Hiring Solutions

How to Hire for Job Fit, Not Just Fill the Job

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“Research proves good job fit boosts retention, productivity, and morale—yet we still fail to hire the right people.” Jeannette Seibly

Has your company ever had this experience: In the past five years, one position cycled through three different hires? Each departure brought disruption, lost momentum, and a fresh scramble to refill the role. Yet, despite the clear pattern, the company continued to recruit, onboard, and manage the position exactly as it always had—expecting different results from the same approach. This is a true story for many companies and organizations.

We hire for perceived job skills, but fire for poor job fit. Jeannette Seibly

This isn’t just a case of bad luck. It’s a symptom of deeper issues: misaligned expectations, outdated hiring criteria, unrealistic job descriptions, poor role clarity, and a reluctance to make “real” changes. (We rely on the band-aid approach!)

42% of employee turnover is preventable but often ignored. (Gallup 2025 Workplace Report)

When turnover becomes the norm, it’s no longer about hiring and recruiting—it’s about fixing the same failure over and over again. In other words, it’s a strategic failure.

The cost of replacing a salaried employee can range from 50% to 250% of their annual salary. (SHRM)

What would it take to break this vicious cycle?

Same Job, Same Mistakes: Why the Turnover Keeps Happening

  • We hire candidates we like, but who lack appropriate people skills.
  • We hire applicants with perceived technical skills, but do not make good team players.
  • We hire without objective data, relying on false intuition/gut reactions.
  • We allow an emotional attachment to what we’ve always done, or fear that any change doesn’t guarantee improved results, so we fail to ask for help from an expert.
  • We are blind to the loss of money, talent, reputation, and clients.
  • We use the excuse “our turnover is lower than industry stats,” and fail to understand the financial, operational, and system costs!

I recall a company experiencing over 40% turnover of its management team years ago. Every year! Yet, each year, they told themselves they had it handled!!

Something is off! But are you willing to hear the truth?

Hiring the same way and hoping for better results isn’t a strategy—it’s wishful thinking. It’s time to look deeper, get honest, and make changes that stick.

When Maya started her new job, she was excited. The role sounded like a great fit, and the team seemed welcoming. She didn’t realize her performance plan required handling 60+ accounts solo, after only a one-hour Zoom onboarding meeting. Six months later, she was burned out, confused, and ready to leave. She wasn’t the first. Two others had held the same position in the past three years—and they had left for similar reasons.

Still, the company kept hiring the same way. Using the same job description and interview questions. Employing the same onboarding plan. And each time, they were surprised when top talent left!

Newsflash! If a position keeps turning over, it means that something deeper needs attention. It’s important to understand that addressing the “real reasons” you experience turnover can save time, money, and customers!

It’s to be brave!

Here’s what to do:

Balance the Selection Triad. In the practical guide Hire Amazing Employees, the Selection Triad offers a more balanced approach to hiring decisions—equal weight is given to interviews, assessments, and due diligence, with each contributing one-third to the final decision. Unfortunately, we often base 90% of our hiring choices on the interview alone.

Qualified job fit tools. Not all assessments meet scientific and legal requirements for pre-employment use. In fact, of the 3,000+ assessments on the market, very few actually comply with DOL, EEO, ADA, and other federal, state, and local hiring laws. Ask for a Technical Manual and stop relying on a letter from a law firm.

Use structured interview questions. This makes it easier to compare answers and makes the hiring manager and company seem like a credible employer. Many interviewees today are well-trained and will tell you what you want to hear! Get real. Don’t be afraid to delve deeper into someone’s answers by using the Rule of 3 to deep dive into their responses.

Rule of 3 Example: Instead of asking, “Are you a team player?”

 Ask:

  1. “Tell me about a time you resolved a conflict with a teammate.”
  2. “What was the outcome?”
  3. “What would you do differently?”

Get real about your biases. Yes, you have them – regardless of what you tell yourself. Ageism (older and younger), gender, racism, lifestyles, college degree or not (to name a few) have nothing to do with the candidates’ ability to do the job well and fit the job responsibilities. Your biases are causing you to overlook qualified people!

Example, dismissing candidates without a four-year degree—even when they’ve led successful teams—can eliminate top performers.

Follow a strategic selection job fit system. Yes, you need one! Follow it! Too many companies love to make exceptions, or excuses, only to find out that the person they believed was the ideal candidate wasn’t so great!

