Although I have hired several dozen people in my lifetime for various tasks, I lack a clear method to quickly determine someone’s learning speed. I developed methods to test work competency. However, when I hire people to do tasks they have never done before, they will all fail the first time around. If you hire people to do what they already know how to do, then test their communication and their work, and don’t forget about meeting deadlines! But, if you hire people to do customized tasks like I often do, then the most important factor is how fast they learn.
Imagine that one person has worked with you for a year. They know how to do most tasks that you require of them, but they don’t cooperate, they pester you, and they never completely follow directions. Imagine that you don’t want to fire them, because then you will be left with someone else who doesn’t know how to efficiently or correctly do the tasks that you require. Please keep your eyes closed — I saw you peeking. Yes, that’s better. Now, imagine (seriously, keep them closed) that a new person arrives who doesn’t know anything, but has the capacity to learn quickly. I had a miracle unfold before my very eyes (which are closed because I’m doing an imagination drill) today. My newly hired help, learned to be an expert at a phone task in a week. Ten days ago she couldn’t function at all or get a single result after two hours of work. Today, she is doing flawless work and getting time efficient thorough results too.
Rather than just hiring someone, it makes sense to try them out and give them multiple tasks and instructions plus some coaching. See how fast they learn. If they learn fast and follow directions, you might be in luck. If they don’t, then get rid of them before you hire them. Save yourself a headache. If you give four separate tasks to someone with four separate instructions, see how they do. After thirty minutes on each task, evaluate their work and give them a coaching session. See if they learn effectively from your teaching session. Let them do another hour on each task, then evaluate again. See how they do after three coaching sessions. Three is the magic number. If they do okay, and don’t run away or procrastinate getting anything done, then hire them!
Don’t try this at home
Try this at work!
You can open your eyes now. We are done with the imagination exercise.
Tweets:
(1) Test a newly hired person’s learning speed. Give them an assignment + 3 short coaching sessions.
(2) Assign, coach, review, evaluate. See how fast your new employees learn new tasks!
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