The bad executive hire - a postmortem.

Examining the reasons a bad hiring decision was made can identify common errors in the selection process.

Why do so many managers leave short-after they are hired? Why do hiring situations that seem to begin on a positive note veer quickly to a negative end?

Poorly defined hiring criteria, as well as inattention and subjectivity during the interviewing process, can result in a bad hire. Avoiding the following pitfalls can help eliminate awkward and costly terminations.

UNCLEAR IDEA OF WHAT THE JOB SHOULD BE

To develop a clear picture of the position to be filled, the recruiter needs specific information. Before beginning the search for an executive, he or she should compile the following data:

1. Job specifications-credentials, background and experience needed to qualify for the position.

2. Job description-primary duties and responsibilities.

3. Job goals and objectives - the criteria for measuring performance and realistic understanding of the company culture.

After carefully analyzing all the detailed information, the recruiter should combine it to create a complete depiction of the position to present to management.

LACK OF CONSENSUS ON QUALIFICATIONS

The recruiter's challenge is to help the supervisor, peers and subordinates of the prospective hire reach agreement on the specifications, description and objectives of the job. The recruiter must have a sense of the type of personality that will work best for the management team.

A recent Pomeroy Corporation assignment to recruit a chief financial officer (CFO) provides a good example of how different groups view the same job. All interested parties agreed that the position required an understanding of the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) regulations and reporting requirements for publicly held companies. They also agreed that connections with various powers of Wall Street - venture capitalists, investment bankers, private investors, underwriters and brokers - was necessary.

However, when supervisor, peers and subordinates were asked to allocate the amount of time the CFO should spend on certain duties, there were major differences. They separately rated the SEC/Wall Street connections from a low of 15 percent to as much as 65 percent of the CFO's time. Similarly, there was a wide range of opinions about allocations for other duties, such as long- and short-range financial planning, accounting and control, treasury functions, management information systems, human resource risk management, and administration. As for opinions on the personality and demeanor of the prospective hire, the group was split over how much aggressiveness and professional, fiduciary conservatism they would want to see in the candidate.