How Benchmarking Could Ultimately Cost You the Perfect Candidate

Have you ever bought a house? How was that decision made? Like most homebuyers, you probably determined the neighborhood, number of bedrooms and bathrooms needed, as well as other important criteria before you started the house-hunting process. The next step would be talking to a real estate agent and giving them all of those well thought-out criteria, in hopes that they can eventually track down a house that fits each need. This process can take a long time, sometimes dragging on for months, but this does not always have to be the case.


With your pre-planning and knowing your criteria, you might find that the first house your realtor shows you meets or possibly exceeds all of your expectations. What next? In this competitive housing market, where most people can be on the hunt for months or even years, the next step should be around making an offer immediately. Those buyers who have established their criteria, make the offer, but those who have not will typically hesitate and want to see another house for comparative purpose.

Row of houses

Here arises the issue of benchmarking—of waiting for a chance to have a side by side comparison in order to feel comfortable moving forward. The constant need to weigh what is available and right in front of you with what could potentially be better ends up holding up the process and oftentimes contributing to a loss. In a competitive housing market, you need to be in a position to confidently move forward in the buying process, and this is where planning helps. For those who hesitate, the house in question is already under contract by the time they are ready—probably with the buyer who knew what they were looking for in a home.


What is the lesson here?

Know what you’re looking for, and fight the urge to compare something great to whatever else could be out there. Fight the urge to benchmark. The perfect house was in plain sight, but then it was gone, all because of lack of planning, hesitation or the need to benchmark.


The hiring process is actually quite similar to that of purchasing a house. Before the interviewing process begins, the hiring manager devises a similar list of criteria to that of the home-buyer. This is typically presented in the form of a job description, which will include everything that the perfect candidate will possess.


At 180one, we use a best practice of developing a “Candidate Success Profile” as a way to both determine what attributes the ideal candidate will possess, and as a way to help evaluate candidates against these attributes. As potential candidates are evaluated against the Candidate Success Profile, the decision making process of whom to hire should be more clear.

Multiple candidates

Similar to the home-buyer, when a hiring manager is conducting a search, they tend to be more comfortable when there are a few options in front of them and there is an opportunity to interview multiple candidates. A problem seems to arise when the perfect candidate is the first one to walk through the door. This person might check every single box on the list of criteria, but it becomes difficult to make a decision without going through the steps of finishing the process. In the meantime, that perfect candidate could be getting the message that there is hesitation, and that perhaps something is wrong, potentially causing them to back out. In reality, the hiring manager is merely displaying a confirmation bias by needing to benchmark as a way to confirm that the right person has already been found.


A candidate is either a fit, or not, and a hiring manager can usually figure that out pretty early in the process. That being said, if they are feeling lukewarm about a candidate, that candidate is likely not the right choice, and therefore the hiring manager is better off passing on said candidate and continuing the search. On the flip-side, if it is clear that a candidate perfectly fits the sought-after profile, no time should be wasted by curiosity of whom else could possibly surface should the search continue.


Don’t Miss Out by Not Being Prepared

If criteria are set in place, and a candidate meets all of those criteria, why waste the time and resources continuing with the interview process? Why risk sending the wrong message to a potential new employee? Part of why it is a good idea to prepare a Candidate Success Profile is because of the value and importance of pre-work. It ultimately saves time and helps eliminate that hesitation that can be felt when the right candidate is suddenly presented. In another article on our Water Cooler, we break down ways to create a more effective hiring process. It is possible to be set up for success and prepared for when that perfect candidate is identified. 


The goal here is to help make the decision making process more comfortable. It is in human nature to act impulsively as opposed to logically, and therefore it is entirely understandable that a hiring manager would take precautions to avoid acting on impulse. But the simple way to avoid making an impulsive decision is by creating that list of criteria first. When there is a goal in place and an ideal candidate profile to fill, it will not be impulsive if and when the hiring process is completed faster than expected for the right candidate.



It is easy to be set up for success in the hiring process when the proper preparation is done ahead of time. Whether a Candidate Success Profile such as ours is used, or a similar method of organizing and determining criteria is developed, hiring managers can make sure to be ready to hire as soon as the right person comes along. Make that list of criteria and stick with it. If a candidate matches, it’s a go; if a candidate doesn’t match, it’s a no. There is no need to benchmark.