When you use a structured interview approach with qualified assessment tools and conduct your due diligence, you need to listen to the results, and stop mentally dismissing the objective data that you like or disagree with. When someone doesn’t fit the job, you cannot fix or change them into who you believe they should be! Stop with the excuses! They are negatively impacting your company’s results!

Hiring managers and leaders—are you ready to challenge your hiring norms? When all else fails, contact a talent advisor with experience. But why wait?

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

For those navigating the 55+ transition, goals aren’t just about productivity—they’re about rediscovery. Whether you’re refining your career path, relocating, or reimagining what fulfillment looks like, the right goal can act as a compass—guiding you toward clarity, confidence, and meaningful impact. Contact Jeannette now.

Are Your Employees Aligned for Business Today?

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“Aligning employees with today’s business needs is an ongoing effort for every leader.” Jeannette Seibly

A long-time employee asked his boss, “Do you even know what we’re doing anymore?”

This question revealed more than frustration—it exposed a leadership gap. When change happens but communication stays static, people lose their sense of purpose. External demands, shifting priorities, and unclear messaging breed confusion, erode engagement, and drain morale—even your best employees feel it.

What’s missing? Clarity. Connection. Strategic alignment. Being on the same page.

Why is alignment missing in business today?

  • Unclear priorities – too many external challenges
  • Siloed and factional communication – we impact others when making ad hoc changes
  • Change fatigue and disengagement – leads to mediocre quality of products and service

What You Can Do—Starting Now

Clarify Purpose and Performance. When teams are aligned, there are measurable improvements in productivity, retention, and customer satisfaction scores. These aren’t just numbers—they’re proof that clarity and consistency matter.

  • Remind people why their work matters and the difference the company makes for its customers.
  • Hold people accountable for following policies and procedures – this creates a foundation that employees can trust.
  • Communicate stats about the number of customers, increase in sales, safety, and other metrics that are meaningful to employees and the well-being of the company. 

Communicate with Impact. Lead with empathy by acknowledging that change is hard.

  • Ask employees how they’re doing—not just what they’re doing. This builds trust and keeps morale strong.
  • Talk straight by sharing goals, changes, and expectations clearly. Keep your comments short and on point!
  • Don’t make promises that you cannot keep.
  • Acknowledge team members individually and as a group. Do this frequently.

Delegate Work and Train Appropriately. This allows you to concentrate on resolving challenges and pursuing possibilities.

  • Encourage cross-team collaboration and don’t allow silos or factions to consume everyone’s time and energy.
  • Invite employees to lead mini-projects or suggest improvements – that way, alignment becomes a shared responsibility.
  • Offer training that aligns with new business needs. Make these online and onsite workshops available to anyone wishing to improve their job skills: communication, decision-making, AI experience, personal financial goals, etc.

Strategic Selection Based on Job Fit. Make hiring, promotions, and job transitions based on objective data, and stop relying on subjective rational. Too many times, employees say “yes” not fully comprehending the changes required (e.g., relocation, longer hours, or full-time in the office).

For example, if someone has a high interest and skill in working with financials, train them to take over budgeting or cost analysis duties.

How to Keep Moving Forward Together

As a leader:

  • Conduct regular check-ins with each and every employee
  • Provide feedback – 1:1 and in groups
  • Listen and get the facts — don’t make decisions based on assumptions or emotional reactions
  • Ask open-ended questions, and look for patterns in feedback that reveal deeper concerns or missed opportunities.
  • Remember, silence does not mean alignment!

***

Final Thought

Aligning employees with today’s business needs is an ongoing effort. The question to ask is, “What am I doing today to make sure my team is truly aligned?”

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Empower with Confidence: Host the workshop: “Get Your Brag On!” to help your team articulate their value, align personal strengths with business goals, and boost morale. Several of my clients have hosted these brag sessions quarterly — these offered clarity, acknowledged contribution, and built confidence in times of change. When employees know how to articulate their value, they’re more likely to stay engaged during the process of change. Contact Jeannette for further information.

Change Management: The Biggest, Costliest Mistake Many Leaders Make

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“Hiring the right person for the wrong job equals poor job fit. And no amount of training and development will make them a superstar.” — Jeannette Seibly

🔍 Due Diligence for Systems vs. People

Organizations routinely invest time and resources into vetting changes to systems, operations, technology, and financials. Yet when it comes to hiring, promoting, or transitioning employees, decisions are often made based on gut instinct, biased assumptions, or incomplete data—leading to costly missteps.

