I’ve always been a fan of assigning a project during the final phases of the interview. Shine Talent wrote about it in our 2020 Field Guide to Marketing and this week we had an experience that reinforced this as an essential part of the hiring process but also refined it for us.
Here’s what we learned about assigning projects to candidates:
- You get what you pay for: This was the first time we had a CEO suggest paying the candidates for their work. It felt revolutionary. It was a modest fee but it stated, I value you, I value your time and I value your thinking. To be clear, the outcome may have been the same – some people just put more work into these projects than others – but the dynamic was different. When you pay for something there is an expected result and when you get paid for your work, your reputation is at stake. It simply ups expectations all around.
- One deep topic is more effective than multiple: Many assignments we see try to cover too many things and seek to assess a candidate’s thinking and skills across a number of areas. Pick the biggest challenge you need this candidate to solve for and let them attack it. You need the result to be a “you nailed it” not, “It’s hard to tell….”
- The more you give, the more you get: Provide as much detail and resources as you can around the specific topic you want them to solve for. Sign NDAs so you can fully disclose existing clients, marketplace data and research, executive board decks, and more. If you take the time to provide candidates with the details, it will come back 10-fold in their output.
- Demand collaboration: Don’t just suggest they come to you for questions, demand it. These assignments are not only a way to understand problem-solving but also a way to test the relationship and communication between you and your new marketing or revenue executive leader. Be clear that you expect to be peppered with questions and would love to see ideas tossed around as they develop their plan or strategy so you can provide direction and feedback to get an outcome that is on target.
- Be clear on format: Most times we say format optional but nothing beats a well-designed and clearly thought-out deck. It will always trump a memo so just tell them to build a deck.
All of this may seem basic, but it is not. Many executives expect to do some form of a project but with creative leaders, there is a balance on how much of their intellectual property they are willing to give away. Don’t ask them to give away anything. Pay for their work, pay for their creative brainpower, and pay for the depth you are seeking.
