Ensure your hiring reflects new trends

Times have changed substantially but many companies still approach executive recruitment the way they did decades ago.

“The way many companies continue to hire is based on ideas and principles that may no longer hold up in the face of insights and data that have emerged over the past couple of years,” says Debbie GoodmanBhyat, CEO of search firm Jack Hammer. These outdated methodologies are likely to lead to leadership teams that fail to reflect the country’s diversity, she says.

Goodman-Bhyat has the following advice for companies:

The traditional leadership frameworks have had their day;

Qualifications are important but the softer skills have become a must-have and companies need to amend their recruitment requirements. New data is also showing the emphasis on qualifications may be misguided and have little correlation to success;

Do not put all your eggs in the psychometric assessment basket — look at other metrics; and

Put diversity at the centre of the process. “Companies need to take into consideration the proof that diversity in terms of race, gender, age and background is crucial for growth, providing a competitive edge.”