“Hiring the right person for the wrong job equals poor job fit. And no amount of training and development will make them a superstar.” — Jeannette Seibly

💥 The Cost of a Misguided Promotion

A bank promoted a young man deemed a “future leader” by upper management. What did they fail to uncover? He lacked respect from both clients and colleagues. Within six weeks, he was fired. The fallout included lost trust, team disruption, and reputational damage.

This could have been avoided by using a strategic job fit selection system and a validated assessment to objectively measure leadership potential, decision-making style, and interpersonal effectiveness.

🧠 Hire with Eyes Wide Open

Promotion and transition errors are a hidden, costly drain on performance, trust, and compliance. The uncomfortable truth? Leaders often stumble for preventable reasons:

  • Gut over data. Nearly 62% of hiring decisions are influenced by managerial bias rather than objective performance indicators (Harvard Business Review, 2023).
  • Resumes are increasingly unreliable. With 45% of job seekers using AI tools (ResumeBuilder, 2024), the résumé is often a polished illusion.
  • Performance appraisals are broken. 66% of employees say reviews are unfair, and 95% of managers are dissatisfied with the process (Gallup, 2022). People are promoted due to politics, not performance.
  • Boomerang hires rely on memory, not metrics. Approximately 35% of new hires are returning employees, yet few organizations analyze the reasons for employee exits or their readiness for current roles (Workforce Institute, 2023).
  • Assessments must meet federal standards. The EEOC and DOL require pre-employment tests to be validated, job-related, and non-discriminatory. Many are not.

💸 Fact: 82% of companies promote the wrong person into management, leading to productivity loss, morale damage, and client attrition—costs that ripple far beyond salary figures (Dove Development).

📈 Promotion: Beyond Performance

Promoting someone based solely on past performance—like a top salesperson to a manager role—often backfires. Leadership demands empathy, communication, and delegation, not just technical skill.

Without proper evaluation and coaching, these transitions frequently lead to disengagement, increased turnover, and missed revenue targets. Objective tools give leaders clarity about who’s truly ready to step up.

🔄 Job Transitioning: A Strategic Imperative

When employees relocate, shift roles, or take on new responsibilities, success hinges on job fit. Often overlooked:

  • Career pathing offers a structured roadmap aligned with organizational needs and personal aspirations
  • Personalized development (mentoring, coaching, tailored skills-building) helps talent thrive
  • Onboarding plans bridge early gaps and reinforce role clarity and cultural alignment

Together, these elements form the backbone of a strategic job fit selection system that improves role transitions and strengthens succession planning.

💸 Fact: Poor promotions and misaligned job transitions can cost organizations up to 10x the employee’s annual salary, especially in leadership roles—making clarity and fit essential to long-term success (Lucent Global, HRMorning).

🚀 Call to Action: Elevate Your Leadership with Strategic People Decisions

The alternative isn’t guesswork—it’s strategy. Smart leaders don’t gamble—they build infrastructure that earns trust and delivers results. They implement a strategic job fit selection system that ensures every promotion and talent transition is intentional, data-informed, and compliant.

That includes:

✅ Validated job fit assessments to predict performance, leadership readiness, and interpersonal strengths

✅ Structured, compliant hiring and promotion processes—standardized interviews and role-specific decision criteria

✅ Manager training to reduce bias and support confident decision-making

✅ Intentional promotion and job transition planning to build trust, reduce turnover, and align talent with long-term success

Your systems are only as strong as the people running them. Let’s make sure you’ve got the right ones in the right roles.

© Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

🔗 Ready to initiate your next chapter—or refine your role as a powerful contributor? Jeannette specializes in coaching leaders who are ready to build legacies, embrace reinvention, and lead with clarity.

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

🔗 Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation about smart hiring, insightful promotions, and intentional transitions.

🧭 How to Reduce the High Cost of a Poorly Designed Job Fit Selection System

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“Poor fit isn’t just inconvenient—it’s disruptive to morale, momentum, and mission.” Jeannette Seibly

Hiring isn’t just about filling a role—it’s about shaping the future of your organization. When leaders rely on outdated or misaligned selection systems, they invite costly consequences that echo across departments, customer relationships, and organizational culture. A poor fit isn’t just inconvenient—it’s disruptive to morale, momentum, and mission.

