Systematic requirements analysis as a central building block for recruitment success

Article from the InterSearch member in Germany, InterSearch Executive Consultants.

A structured requirements analysis to define a requirements profile for a vacancy is the basis for successful personnel recruitment. It does not matter whether it is a newly created position or a succession filling.

In the former situation, it is obvious that those responsible should think about which characteristics the future job holder should possess to be able to fulfill the expectations of the new position. After all, there is no old requirements profile that can be used again. Often this poses a great challenge to the people in charge. What is a sensible approach here and who is involved in the process?

But also, in the context of succession appointments, it is important to review the target profile on which the vacancy is based. Depending on how long the previous jobholder has held the position, new requirements may arise due to permanently changing markets, the use of new technologies, and a changed way of working with customers and colleagues, which may not have been relevant or even foreseeable at the time of the original filling of the position. Both initial situations offer the company a good opportunity to position itself for the future within the framework of recruitment.

Requirements analysis: Defining fields of activity

The first step in a requirements analysis is to define the fields of activity and future tasks for the position. In the next step, the corresponding job-specific requirements for the applicant are defined. In addition, cross-job criteria are also considered. These include, for example, flexibility and a person’s ability to learn and develop.

Role-specific requirements, which are a basic prerequisite for all managers in the company, should also be included in the requirements analysis. It is important to formulate the requirements precisely and understandably. For example, the ability to criticize can be understood on the one hand as the ability to offer constructive criticism, but on the other hand also as the ability to accept criticism.

Workshop and structured interviews

To develop a job profile, it can be useful to hold a workshop with people from different perspectives. Participants may include the line manager, HR representatives, the previous job holder (if any), future colleagues, or even customers (internal/external). By means of structured interviews, the relevant criteria can be worked out and jointly agreed upon. Perhaps a look at the Occupational Information Network (O*Net) from the USA can be helpful. There you can find the appropriate descriptive dimensions for various activities, sometimes even including complete job descriptions, which can be a good basis for your own requirements profile.

It is important that the defined requirements in the selection process are also measurable, be it in the context of structured interviews, performance tests, personality analyses, or other procedures. A systematic requirements analysis and the target profile derived from it are therefore a prerequisite for a matching statement in recruitment, to be able to assess whether the competencies, the motives, and the personality of a candidate (actual profile) fit the requirements of a vacancy (person-environment fit).

About InterSearch Executive Consultants

InterSearch Executive Consultants is one of the leading personnel consultancies and specializes in the recruitment of executives (Executive Search) and systematic analyses of executive potential (Management Audit / Executive Diagnostic). Founded in 1985 under the name “MR Personalberatung”, the company is now represented in Germany with three offices in Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Cologne and was a founding partner of InterSearch Worldwide in 1989. Today, InterSearch operates worldwide in the field of executive search with over 600 consultants in more than 50 countries with more than 90 locations.