Understanding the Purpose behind a search initiative is always the first step we take when Qualifying A Search. In order to substantiate Purpose, we evaluate the search initiative in terms of Level Of Urgency, Strength Of Need, and Evidence Of Value. If any of these variables are lacking, the search is most likely not worth doing.

Level Of Urgency

The absolute first thing you need to be certain of is the Level Of Urgency. In no uncertain terms, hiring must be urgent and important. The vacancy must be seriously hurting the organization and in particular, you as the manager. If it isn’t, the likelihood of the search initiative derailing somewhere down the line is simply too high.

If that happens, everybody's effort put into a search will have been in vain. Time spent nobody will ever be remunerated for. And time lost, nobody will ever get back. And I'm sure most anybody will agree, time is their most precious commodity. Therefore, it vitally important to be highly selective about which searches we allocate time for. Only when hiring is urgent and important, is time worth allocating on a search.

Strength Of Need

Next, it is important to measure the Strength Of Need. A strong need helps to justify the Purpose. Performing a need analysis will tell you exactly how strong that need is. Some important questions to ask during the process include;

Why is the position open? The closer the position can be tied to a major corporate initiative; the stronger the need.

How long has it been open? The longer the position has been open; the stronger the need.

What steps have been taken to fill it? The more unsuccessful steps that have been taken to get the position filled; the stronger the need.

Getting answers to these questions will provide the information you need to determine if the need is strong enough to justify the search. If the need is clearly strong, the final step in substantiating the Purpose of the search is to find Evidence Of Value.

Evidence Of Value

This is the most important part of Purpose because it will validate that from a financial standpoint, doing the search is worth much more than not doing it.

First, we take into consideration that a new hire incurs significant new costs to a business that must be weighed against the cost of not filling the positing at all. Some of these new costs include;

• Salary
• On-boarding and Training
• Insurance and Taxes
• Benefits
• Placement Fee

Most of these costs will have already been considered and approved by the executive team before initiating a search. So the wild card here is obviously the placement fee when using a third-party recruiter.

The way you determine Evidence Of Value is to first measure the negative impact the vacancy is having on your business in terms of inadequate performance and financial losses incurred as a result. You need to give this negative impact a concrete number. A number that is based on real financial data.

Once you have this number you’ll know the true value of success in filling the position. A simple comparison of numbers must show a lopsided discrepancy between the current business loss you are incurring and the recruiting fee investment you would make for stopping the bleeding.

So, to summarize Purpose; Hiring must be urgent and important. It must represent tremendous need and the recruiting fee investment must pale in comparison to the cost of not filling the position.