When organizations rely on flawed selection processes, the ripple effects extend far beyond hiring missteps:

  • 🚫 Overlooked Talent: Qualified candidates are often missed due to vague criteria or unconscious bias.
  • 📉 Lost Loyalty: Customers leave when service suffers from underqualified or mismatched employees.
  • 💸 Financial & Legal Risk: Frequent hiring and firing cycles damage reputation, increase turnover costs, and heighten liability concerns.
  • 🧠 Bias-Driven Choices: Selection decisions reflect unresolved beliefs and emotional residue, not data-driven clarity.

💡 How to Improve Hiring Precision and Integrity

To build a hiring process that honors both excellence and equity:

  • 🎯 Clarify the Role: Develop clear job specifications and descriptions to define success on the job—not just tasks, but traits and mindset.
  • 🛠️ Use Validated Tools: Employ legally compliant, scientifically sound assessments and structured interviews for hiring, promotions, and transitions.
  • 🔍 Treat Intuition as a Signal, Not the Verdict: Gut instincts offer clues, but they can’t answer who, what, where, when, or why. Let data and dialogue do the heavy lifting.
  • 📅 Prioritize Onboarding: Even returning employees (Boomerangs) need a fresh launch. A 180-Day Plan ensures integration, accountability, and cultural alignment. (See Hire Amazing Employees, Chapter 6 for practical tools.)

🧩 In Summary

A well-designed job fit system is a leadership imperative. When we align roles, tools, and onboarding strategies with clear standards and inclusive practices, we create space for true potential to emerge. The payoff? Stronger teams, greater customer trust, and a workplace built on confidence—not guesswork.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, bosses, and leaders to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate, expand, and excel in their results.

5 Reasons to Be Cautious When Rehiring Boomerangs

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“Boomerang hiring is booming. The risk? Relying on memories instead of interviewing for current job fit.” Jeannette Seibly

Boomerang employees—those returning to a previous employer—now account for 35% of all new hires (ADP, March 2025), the highest on record.

They know the environment. That’s why boomerangs feel like low-risk, high-speed solutions to today’s talent gaps.

But before you roll out the red carpet, it’s worth pausing to ask: Is this a smart strategic decision—or a shortcut with long-term costs?

What’s Fueling the Boomerang Boom?

  1. They know the ropes. Returning employees already understand the culture and systems, so they get up to speed faster.
  2. The grass wasn’t greener. Many people who quit during the Great Resignation didn’t find what they hoped for, so they’re open to returning.
  3. Remote work opens doors. Flexible options make coming back more appealing, especially if location is no longer a deal-breaker.
  4. Smart exits lead to smart rehires. When co-workers, bosses, and leaders stay connected with former employees, it’s easy to invite top talent to come back.
  5. It’s a sign of a strong culture. When people want to return, it usually means you’re doing something right.

Here are five ways to evaluate whether bringing back a boomerang will truly serve your team:

  1. Memory is a poor strategist. Fond or negative recollections can cloud reality. Take the time to review performance evaluations, exit interview notes, and team feedback. Talk candidly with the former employee (and the person/people encouraging them to return). Why did they leave, and what’s changed? What new skills have they acquired? Have them share results of their improved communication, decision-making, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence skills. If you want alignment, don’t rely on nostalgia. Rely on clarity and open conversations.
  2. Let data lead the way—especially around fit. Use tools like PXT Select to assess job fit, cognitive style, and occupational interests. Compare these critical traits against current role requirements. A returning employee may “know the ropes,” but that doesn’t guarantee alignment with today’s expectations. It’s better to hire with your eyes open than wish you had later.
  3. Growth should be mutual. Boomerangs often return with expanded skills and broader perspectives. What can you offer them that justifies a return? What are their goals today? How can you support them in achieving them while getting the job done? Use this opportunity to explore career pathing and succession planning, ensuring both you and the employee see a future beyond the honeymoon.
  4. Onboarding is still essential. Don’t skip reintegration. Provide a 180-day success plan (see Chapter 6, Hire Amazing Employees, 3rd Edition) that includes reconnecting with cross-functional teams and aligning with current systems, values, and practices. People change. Systems change. So do workplace cultures.
  5. Start with meaningful conversations. Re-recruiting starts with curiosity, not assumptions. Have more than one conversation to ensure consistent responses by using a structured interview process. Ask what they’re looking for, what they’ve learned, and what would make this return meaningful. Avoid jumping into a salary negotiation—if compensation is the only motivator, you may set the stage for another early exit.

