All About the FDA," told the story of the FDA’s recall of the generic version of Wellbutrin XL. Why did they pull the plug on this drug? The 150mg version was working just fine, and since the 300mg version was just a modification of a previously approved drug, the FDA didn’t test it. Shocking, yes! A case of approval by association?

What happened with the FDA could have had serious – even dire – consequences. But a bad hire can have serious consequences as well. Hundreds or thousands of dollars and time can be wasted when a candidate rises to the top because of some association and gains a manager’s approval without going through the usual vetting process. She may have gone to the same school, have the same interests, or played professional sports. Or maybe the candidate looks like Jennifer Lopez or Brad Pitt. With so many applications crossing a recruiter’s desk, sometimes these attributes leap off the page and make a candidate instantly attractive – for the wrong reasons. Like the FDA, taking the proper steps to test a candidate will help avoid a potential disaster.

1. Look past the superficial. It’s difficult to ignore outward appearance or someone who is a member of your old college fraternity or went to your high school. Or a woman who played on the Olympic soccer team. But hiring isn’t about finding someone just like you (or like you aspire to be). The ability to do the job is all about qualifications and fit. 
2. Test everyone. The FDA relied on association instead of testing and came up short. When you’ve come down to the final group of candidates for a position, each candidate should go through the same testing, background checks, number of interviews and reference checks. To avoid a charge of discrimination in hiring, use the same set of questions for each candidate as well. This may help prove you gave each candidate the same consideration without prejudice.
3. Consider the consequences. You may have a personal connection with the candidate, but the rest of the team is going to have to work with him. Hiring someone less qualified can become a drag on the team’s productivity and morale, and it can hurt your standing as a leader. If he is a poor fit, you may be faced with a lengthy review and disciplinary process resulting in termination. 

Don’t fall in love with a candidate based on personality or life experiences if the candidate doesn't have the background and experience to do the job. Be sure they pass all the tests before making an offer. 

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