Help wanted... but in a whole new way

By Chana Schoenberger

Job-seekers know the paradox of today’s economy: Although unemployment is high, corporate executives often complain they can’t find the right person to fill their open jobs.

That is why Manpower Group, is pushing companies to advertise jobs, not only by the experience required, but also by the qualities a candidate would need to succeed in the role – a so-called ‘success profile’.

Outcomes

In writing such a profile, managers should ask themselves, “What are the outcomes I am looking at from this job?” says Mara Swan, executive vice president of global strategy and talent at Manpower.

Sound nebulous and new age-y? Perhaps, but executive-search firms have been selecting top managers this way for years – and they often provide a guarantee that if their pick doesn’t keep the client’s job for a specified period, they will provide the client with a new candidate.

What you know

“You’re hired for what you know, but you’re fired for who you are,” says Gary Burnison, chief executive of recruiting and outsourcing firm Korn-Ferry International, which uses this technique to find executives for clients.

 

— WSJ.com