Several long-term employees have announced their upcoming retirement, setting in motion the processes to find their replacements. If you are seeking to fill a vacancy held by someone for 10, 25, or even 40 years, there is no way that you should expect the next person to fulfill the same duties they did. Positions like that evolve, with additional responsibilities added in layers over the years.
Instead of futilely trying to replicate a person, take advantage of the opportunity to reflect on what you need someone to do, as well as what you hope someone could ultimately do in that position.
I am reminded of Alex Williams’s (Dulé Hill) comment on the drama Suits. “A parent’s job isn’t to show their kids how the world is, but rather to show them how the world should be,” he said. To paraphrase, a hiring manager’s job isn’t to replace an employee to do what is, but rather to do what could be.”
Any good hiring process starts with deeply considering what skills and temperaments are needed, irrespective of those you are losing. Don’t ask your departing employee what they did; ask yourself what you need the next person to do.
