The Trifecta

Recruiters spend a lot of time working to find that perfect person who fits a very narrow set of criteria and has the intangibles that make them a good fit for the client. 

I’m constantly evaluating people based on their work experience, industry experience, location preferences, and a host of other things that may or may not be evident by a simple resume perusal.

I remember seeing this chart in a presentation a while back and I even drew a little picture of it in my notebook that I have hanging on the wall in my office. Many times when I am debating whether someone’s level of fit to a particular position I find myself using this criteria as a guide. 

I call it The Trifecta.

The Trifecta is a Venn Diagram that describes, in very simple terms, the level of fit that a particular person may or may not possess when it comes to a position I am recruiting. Let me break it down for you. There are 3 circles here that each represent some attributes for the particular candidate or job. Skills, Geography & Industry. 

Skills represent the required experience or skillset that this person must have to be qualified for the role.  This might be Education, Experiential, or even Knowledge-based skills. An example might be someone who has led a lean transformation from the corporate level. 

Geography is pretty straightforward.  It essentially means that the person or job where the role is located is a good fit.  Ideally, this would be local and within commuting distance but it could also be in a place that is highly desirable for some reason. Maybe it is a virtual role. 

The final circle is Industry.  In the ideal situation, the individual or position fits well with the industry background.

Now comes the scoring part of the diagram.  As you can see there are numbers 1, 2, 3 on the chart. 3 represents a fit for both skills & geography but not industry. This is the least desirable situation as the person might be a good fit based on experience and they are in the right place but they lack experience in that industry. We can’t change this because the person either has it or they don’t.

2 represents a fit for both skills and industry.  This is better than a 3 because we can do something to change this. We can relocate the individual to the location where the job needs them to be. 

1 is The Trifecta. The individual has the skills, industry experience, and is located in the right geography. This is what we are looking for in the perfect world.

What does this mean for you as a Job Seeker or Hiring Authority? As a Job Seeker, try to find positions where you meet The Trifecta. This means that you are local, meet the skills requirements, and also have experience in the industry. In the popular vernacular this is a “no brainer” for the person who receives your resume. You’ll get an interview which is what you are after. 

As a Hiring Authority, this means that you are screening for skills, industry, and geography as you scan resumes and talk with potential candidates.  Clearly those who bring The Trifecta are your ideal fit and you can focus on confirming that the cultural fit is there as well.

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