# The Hiring Equation By:: [[Lori Zieg]] 2023-06-06 As they say in the financial world, “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.” This statement could also often be applied to the hiring process. Employers are forced to predict job candidates’ success in a role based on limited metrics of varying levels of relevance for the potential new role at hand. Some standard metrics used to predict future success are educational credentials, relevant experience, and interviews. In the case of internal candidates, success in current and/or past roles and other observations from the candidates’ time with the company can also be factored into the equation. Still, the equation remains imperfect. The correlation between these metrics and success in a future role is not entirely straightforward. And all of this doesn’t even factor in bias that can creep into the equation. Further complicating the analysis, it’s challenging to account for necessary hard- and soft skills not utilized in a candidate’s past. Other factors can be even harder to work into the equation. How does an employer account for a candidate’s interest level in past and future potential roles? What about motivational drivers that can vary wildly from one candidate to another? Candidates value work/life balance, job title, salary, and countless other factors differently. It can make the hiring process feel a bit like a calculated gamble. #### Related Items [[Hiring]] [[Work]] [[Education]] [[Forecasting]] [[Games]] [[Cognitive Biases]]