Step #2: Create a Job Scorecard

Hiring Step #2: Create a Clear Job Scorecard, page 77.

One of the problems Topgrading solves is vague job descriptions. Hiring managers and others who will be affected aren’t clear about what they are hiring someone to do and candidates get equally confused.
If you don’t know what high performers will have to achieve, how will you evaluate candidates?
Most job descriptions are typically so vague that most low performers can perform the stated responsibilities and still be judged a mis-hire.
I recommend you nail down the first-year measurable accountabilities and the numbers to be achieved, including the ratings to be achieved or the competencies, for the new hire to be considered a high performer.

Picture This Scenario for Hiring a VP of Sales

The President is most interested in boosting global sales.
The VP of Manufacturing wants to keep domestic plants closer to full capacity.
The VP of Marketing wants new product launches.
The VP of Finance wants profitable sales.
The goals for the new VP of Sales were never converted into actual numeric accountabilities.
No one realized how vague the job description was.
No one realized how mutually exclusive the various components were.
A year later the new VP of Sales could be frustrated, having been jerked in many different directions. He or she at best may have only satisfied one executive.
After being jerked in four directions, the VP of Sales would have been criticized by three peers for not Achieving Excellence, not being a good team player, and not communicating well.
On the other hand, a Job Scorecard would have nailed down the measurable accountabilities with actual numeric goals.
But without measurable accountabilities, the executive team and the new hire would all be unclear as to what the job is truly demanding.
The chances of a costly mis-hire are now higher due to such vagueness.

Start with a Job Analysis

Keys
- All stakeholders agree on measurements that will differentiate A/B/C Players.
- Be sure that competencies spell out the fit for the specific job.
- Competencies are measures.
- All the people who have a real stake in the success of the new hire have to agree on the accountabilities, including competencies. If not, there will be conflict and confusion later.

Competencies Are Measurable Accountabilities

How many times have you seen people achieve “the numbers” but be such lousy leaders or mediocre team players that they are fired?
Unfortunately, how people perform concerning competencies is typically not measured systematically, and new hires are not given vague feedback until they are let go.

How to Include Competencies in a Job Scorecard

Hold people accountable for up to 50 competencies for management jobs.
In the Job Scorecard, list the Minimum Acceptable Rating a candidate must achieve on all competencies, after all Topgrading steps, to be hired, and color code them.
Measure the new hire on competencies.
In our experience, too many companies list too few competencies, rarely define or measure them, and then fire someone for not exhibiting a competency.

Use the Job Scorecard as the Basis of Performance Management

It’s amazing – no, tragic – that in most companies job descriptions are vague, and it is only after the person is hired that the hiring manager and Human Resources figure out the accountabilities – what the person has to do to Meet or Exceed Performance Expectations.
It is smart to figure out all of the numeric accountabilities for the job and for the competencies to be exhibited before the person is hired.
Candidates should be fully informed of the complete Job Scorecard before they accept a job offer.
You do not have to anticipate every conceivable accountability, but as new or different accountabilities become apparent, rewrite the Job Scorecard accordingly.

Predictive Index