©Jeannette Seibly 2019-2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, bosses, and leaders to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate, expand, and excel in their results.

Grab her book, “Hire Amazing Employees,” and confidently use a strategic job fit selection system to ensure that returning former employees are placed in the right jobs.

Do You Know How to Build a Robust Team?

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A strong, adaptable team is the backbone of any successful organization. A robust team isn’t just made up of skilled individuals—it thrives on collaboration, problem-solving, and a shared commitment to growth.

Core Traits of a Robust Team:

  • Resilience – They adapt and maintain momentum despite setbacks.
  • Strong Communication – Open, honest dialogue fosters alignment.
  • Diverse Skill Sets – Varied expertise ensures dynamic problem-solving.
  • Accountability & Trust – Ownership and reliability strengthen cohesion.
  • Continuous Growth – Learning and adaptation prevent stagnation.

So, how do you build one?

Step 1: Hire with Intention

The hiring process is where it all begins. Selecting the right people using a job-fit selection system ensures the best match for the role, making this the least expensive place to get it right. Using tools that assess skills, job fit, and long-term potential sets the foundation for success.

Step 2: Onboard Effectively

Even the best hires need proper acclimation. Design an 180-day Success Plan (“Hire Amazing Employees” Chapter 6). This ensures you use a strong onboarding process that fosters confidence, alignment, and connection to the team’s mission. Without it, new employees risk feeling disconnected, which leads to early disengagement.

Step 3: Train Continuously

Continuous training keeps a team viable regardless of someone’s education and certifications. The best teams evolve alongside industry changes, ensuring they remain competitive and engaged. Training is not a one-time event—it’s an ongoing investment.

Step 4: Coach for Growth

Not all leaders and managers are natural coaches, but coaching is essential for sustained success. If coaching isn’t your strength, hiring a coach can help bridge the gap. A strategic coach guides teams in overcoming challenges while keeping momentum strong.

Leadership coaching plays a crucial role in fostering these qualities. A robust team doesn’t just happen—it’s built intentionally, with emotional integrity, strategic clarity, and a culture that empowers individuals to contribute fully.

©Jeannette Seibly 2021-2025  All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, executives, and managers to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate, expand, and excel in their results.

Job Fit: How To Strategically Hire for Tomorrow’s Results

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“Successful hiring requires aligning skills, values, and potential to ensure resilience and results.” Jeannette Seibly

In a previous article, I focused on what job fit is and what it is not.

To continue, it’s critical to remember, hiring today isn’t just about filling empty seats—it’s about building resilient, adaptable teams that align with your company’s vision and values — and producing intended results. In other words, it’s about selecting employees who will fit the job requirements.

Yet here lies the challenge: too many leaders fail to refine their hiring strategies. Instead, they rely on gut instincts, skip deliberate planning, and ignore the importance of clarifying roles or expectations.

Some might even view a low turnover rate as evidence of a flawless strategic hiring process. But dig deeper, and you will find disengaged employees—doing just enough to avoid attention while costing the business in lost clients, missed opportunities, and sagging morale.

To ensure your team thrives today and tomorrow, it’s essential to rethink how you hire, coach, and manage. Job fit success hinges on prioritizing agility, shared values, and innovation, while using appropriate tools that align seamlessly with your goals.

Do you want to make job fit happen?

1. Hire for Agility and Mental Flexibility

Adaptability is non-negotiable in today’s fast-paced world. Resilient teams navigate change, tackle complexity, and creatively solve problems. Seek candidates who excel in uncertain situations and can pivot when circumstances demand it.

Job fit assessments are invaluable for uncovering potential beyond the resume and interview. These tools evaluate how candidates think, process information, and approach challenges—providing clear insights into how they will drive innovation and thrive in dynamic environments.

2. Prioritize Purpose, Passion, and Shared Values

The strongest teams connect deeply to your company’s mission and values. Candidates that fit the job have purpose and passion and will contribute more than just skills; they bring energy, commitment, and alignment with your culture. However, uncovering these traits requires going beyond superficial interviews.

