Hire with Your Head: A Rational Way to Make a Gut Decision

The author reveals his own framework for hiring the right people for the job in this book. He calls it "power staffing". It consists of a five-step integrated hiring process: performance-based job descriptions; objective evaluations; well-developed sourcing plans; emotional control; and recruiting effectiveness. Each features checklists, exercises and summaries.

Introducing the POWER Staffing System, an innovative approach that addresses the problems and inconsistencies typically involved in the hiring process, this indispensable new resource shows you how to use reason --not emotion--to make smart employment decisions.

"The POWER approach to hiring detailed in this book is a pragmatic, performance-oriented process that will be invaluable for future searches." --Denny Brown, President, Clarkson University

"Hire with Your Head provides a clear, useful, step-by-step description of how to recruit, interview, and hire the best people for every role. I recommend it to the CEOs whom I coach and the MBAs whom I teach. I think it will become the standard for excellent hiring." --Ann Graham Ehringer, PhD, Director, Family & Closely-Held Business Program; Associate Professor, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California

"Lou Adler brings a results and performance focus clearly into the hiring process and has produced a useful and practical guide that will help entrepreneurs and managers alike avoid costly people mistakes. Hire with Your Head is the POWER approach to hiring effective employees and is destined to become the people's choice!" --Dr. Alfred Osborne, Director, The Harold Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, The Anderson School at UCLA

"Lou Adler's insights regarding focusing on results and measuring objectives instead of emotions is invaluable. A must read for every manager committed to hiring the best." --Louise Wannier, President and Founder, Enfish Technology, Inc.

"A primary issue facing all our CEO members is the finding and retaining of excellent key people. The hiring effort needs serious attention and Lou Adler's strategies and techniques are systematic and effective. His approach has helped many of our members." --Bill Williams, President, TEC (an international organization of CEOs)

"There is nothing more important to your success than hiring great people. Nothing." --from Hire with Your Head

When it comes to hiring, particularly in today's competitive business arena, it's important to remember that you're only as strong as your weakest link. As such, it's crucial you avoid recruiting "links" that may adversely affect your organization in any way. Though there aren't any foolproof methods of knowing exactly how job candidates will work out, there are precautionary measures you can take to eliminate from your list those who definitely won't. Written by veteran headhunter Lou Adler, this unique resource arms you with the tools necessary to sidestep potentially costly mistakes by judging more accurately who fits the bill--and who doesn't

Most managers understand the importance of hiring wisely, but many fail to do so, falling into the all-too-common trap of choosing prospective employees based solely on gut reaction. As Adler points out, this strategy, while occasionally productive, is often ineffectual: "First impressions based on emotions, biases, chemistry, personality, and stereotyping cause more hiring mistakes than any other single factor." The key to dodging this pitfall is to use reason--not emotion--to guide your hiring decisions.

In this invaluable new guide, Adler illustrates how to Hire with Your Head, showing you how to focus more on candidate performance, and less on your own impulses. Covering the fundamentals of sound hiring, including proper interviewing and assessment techniques, he introduces his groundbreaking POWER Staffing System, an innovative method developed to address all of the problems and inconsistencies typically involved in the hiring process. Based on Adler's extensive experience as both a headhunter and an executive-level manager, this practical and easy-to-follow approach consists of five distinct steps: *Performance-based job descriptions--defining superior performance *Objective evaluations--conduct a complete objective assessment with only four questions *Well-developed sourcing plans--you need to see top people to hire top people *Emotional control--overcoming emotional reactions and remaining objective *Recruiting effectiveness--negotiating and closing an offer on your terms.

Packed with a wealth of invaluable tips and helpful exercises, as well as useful checklists and revealing benchmarks, Hire with Your Head is an indispensable, hands-on guide every manager can use to attain hiring success.