How to Recruit to Channel the Power of Innovation

Data collected through the deployment of our recruitment and employee management software solution Talent Chaser shows that, while reducing employee turnover is not easy, part of the solution involves embeddinginnovative people (Intrinsic Thinkers) into all levels of the organization including roles not traditionally thought of as needing such talent. Intrinsic Thinkers are born innovators who can initiate progressive change for your organization.

Recognizing and recruiting Intrinsic Thinkers requires a process tailored to their specific needs. Such people almost invariably don’t respond well to job advertisements unless written with the Intrinsic Thinker in mind and don’t interview well unless handled in a particular way.

How to Recognize an Innovator

The Talent Chaser recruiting and employee management solution includes the Performance Profile Questionnaire. This enables the 35% of job applicants who are Intrinsic Thinkers to be identified.

Data generated through the use of this online multiple-choice questionnaire to screen job-applicants shows that Intrinsic Thinkers, in addition to being creative, may also have a number of other traits.

For example, Intrinsic Thinkers:

• Usually only talk to other people about problems they are trying to solve under circumstances where they have already decided what to do
• Are more inclined to be thinking about what they are going to say next as opposed to listening effectively to what other people are saying
• Can rush to solution before they have all of the facts
• Are typically positive, decisive, and enthusiastic
• May be less disciplined
• Often prefer not to focus on negatives
• Are typically motivated by changing problem-solving situations
• Usually abhor administrative work and will avoid it, if possible
• Are typically risk-takers
• Can take longer to build effective relationships.

How to Attract Innovators

Job Advertisements and organizational literature have to be structured with innovators in mind.

• Keep to the big picture – avoid the detail. Innovators have great imaginations; they bring to any role their own unique way of going about things. The detail will change – because they will change it!
• Emphasize any and all changing aspects of the organization.
• Focus on IMPACT – innovators like to see the results of their efforts.

How to Interview an Intrinsic Thinker

Look for individuals who talk more than they listen.

By using the Performance Profile, interviewers/managers can be made aware whenever they are dealing with an individual with the capacity to contribute great ideas. Armed with this information, the organization can adapt the way it interviews the job applicant in the following ways:

• DO expose the individual to actual real-life situations similar to those they could experience within the role.
• DO look at the volume of ideas generated.
• DON’T try to judge their quality – because of their enthusiasm but poor listening skills, the quality of ideas generated in an interview will typically be poor and not at all reflective of what they will generate once they have had some time to acclimatize in the role.
• DO look for a positive and enthusiastic approach.
• DON’T necessarily expect to build a quick personal rapport.

Data collected by Talent Chaser shows that to implement an effective employee retention program, attracting and recruiting Intrinsic Thinkers is instrumental. Together with recruiting and strategically placing people with strong collaborative skills (Extrinsic Thinkers) into all levels of the organization, this strategy will help ensure that all employees are motivated to become part of the solution. To learn about evidence-based recruitment, please read my other blog posts about How Thinking Styles Affect Employee Performance And Retention.

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