Use layered questioning techniques, like the Rule of 3, to explore motivations and ensure alignment. Additionally, integrity and honesty assessments add confidence that you’re hiring individuals who genuinely fit your workplace values.

3. Leverage Technology and Predictive Insights

With advancements in AI and analytics, hiring decisions can extend beyond resumes. Modern tools analyze behavioral patterns, validate job fit, and predict compatibility—helping you make smarter, future-focused decisions.

Still, balance is key. Use technology strategically, allowing it to handle tasks like pre-screening or scheduling, but maintain genuine human connection throughout your recruitment process.

Note: Throughout the pre-employment phase, ensure that all assessments and other tools used comply with Department of Labor standards to safeguard fairness and accuracy, as well as other legal requirements (e.g., EEO, ADA).

4. Expand and Diversify Talent Pipelines

To build tomorrow’s results-focused team, broaden your horizons. Go beyond traditional recruitment channels—explore overlooked talent pools, mentorship programs, and upskilling initiatives. Diversity and critical thinking will fuel innovation and strengthen problem-solving within your teams.

Remember, recruitment is just the beginning to discover whether or not the person will fit the job. To keep good employees, robust onboarding processes, clear career paths, and continuous coaching will ensure new hires who fit their jobs stay engaged and committed to your company’s long-term vision.

5. Redefine Success with Growth-Focused Paths

Candidates today seek more than just a paycheck—they’re looking for development opportunities and a meaningful future where they can make a difference. Attract top talent by emphasizing pathways for continuous learning, leadership advancement, and impactful growth.

Expand your definition of success to include sustainability, innovation, and community contributions. Equip employees with the tools to take ownership of their development, fostering engagement and inspiring long-term loyalty.

Hiring for job fit isn’t just about recruitment. It requires refining and leveraging your selection and onboarding systems, prioritizing job fit. This is how you’ll build teams that embody your company’s vision, agility, and shared values.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, boasts over 32 years of hands-on experience. Working with small and family businesses, her expertise helps leaders and bosses refine their hiring, coaching, and management practices and achieve their intended results. Along the journey, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and numerous six-figure earners, all while championing those ready to elevate their game to new heights.

Key Factors to Hire for Job Fit and Avoid Costly Loss of People

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“Job fit is crucial when hiring and promoting people to achieve intended business results.” Jeannette Seibly

Did you know: “Employee engagement in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in a decade in 2024, with only 31% of employees engaged?” (Gallup)

I would assert that many employers are unclear about what job fit is and what it is not. Employees who excel in jobs that fit their thinking style, core behaviors, and occupational interests stay longer and are more engaged.

If you are frustrated and annoyed with hiring great people into the wrong job, this article is for you.

Today, many qualified people are looking for work because they are retiring, being fired, being laid off, or looking for something better. Although there are a lot of great job candidates available – buyer beware – it doesn’t mean they will fit well into the job responsibilities of your company. Outdated hiring practices that rely on intuitive hiring, biases, and inappropriate pre-employment assessments will cause you to lose key customers and top talent while hurting profitability.

“Too often, we hire based on subjective reasons but fire for poor job fit.” Jeannette Seibly

What Are a Few Signs of Poor Job Fit?

• Work assignments are late, with a lot of excuses
• Promises are made without achieving the intended results
• Frequent mistakes occur, and the employee misreads what needs to be done
• Conflicts with team members, customers, and bosses
• Failure to listen, incorporate others’ ideas, and develop win-win-win outcomes
• Lack of business growth (sales) or overrun of expenses
• Constant change in direction – they are easily distracted by “shiny objects” or “crystal ball” syndromes

Why Does Poor Job Fit Happen?

• No real objective data collected (e.g., resumes are more than 80 percent inaccurate).
• Rely on intuitive hiring practices that reflect biases (e.g., the job interviews account for 90 percent of the hiring decision).
• Unwilling to improve the selection process, citing costs for improvement and ignoring costs for hiring mistakes.
• Failure to conduct thorough due diligence (e.g., relying on false data, such as name of employer, education).
• Use inappropriate assessments to determine job fit (e.g., overlook validity, reliability, predictive validity, and distortion factors)
• Believe any known limitations can be overcome with training and development. (Forgetting that no one works that hard to be someone they are not. This is a trap that almost every hiring boss/leader falls into!)

What Is Job Fit?

