Recommended Books on Hiring for Managers

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There are a number of great books on hiring out there for managers. Here are a few of our favorites:

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• Topgrading, 3rd Edition: The Proven Hiring and Promoting Method That Turbocharges Company Performance 
• Who: The A Method for Hiring 
• Hire With Your Head: Using Performance-Based Hiring to Build Outstanding Diverse Teams
• The Effective Hiring Manager

Topgrading, 3rd Edition: The Proven Hiring and Promoting Method That Turbocharges Company Performance 

Topgrading is a proven hiring and promoting method that turbocharges company performance. The book, Topgrading, 3rd Edition: The Proven Hiring and Promoting Method That Turbocharges Company Performance by Bradford Smart, provides readers with the framework and tools necessary to put topgrading into practice.

The third edition builds on these previous editions by including new research on unconscious bias in hiring decisions as well as strategies for developing a talent pipeline. It also includes a chapter on creating a culture of accountability where managers are held accountable for their team’s results rather than their individual efforts.

Who: The A Method for Hiring 

The Economist calls it “the single biggest problem in business today,” and Geoff Smart and Randy Street provide a simple, practical, and effective solution. An average hiring error costs a company $1.5 million annually and countless hours. This statistic is even more surprising when you consider that managers typically have a 50% hiring success rate.

The good news is that “who” issues are easily avoidable. With over 1300 hours of interviews with 20 billionaires and 300 CEOs, Smart and Street present “A Method for Hiring.” The A Method is based on the largest research study of its kind, and it has a 90% success rate.

Hire With Your Head: Using Performance-Based Hiring to Build Outstanding Diverse Teams

Lou Adler outlines how to implement performance-based hiring to create the most effective and diverse teams. Adler’s system assumes that past behaviors can accurately predict future success.

Adler begins by discussing the business case for diversity and how it can lead to improved innovation, productivity, and profitability. He then outlines a step-by-step process for implementing performance-based hiring in order to identify high performers from a diverse pool of candidates. This process includes defining job requirements; assessing candidates’ qualifications against these requirements; using behavioral interviews to assess past behaviors; reference checking; and making an offer contingent on successful completion of a skills assessment or trial period.

Adler also offers advice on avoiding common pitfalls such as relying too heavily on resumes or interviewing techniques that are biased against certain groups of people. He concludes with examples of organizations that have successfully implemented his system, including Google, Southwest Airlines, Ford Motor Company, and Procter & Gamble.

The Effective Hiring Manager

The Effective Hiring Manager provides clear and concise advice on how to be an effective interviewer and make sound hiring decisions. The book is filled with real-world examples, making it easy to understand and apply the concepts presented. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their interviewing skills or who wants to learn more about how to effectively manage a team.