logologo_light
SIGN-UP
  • HOW IT WORKS
    • SRA Home
    • SRA Learner & SRA Coach
    • Compare Subscriptions
    • SRA Course Content
    • SRA Chrome Extension
  • PRICING
    • SRA Pricing
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • BLOG
    • The Savage Truth Blog
  • PARTNERS
    • Savage Partners
  • BOOKS
    • Recruit The Savage Way
    • The Savage Truth Book
  • FREE RESOURCES
    • Free Video – Behaviour & Activity
    • Free Video – Selling Is Listening
    • E-Book – Kpis & Performance
    • E-Book – Fill More Roles
    • E-Book – Starting A Business
    • E-Book – Successful M&A
  • SIGN-IN
    • Sign-In – Existing
    • Sign-Up – New
  • HOW IT WORKS
    • SRA Home
    • SRA Learner & SRA Coach
    • Compare Subscriptions
    • SRA Course Content
    • SRA Chrome Extension
  • PRICING
    • SRA Pricing
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • BLOG
    • The Savage Truth Blog
  • PARTNERS
    • Savage Partners
  • BOOKS
    • Recruit The Savage Way
    • The Savage Truth Book
  • FREE RESOURCES
    • Free Video – Behaviour & Activity
    • Free Video – Selling Is Listening
    • E-Book – Kpis & Performance
    • E-Book – Fill More Roles
    • E-Book – Starting A Business
    • E-Book – Successful M&A
  • SIGN-IN
    • Sign-In – Existing
    • Sign-Up – New

My universal hiring challenge to you.

This is simple. But powerful.

When the time comes to make your next hire, simply ask yourself one key question, before you make an offer.

‘Will this person raise our average?’

That’s it.

Ask yourself, and ask the other hiring managers involved.

If we hire this person, will she raise the average across all our staff?

Average of what?

The average of things that count. Energy. Ethics. Skill. Attitude. Network. Sales savvy. Niceness.

Whatever it is that is important to you, and your business.

Will this new hire raise the ‘mean employee score’?

Of course, it’s not empirical. No science here. But you will know the answer as soon as you ask the question.

And if you are hiring to ‘fill a gap’, if you are hiring on the basis that  ‘he is the best of a bad bunch’, if you are hiring ‘to give it go’, or if you are hiring when deep down you know this is not a fit, or at least a giant gamble, then asking this question will shine a light on the mistake you are about to make.

Why would you hire any other way? Are we adding people to dumb our business down? Do you really want to hire this person, just so you can make your business that little bit worse?

I think not.

Only ever add a person if she or he ‘raises the average’

Then, every new person you bring on, makes your business better, not weaker.

*****************************************************************************************************

Subscribe to The Savage Truth, ‘Like’ our Facebook page, and connect with Greg on LinkedIn to ensure you get your recruiting brain-food fix.

******************************************************************************************************

 

  • Posted by Greg Savage
  • On January 14, 2014
  • 9 Comments
Tags: candidate care, hiring, hiring advice, hiring managers, Hiring Trends, internal recruiters, Leadership, recruitment

