Performance profile: a useful document for hiring

Jared Spool describes a document that can be very helpful in getting alignment within a team about the new position they're hiring for. This document sounds like a lot of work to put together, especially on teams on a fast growth curve, but I can see how it could dramatically improve the hiring process.

The document has 5 main sections:

1. Position summary

• Two paragraphs explaining why the position is needed, and what will be improved/achieved if this person is hired.

2. Objectives

• 4-5 things the person is expected to deliver in their first year, detailed with steps, and in which timeline/timeframe.
• Include things that the person will have to learn.
• When interviewing, these objectives can be used as focus area of each interviewer. You should be looking for comparable experience achieving similar things, or a drive to learn the necessary skills to achieve them.

3. Organizational structure

• Where this person will be located in the org structure, who they'll report to, and who they'll have to partner with to achieve their objectives.

4. Challenges

• The hard things, including politics, that this person will have to deal with in order to be successful.

5. Non-negotiables

• All the skills and requirements that the candidate needs to meet.

This document is also shared with the candidate after they've passed the initial interviews. This helps create a sense of true partnership with the hiring team, and land the right person in the right role.