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1. Clearly Identify Company Needs
When seeking to fill a position, your company must clearly define its
goals in terms of skills, experience, character, and competency.
Determine the actual, objective standards a candidate must meet,
and the requisite educational background, exact work experience,
and specific technical skills they must possess. In addition, it is
important to evaluate the organization`s short-and long-term needs
and the effect this particular hiring decision will have upon those
needs. Many times, however, an organization`s requirements can be
more efficiently met through outsourcing or strategic partnering.
Don`t automatically assume you need a certain type of employee.
Test those assumptions before you hire.
2. Test a Prospective Employee`s Skills
Skill testing is a must. Every job has some form of measurable,
objective performance standard. Identify it and test for it. A
secretary who types 60 words per minute with mistakes will be less
effective than a secretary who types 90 words per minute without
mistakes. However, if a company fails to test for typing skills, it will
have no way of evaluating a prospective employee`s ability to
perform a specific task. Under these circumstances, a supervisor
may criticize the first secretary for lack of productivity, when she is
in fact giving her best effort. Unless you test an applicant`s skills,
you are taking a gamble that they can perform. It`s a bet you just
may lose.
3. Avoid Hiring Out of Desperation
Too many hiring decisions are made out of desperation. The
following scenarios occur repeatedly: a key manager quits and must
be replaced NOW; rapid growth forces a company to fill positions
without enough forethought; programmers are so scarce that
anyone will do. We`ve all, in pure desperation, brought someone
into an employment relationship only to find out later that they
were not trustworthy or competent. Don`t fall prey to such fearbased
thinking. Rather, consider the alternatives. If you are unable
to conduct a thorough, timely hiring process, hire a temporary or
leased employee or borrow an employee from another company.
But don`t hire in haste—you may end up with waste.
4. Guard Against Hiring Out of Laziness
Despite the high stakes associated with hiring, we often get lazy.
Managers who are lazy hire the first remotely suitable person who
walks through the door. Often, we simply want to avoid the hiring
process altogether. After all, we have jobs to do. Companies and
managers must fight this very human tendency to do less rather
than more. Alternatively, if you don`t want to endure the rigors of
the hiring process, then contract with someone else to do it for you.
Consider engaging the services of an executive recruiter or search
firm. Or delegate this task to a trusted individual within your
company.
5. Watch Out for Infatuation
A series of surveys has revealed that during the hiring process,
most interviewers made their decision—up or down—within the first
10 minutes of the interview. They then spent the next 50 minutes
internally justifying that decision. We buy cars the same way. First,
we choose the car we want to buy—from an emotional standpoint—
and then search for objective data to justify that emotional decision.
We all know that "facts tell, but emotions sell." Remember, the best
con artists attract infatuation. In studies where professional actors
are interviewed for jobs for which they have no experience, they are
hired at a higher rate than those who have actual qualifications for
such positions! Simply because someone "looks" right for the role
does not mean they will be. You can guard against infatuation by
having coworkers interview prospects, having group interviews, and
by conducting follow-up interviews.
6. Avoid Baggage that Gets in the Way
Everyone carries some baggage. Sometimes, it is the belief that a
woman can`t operate a forklift, that a man can`t be a nurse, or that
a minority cannot function as an executive. But baggage is not
reality.
Men once dominated orchestras, until they began to conduct "blind
auditions" where a curtain was placed in front of the performers.
The quality of their sound, not their gender, became the sole
evaluation criterion. The preconception about what makes a better
musician was removed, and thereafter women were hired at twice
the previous rate. It is a fact the best and brightest are not always
going to look and act the way you think they should! Seeking
diversity is not important simply to placate the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Rather, it has become an absolute
necessity in today`s competitive economy.
7. Carefully Evaluate Candidates Recommended by
Employees and Associates
Just because someone recommends a person they think would be
highly capable for a particular position doesn`t mean that person is
qualified. We have seen many occasions where someone was hired
without going through the usual evaluation process simply because
they were recommended by another employee or colleague. Don`t
let someone else make your hiring decisions for you. Follow the
usual channels and requirements when anyone—no matter how
highly recommended—seeks to work for your organization.
8. Do Not Blindly Promote from Within
We are firm believers in promoting from within an organization.
However, your best performers aren`t necessarily always the most
qualified candidates for a specific job. This is especially true when
promoting to the management level. Simply because someone is
particularly adept at handling a certain function doesn`t mean they
4
are capable of managing others. Many a career has gone downhill
after such a promotion.
Remember the Peter Principle: organizations frequently promote
otherwise capable workers until they reach their own level of
incompetence! Make sure your company follows a thorough hiring
analysis when promoting from within. Promoting solely from within
can create inbreeding and stagnate creativity. To guard against
these pitfalls, companies should consider filling at least one-third of
all positions involving promotions with people from outside the
organization.
9. Perform Extensive Background and Reference Checks
We are often asked to investigate a claim of harassment, theft,
threatened violence, or other workplace misconduct. As part of our
investigation, we always review the involved employee`s file and
evaluate the extent to which a background investigation was
conducted. Much more often than not, little or no background
information was obtained. Employees with drug problems were
never tested prior to hire. Security guards who conspired against
their employers were never checked for criminal records. The
employers of employees who engaged in wrongful conduct at other
companies had never been contacted. Yet, many companies are
afraid of engaging in extensive background investigations out of
concern for EEOC and legislative privacy mandates. Don`t be.
Potential problems can be avoided by securing releases from job
candidates and/or their previous employers. Refer to Figure 1, a
form that authorizes a potential employer to conduct a background
check on a job candidate and releases the potential employer from
any liability associated with such investigations.