9 Comments

Mark Griffiths
  • Jan 14 2014
  • Reply
Hello Greg, Always a fair read and this time I must totally agree with you. If your next hire increases the "team average' as you've outlined the team bottom line should always increase. We all know that any bad hire will cost you dearly....I was once told that a bad hire can cost you upwards of $100K pa, not a gamble anyone should take lightly. In saying all of this though, do you sometimes go on a gut feeling or do you go on the evidence? I believe both, the facts and historical documentation on the individual are great but if your gut says something else then it's probably right. It is always best to wait for the right person.
    Shiree
    • Jan 15 2014
    • Reply
    Hi Mark The gut or evidence questions can be interesting. We had a recent employee (now gone -phew) that I worked with. I did not interview, my boss did, but i "pre screened" her at reception claiming the receptionist was at lunch. My gut told me she was not right for the job, but the reference from her last employer convinced me perhaps I was wrong. I think if the evidence and your gut are arguing - look a little deeper than normal :-) - Call the previous employers they don't have as referees!!
Jonathan
  • Jan 14 2014
  • Reply
A great question! We just offered a new role before Christmas, and asked this question retrospectively, and the answer is a definite yes. A good "closing" question which could be used to help a client make a decsion.
Scott Burton
  • Jan 14 2014
  • Reply
Thanks Greg. A great guiding principle and a timely reminder as I am currently searching for a high caliber Talent Partner to join our team. New Theme for 2014 - Raise the Average.
Larry Smart
  • Jan 14 2014
  • Reply
Hi Greg, So true. Sometimes we think we are short staffed and have to have somebody, so we make bad decisions with our fingers crossed. However, hiring someone who drags your average down is far worse than having a vacancy remain unfilled. We may think that having a probation period solves this problem, but a bad hire can damage the rest of your team during that period, particularly if the person in question is charismatic.
Larry Smart
  • Jan 14 2014
  • Reply
Hi Greg, So true. Sometimes we think that we desperately need to fill a position, and we make a dubious decision with our fingers crossed. Hiring someone who brings down your average is worse than leaving the vacancy unfilled. We may think that having a probation period solves this problem, but a poor hire can cause damage to your existing team during this period; particularly if the individual concerned is charismatic.
Ian Hamilton
  • Jan 14 2014
  • Reply
Greg you are always coming up with simple but enlightened thoughts. Great idea, however what a wonderful way to also challenge the thought processes with some clients.
    Greg Savage
    • Jan 14 2014
    • Reply
    That is true Ian, an excellent conversation to have with clients... and a way to enhance 'Trusted Adviser' status with them too..
Freyja White
  • Jan 15 2014
  • Reply
Hi Greg, As usual - your great ideas with a twist - thank you! Even as inventive and authentic as most of us make the effort as recruiters to be - this is also a strong sales tool/closing phrase - I'm going to use it today.

Leave Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SAVAGE TRUTH
SUBSCRIBE NOW
SEARCH
THE LATEST SAVAGE TRUTH
  • What are big recruitment companies doing?
  • Automation without accountability is a liability!
  • Global staffing market forecasts downgraded
  • Use ChatGPT like a recruiting champ
  • Recruiters, let’s go to McDonald’s!

Top 20 HR Blogs 2019

The Savage Truth – Categories
Greg Savage & The Savage Truth

Greg is the founder of leading recruitment companies Firebrand Talent Search, People2People and Recruitment Solutions, and a current shareholder and director of several others, including Consult Recruitment. He is a regular keynote speaker worldwide and provides specialised advice for Recruitment, Professional Services & Social Media companies.





This is what clients REALLY want from a recruiter.

Previous thumb

Would you like to work with Greg Savage?

Scroll
LOVE THE WAY YOU LEARN

From on-demand video training, through to AI delivered advice direct to your desktop, our SRA learning platform now enables users to ‘Ask Greg’ questions and receive advice in real-time, without interrupting work-flow.

> SRA Learner & SRA Coach
> Subscription Pricing
> SRA Course Content
> Compare Subscriptions
> SRA Chrome Extension

RECENTLY ON THE SAVAGE TRUTH BLOG
  • What are big recruitment companies doing?
  • Automation without accountability is a liability!
  • Global staffing market forecasts downgraded
  • Use ChatGPT like a recruiting champ
  • Recruiters, let’s go to McDonald’s!
  • Recruitment. Australia up 🚀 UK down 🔻
  • Scale your recruitment business fast 🚀
  • What it really takes to be a leader 🥇
  • AI will replace these recruiters soon ☠️
  • 18 ways you screw up placements
The Savage Recruitment Academy
Copyright The Savage Recruitment Academy 2025 | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Site By AMC Creative