Here are my forty hiring
secrets of the NFL, applied to corporate
hiring. These best practices can help
you improve the quality of your hires
and avoid costly hiring mistakes.
1. Discover the “True Must”
of the Position
2. Hire for the Needs of the Future, not the Past
3. Don’t Ignore Key Secondary Attributes
4. Adopt a “4-3” or a “3-4”
Sales Model
5. Keep It Simple
6. Minimize the Number of Teamwreckers
7. Understand the Hidden Costs of Teamwreckers
8. Assess Arrogance Relative to Function
9. Don’t Try to Fix a Teamwrecker
10. Seek Talented Eccentrics
11. Distinguish Eccentrics from Teamwreckers
12. Recognize the Varieties of Eccentrics
13. Learn How to Hire and Manage Eccentrics
14. Choose Playing Speed over Track Speed
15. Don’t Confuse the Map with the Territory
16. Reject Irrelevant Metrics
17. Always Consider Performance Measures in Context
18. Select Good Talent with Great Will over Unmotivated
Great Talent
19. Look for Resilience to Prevent Burnout
20. Create an Aggressive Culture
21. Hire People Who Share Your Goal
22. Be Realistic About Potential
23. Instill the Habit of Dominating
24. Beware “Workout Warriors”
25. Remember That Superstars Are Overachievers
26. Winning Produces Money; Money Doesn’t Produce
Wins
27. Assess the Strength of Your System, Not Your Stars
28. Slow Down to Go Faster
29. Beware the Winner’s Curse
30. Recognize and Buy Value
31. Draft the Best Player, Not Best at Position of
Need
32. Hire from Similar Industries, Not Necessarily
Your Own
33. Watch out for Hometown Heroes
34. Avoid Cogs in the Machine
35. Seek Large Talents at Small Schools
36. Highlight the Business Case
37. Define the Organization
38. Specify Responsibilities and Qualifications
39. Market the Opportunity Before Selling It
40. Implement “Lean” Interviewing