Regards
Arun
1. Clearly Identify Company Needs
When seeking to fill a position, your company must clearly define its
goals in terms of skills, experience, character, and competency.
Determine the actual, objective standards a candidate must meet,
and the requisite educational background, exact work experience,
and specific technical skills they must possess. In addition, it is
important to evaluate the organization`s short-and long-term needs
and the effect this particular hiring decision will have upon those
needs. Many times, however, an organization`s requirements can be
more efficiently met through outsourcing or strategic partnering.
Don`t automatically assume you need a certain type of employee.
Test those assumptions before you hire.
2. Test a Prospective Employee`s Skills
Skill testing is a must. Every job has some form of measurable,
objective performance standard. Identify it and test for it. A
secretary who types 60 words per minute with mistakes will be less
effective than a secretary who types 90 words per minute without
mistakes. However, if a company fails to test for typing skills, it will
have no way of evaluating a prospective employee`s ability to
perform a specific task. Under these circumstances, a supervisor
may criticize the first secretary for lack of productivity, when she is
in fact giving her best effort. Unless you test an applicant`s skills,
you are taking a gamble that they can perform. It`s a bet you just
may lose.
3. Avoid Hiring Out of Desperation
Too many hiring decisions are made out of desperation. The
following scenarios occur repeatedly: a key manager quits and must
be replaced NOW; rapid growth forces a company to fill positions
without enough forethought; programmers are so scarce that
anyone will do. We`ve all, in pure desperation, brought someone
into an employment relationship only to find out later that they
were not trustworthy or competent. Don`t fall prey to such fearbased
thinking. Rather, consider the alternatives. If you are unable
to conduct a thorough, timely hiring process, hire a temporary or
leased employee or borrow an employee from another company.
But don`t hire in haste—you may end up with waste.
4. Guard Against Hiring Out of Laziness
Despite the high stakes associated with hiring, we often get lazy.
Managers who are lazy hire the first remotely suitable person who
walks through the door. Often, we simply want to avoid the hiring
process altogether. After all, we have jobs to do. Companies and
managers must fight this very human tendency to do less rather
than more. Alternatively, if you don`t want to endure the rigors of
the hiring process, then contract with someone else to do it for you.
Consider engaging the services of an executive recruiter or search
firm. Or delegate this task to a trusted individual within your
company.
5. Watch Out for Infatuation
A series of surveys has revealed that during the hiring process,
most interviewers made their decision—up or down—within the first
10 minutes of the interview. They then spent the next 50 minutes
internally justifying that decision. We buy cars the same way. First,
we choose the car we want to buy—from an emotional standpoint—
and then search for objective data to justify that emotional decision.
We all know that "facts tell, but emotions sell." Remember, the best
con artists attract infatuation. In studies where professional actors
are interviewed for jobs for which they have no experience, they are
hired at a higher rate than those who have actual qualifications for
such positions! Simply because someone "looks" right for the role
does not mean they will be. You can guard against infatuation by
having coworkers interview prospects, having group interviews, and
by conducting follow-up interviews.
6. Avoid Baggage that Gets in the Way
Everyone carries some baggage. Sometimes, it is the belief that a
woman can`t operate a forklift, that a man can`t be a nurse, or that
a minority cannot function as an executive. But baggage is not
reality.
Men once dominated orchestras, until they began to conduct "blind
auditions" where a curtain was placed in front of the performers.
The quality of their sound, not their gender, became the sole
evaluation criterion. The preconception about what makes a better
musician was removed, and thereafter women were hired at twice
the previous rate. It is a fact the best and brightest are not always
going to look and act the way you think they should! Seeking
diversity is not important simply to placate the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Rather, it has become an absolute
necessity in today`s competitive economy.
7. Carefully Evaluate Candidates Recommended by
Employees and Associates
Just because someone recommends a person they think would be
highly capable for a particular position doesn`t mean that person is
qualified. We have seen many occasions where someone was hired
without going through the usual evaluation process simply because
they were recommended by another employee or colleague. Don`t
let someone else make your hiring decisions for you. Follow the
usual channels and requirements when anyone—no matter how
highly recommended—seeks to work for your organization.
8. Do Not Blindly Promote from Within
We are firm believers in promoting from within an organization.
However, your best performers aren`t necessarily always the most
qualified candidates for a specific job. This is especially true when
promoting to the management level. Simply because someone is
particularly adept at handling a certain function doesn`t mean they
4
are capable of managing others. Many a career has gone downhill
after such a promotion.
Remember the Peter Principle: organizations frequently promote
otherwise capable workers until they reach their own level of
incompetence! Make sure your company follows a thorough hiring
analysis when promoting from within. Promoting solely from within
can create inbreeding and stagnate creativity. To guard against
these pitfalls, companies should consider filling at least one-third of
all positions involving promotions with people from outside the
organization.
9. Perform Extensive Background and Reference Checks
We are often asked to investigate a claim of harassment, theft,
threatened violence, or other workplace misconduct. As part of our
investigation, we always review the involved employee`s file and
evaluate the extent to which a background investigation was
conducted. Much more often than not, little or no background
information was obtained. Employees with drug problems were
never tested prior to hire. Security guards who conspired against
their employers were never checked for criminal records. The
employers of employees who engaged in wrongful conduct at other
companies had never been contacted. Yet, many companies are
afraid of engaging in extensive background investigations out of
concern for EEOC and legislative privacy mandates. Don`t be.
Potential problems can be avoided by securing releases from job
candidates and/or their previous employers. Refer to Figure 1, a
form that authorizes a potential employer to conduct a background
check on a job candidate and releases the potential employer from
any liability associated with such investigations.
Regards
Arun