Job fit refers to the alignment between an individual’s skills, experience, values, and personality with the requirements, culture, and expectations of a specific job and organization. It encompasses several key aspects:

1. Skills and Experience Fit: How well an individual’s abilities and past work experience match the tasks and responsibilities of the role. While these required skills and experience may sound good on paper, the job candidate may not be able to use the skills effectively. It’s why valid job-fit assessments are required. When using highly validated and reliable assessments, you gain insight into the real person and their core behavior, occupational interests, and thinking styles.

2. Cultural Fit: The degree to which an individual’s values, behaviors, and working style align with the company’s culture and work environment. A startup or new business venture is very different from working in a well-established company. In a company that requires thinking outside the box, some job candidates may believe they can … but are unable to design and develop sustainable systems or results.

3. Motivation and Interest: The extent to which an individual’s career goals and personal interests are aligned with the job’s duties and opportunities for growth. With changes in people’s work ethic, their career or life aspirations may misalign with the company’s needs and goals. It’s critical to have very clear expectations: PTO, work-life balance, accountability for following up and following through, etc.

4. Team Fit: How well an individual works with existing team members and contributes to team dynamics and cohesion. Are they someone who can work well with others, be coachable, and keep their ego out of the way?

When job fit is strong, employees are satisfied, business excels, and customers keep coming back.

Strategies to Improve Job Fit

• Create a sustainable strategic job fit selection process.
• Get real about what you need and the type of person who can fulfill the desired results.
• Work with a talent advisor/hiring consultant to train managers on interviewing, due diligence, and using the proper job fit assessment. (Each should account for 1/3 of the selection decision.)
• Remember, many savvy job candidates will tell you what you want to hear, and hiring bosses have a low probability of discerning the truth. It’s why objective data is required.

To recap: Using a qualified job fit assessment that meets the validity and reliability requirements outlined by the Department of Labor, conducting proper due diligence, and structuring interview processes to affirm your intuition/gut will provide clarity and are crucial to improving employee engagement, customer retention, and improving the bottom line.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, boasts over 32 years of hands-on experience. Working with small and family businesses, her expertise guides leaders and bosses to refine their hiring, coaching, and management practices and achieve their intended results. Along the journey, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and numerous six-figure earners, all while championing those ready to elevate their game to new heights.

Grab her book, “Hire Amazing Employees” — it provides overlooked issues when designing and using a strategic job fit selection system.

Internal Mobility Creates Profitable Companies

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“It’s tough when markets change and your people within the company don’t.” Harvard Business Review

Many employees are staying longer with their current employers, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they are happier (also known as the Great Detachment—employees who are unhappy but not leaving, according to Gallup). In fact, many are simply waiting for new jobs elsewhere. The significant reasons? Many companies are failing to provide professional development and opportunities for growth.

Promoting internal mobility is a key strategy for retaining employees, enhancing both company agility and profitability. Leaders should leverage their employees’ skills by facilitating their movement into new roles and opportunities within the company. Internal mobility can include lateral moves, promotions, project-based roles, and taking on new responsibilities.

By creating a company culture that builds on and utilizes existing skills and knowledge, your company can be ready for change and profitable growth!

Steps to Make Your Company Ready for Internal Mobility

Update Current Policies and Practices

Review existing policies and identify gaps that make it difficult for employees to apply for and get different jobs within your company. Instead of requiring a long list of skills and experiences, focus on their accomplishments. For example, ask them to describe a recent project where they and their team produced intended results.

Create Career Pathways

Not everyone wants to be a manager of people, yet this is often the only way employees can get a pay increase. Instead, utilize their experiences by building different career ladders or pathways. Use a qualified job fit assessment to focus on employee strengths and actual interests. For example, placing someone who excels with numbers into accounting may not be beneficial if they have no interest in accounting or finance.

Train and Develop Your Leaders

Many leaders hold their positions due to their expertise in finance, technology, or operations, but they may lack people development skills. Hire coaches for these leaders and focus on developing them to develop others.

Address Cultural Resistance

Some managers and employees resist internal mobility. To overcome these blocks, understand why. For instance, some companies base career mobility on length of service, which is not always indicative of effectiveness or ability to learn new skills. Address this type of resistance by emphasizing skill and performance over tenure.