By Catherine Landgraf 24 Apr, 2024
Chief Financial Officer Instrument is a creative technology company headquartered in Portland, Oregon consisting of 300 talented people focused on redefining brands and experiences. Our teams push the boundaries of design, technology, and innovation for some of the world’s leading brands such as Google, Amazon, Spotify, and Nike. We are a collaborative partner to businesses seeking transformation and growth. We concept, design, and deliver best-in-class products, marketing, and brands. Check out some of our work here . We're searching for a strategic and business-minded Chief Financial Officer to help lead the agency toward its goals during our next phase of growth. Reporting to the CEO, you will partner with executives and team leaders to achieve financial performance by providing insightful information to the organization for decision-making, as well as challenging the status quo to yield better ideas and outcomes on behalf of the agency. What You'll Do Strategic Planning Leadership: Drive and oversee annual strategic planning processes with the CEO, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives. Partner with Business leads during annual business planning, quarterly forecasts (and updates) to provide a strategic outlook and point of view on how to elevate the team and business to meet/exceed targets. Financial Reporting and Analysis: Ensure that our financial reporting is accurate and timely, and that company leadership has access to reliable data necessary to effectively manage the organization. Deliver monthly financial statements in compliance with tight public reporting deadlines, while working with both internal and external stakeholders. Understand and communicate variances of financial performance. Generate cash flow forecasts for our parent company and work with other team members to make necessary changes to improve accuracy. Support and take responsibility for all internal and external audits and/or reviews. Build productive relationships with auditors and the parent company. Strategic Financial Management: Partner with the CEO ensuring that Instrument’s financial performance is aligned with the strategic plan and the finance organization functions efficiently and with a high degree of service to the organization. Work closely with the CEO and manage a close working relationship with our parent company. Provide timely, accurate, and clear financial information as necessary. Lead the business and financial planning aspects of the company, including monthly/annual budgets, revenue forecasts, and projections. Evaluate, enhance, and manage all finance-related budgets, forecasts, and processes. Identify, drive, and engage in ad-hoc initiatives designed to improve the profitability of the company. Be fully responsible for the company’s financials. Team Leadership and Development: Manage, lead, and develop a team of direct reports responsible for all accounting and finance functions including AP, AR, and Financial Planning & Analysis processes. Operational Efficiency and Compliance: Recommend and implement improvements to all operational finance processes. Safeguard the company; review, develop and manage internal controls designed to comply with SOX requirements. Monitor, maintain, and update the company’s ERP and other financial tools and systems. What You'll Bring The ideal candidate will have 15+ years of progressive experience in accounting, financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting with 5+ years as a leader. Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or a related field required. CPA, and Masters/MBA preferred. Preferred experience working with rapidly growing professional services firms. Proven experience managing, coaching, and mentoring a team of direct reports. Confidence in preparing, summarizing, and effectively communicating financial information to a broad audience. Excellent communication and organizational skills. Must be flexible, with the ability to drive and adapt to change. Interested in Learning More? 180one is a retained search firm and has been engaged by Instrument to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Matt Oltmann at matt.oltmann@180one.com / 971.235.6236
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We are excited to announce our recent collaboration with Forest City Trading Group, resulting in the placement of their new Vice President of Application Development! Forest City Trading Group (FCTG), as an employee-owned organization, is among the largest lumber wholesale distributors in the US with roots going back to the 1960s. They facilitate the distribution of products across 6 continents through their network of 13 operating companies and close to 700 employees. As proponents of forest sustainability, they actively support suppliers who use sustainable forest management practices that promote forest sustainability and result in long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits. Congratulations to FCTG, and the 180one Search Team on a successful executive placement!
By Catherine Landgraf 24 Apr, 2024
Chief Executive Officer The Company For over 35 years, Terra Dynamics (“TDI”) has delivered an environment of excellence to their clients through successful delivery of park and field construction, wetlands mitigation, landscape architecture, and greenspace enhancement projects. With experience in public works - and a commitment to quality, performance, and safety—Terra has secured one of the finest reputations in the industry. They lead the industry in innovation, application, technology and performance. The differences are the belief that one company should be everything you need in a commercial landscape construction contractor as well as the knowledge and experience to deliver the best to their clients. In 2023, Terra expanded their footprint with the acquisition of Paul Brothers Inc, a 3 rd generation owned commercial landscaping company based in Boring, Oregon. Together these companies have a combined 85 years of experience delivering top quality projects while making a lasting impact on parks, playgrounds, schools and more around the Pacific Northwest. The Role Reporting in the Board of Directors, the CEO will lead the organization that has experienced long-term success and sustainable growth. The CEO shall possess the leadership skills to build upon the organization’s record of quality, expansion and excellence to drive continued success. The CEO serves as the face of Terra Dynamics and builds and maintains relationships in order to advance and support the organization’s mission, programs and services. Ideal CEO Candidate will need to be skilled in the following areas Leadership Skills : Through leadership, create a unified organization. Ability to develop, communicate, and implement sustainable short-term and long-term vision for Terra Dynamics. People Leadership : Develops a strong leadership team to maximize operations and future growth while maintaining a culture of shared responsibility and stewardship among Terra Dynamics and the Board. Ensures a work environment that recruits, retains and supports quality staff, and that the appropriate processes are in place for recruiting, selecting, developing, motivating and evaluating staff. Strategic Planning : A balance of long-term strategic thinking and short-term tactical thinking to drive goals aligned with Terra Dynamics goals of consistent and sustainable growth, with a heavy focus on profitability. Operational : Understands the need to create a strong and repeatable infrastructure that supports the current organization and future growth for delivering a consistent, quality experience for both clients and employees. Leverages technologies and processes to be less labor intensive for both execution of projects and tracking their respective performance that results in greater efficiencies for the team. Business Acumen : General business interest that includes creating a financial vision, and strong overall financial acumen including understanding of the balance sheet. Knowledgeable about standard business practices (planning, metrics, P&L management), and a track record of building efficient organizations with low waste and success at profitable execution. External Relations : Maintains relationships with key personnel in State and Local governments, as well as other key external relationships including other General Contractors, Bonding and Insurance companies, and other support organizations. Qualifications Bachelors degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering or related field. 10+ years of experience in commercial construction management overseeing multiple multimillion-dollar projects. Construction experience working with State and Local government contracts. Demonstrated proficiency and expertise in the following areas: Construction management Budget development and control Persuasive presentations Bid process and Estimating Recruiting and Development Contract review, negotiating, and administration Preconstruction costing Field personnel management Interested in Learning More? 180one is a retained search firm and has been engaged by TDI to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Rochelle Fleisher at: 503.699.0184 or rochelle@180one.com
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