Added September 1, 2006Mission #1
Your mission statement is the foundation of your hiring system. Without a meaningful mission statement you will not have the success in hiring that you want and need. Not only do companies need mission statements, but in larger companies there should be mission statements for each department that are consistent with and flow from the company mission. Also, I believe a true leader will have a personal mission statement. Proverbs 16: 9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
Let’s assume your mission statement includes something about customer satisfaction and/or customer service. In order to fulfill this mission it will be imperative that you hire people with a strong service orientation. If your new hire does not have a service orientation, you will not fulfill your mission. People who are effective with customers really enjoy doing things for others.
A mission statement needs to be brief. It needs to be short and to the point. It needs to be something people can easily memorize. Above all, it must be meaningful and believed by all of your stakeholders. If you and your stakeholders are not totally committed to your mission, how do you ever expect to be able to hire the right people?
During the hiring process your mission statement is a source of interview questions. For years I have often been asked, “where do you get your interview questions?” One source is the company mission statement.