Address Skill Gaps

Everyone can be a leader without a title, but it requires leaders to allow employees to work without micromanagement. Encourage employees to share ideas and take initiatives to close skill gaps. Provide workshops, one-on-one coaching, and training programs in communication skills, critical thinking, teamwork, and project management to prepare them for internal moves.

Build a Talent Pipeline

Encourage employees to participate in small-group and company-wide teams, as well as trade and professional associations. These opportunities broaden their awareness and help them learn new skills. When new positions arise or employees leave, look first at your talent pipeline to fill these roles. This saves time and money, while increasing your company’s agility and profitability to meet new market demands.

© Jeannette Seibly 2024 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 32 years of practical experience guiding leaders to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and achieve amazing results. Achieving business success always starts with having the right people in the right jobs. She has been an Authorized PXT Select® Partner for over 33 years. Contact Jeannette to learn more about state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tools or how to coach and manage your people to achieve incredible results.

A Note from Jeannette: Developing internal mobility in your company increases agility and improves the bottom line. What does it take? What are some of the issues and challenges that must be addressed? This week’s article covers common, yet overlooked, areas that need attention. Contact me for a confidential conversation to resolve what seems unresolvable.

Now is the time to get into focused action! Are there days you dread managing your people, projects, and team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has those days. But continuing to hide behind excuses only hurts you and your future promotability. I have extensive experience guiding leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully, including helping you get out of your own way and working effectively with your team to achieve the required results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Want to Improve Your Hiring Decisions?

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“If predicting job success were easy, or quick, we wouldn’t see expensive early hiring failures!” John W. Howard PhD

As you know, hiring and investing in your people costs money. Too often, mistakes are made despite all the interviews and other pre-employment rituals. Your retention, revenues, and results suffer.

The problem occurs when you hire, transfer, or promote people into jobs that don’t fit them. This often results in the person leaving your company and taking other top talent with them. For example, taking your top salesperson and promoting them to the manager role is a frequent misstep.

Current Problems Most Companies are Experiencing

Relying on:

Intuitive Hiring. Yes, it’s easy to rely on our “intuition/gut” to tell you if the person is the right one. The problem is two-fold. #1: There is no objective data, which often results in the collection of false information and hiring mistakes. #2: Your retention, reputation, revenues, and results suffer.

The Resume. Over 80 percent of resumes contain inaccuracies, embellishments, or lies. Many resumes today are created using AI, online templates, or professional resume writers. The question is, “How valid is the information?” Remember, you need objective and reliable data to improve your hiring decisions. The resume alone will never give you that.

Any Assessment. Over 95 percent of assessments today are not validated for pre-employment or job selection use. It’s time to learn about the science and legality of using objective job fit assessments. (See Chapter 9 in Hire Amazing Employees)

Overcoming These Challenges Requires Using Real Systems

Use the interview, assessments, and due diligence equally in hiring decisions. Do not rely solely on the interview; stop asking questions that are not job-related. (SEE Chapter 1 in Hire Amazing Employees)

Select a job fit assessment with the validity, reliability, and predictive validity that comply with the Department Labor Guidelines for pre-employment and selection use. (Most hiring bosses don’t do this.) The proper assessment will guide you to hire the right people with your eyes open to any challenges you may encounter. Remember, no one is perfect, but you cannot teach a cat to become a dog.

Train your hiring bosses. Use an intracompany system that provides all the tools and resources required. This will save you and them from hiring mistakes, costly turnover of current employees and clients, and legal challenges. (See Chapter 3 in Hire Amazing Employees)

Don’t Overlook Hidden Talent: Many talented people are already employed in your company. You overlook them based on biases and other subjective factors and seek top talent from outside the company.

©Jeannette Seibly 2024 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 31 years of practical experience guiding leaders and bosses to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and produce amazing results! And yes, achieving business success always starts with having the right people in the right jobs! She has been an Authorized PXT Select® Partner for over 32 years. Contact Jeannette to learn more about these state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tools or how to coach and manage your people to achieve incredible results.

A note from Jeannette: Is the way you hire people working for you? Are you happy with your hiring results? Improving your retention, revenues, and results creates a positive reputation for you and the company. Contact me for a free, confidential conversation on how to improve your selection process and hiring decisions.

Now is the time to get into focused action! Are there days you dread doing what is needed to manage your people, projects, and team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has those days! But continuing to hide behind excuses only hurts you and your future promotability. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully – this includes getting you out of the way and working with and through people effectively to achieve the results required. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.