Havre Job Service Employers'
Committee Employer Resource Guide
|
Havre Job Service Employers'
Committee Employer Resource Guide
|
|
TEN
IMPORTANT STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL HIRING 1.
Know What You’re Looking For
Successful hiring begins with reviewing
the job description for the position you have open. If you don’t have
up-to-date job descriptions, you need to create an accurate job description
defining the essential duties, qualifications, physical demands, and work
environment of the job. It’s important to know and understand
what the job is all about. In hiring decisions, you have to be able to make a
judgment, not just about the person being interviewed, but also about the fit
between the person and the job. Well-written job descriptions help you hire the right people and make the kind of fair employment decisions you can defend in court. 2.
Find the Best Applicants
Various recruiting sources are
available including personal recommendations, internal recruitment, employee
referrals, college recruiting, employment agencies, and employment ads.
Depending on the size and needs of your organization, you may use one, some, or
all of these sources to find applicants. Many employers believe that employee
referrals are the best way to recruit new applicants. Current employees are
committed to the organization and understand the work environment. And,
referrals are relatively inexpensive. However, employment ads continue to be
the most widely used recruiting source. To avoid drowning in a sea of resumes,
it is important to write clear and specifically defined employment ads. Such ads
will not only dissuade unqualified applicants, but will also make the recruiting
process much more efficient.
3.
Plan for Interviews
Once you’ve gathered resumes it’s
time to match them with your job description to screen out unqualified
applicants. Review promising resumes and make notes of or highlight areas
you’d like to discuss. It is a good idea to prepare questions
in advance that you want to ask of all your applicants. Ask specific questions
about areas of expertise relating to the job to test actual knowledge. Avoid asking illegal questions that
deal with the applicant’s sex, race, age, marital status, disabilities,
religious beliefs, national origin, and sexual preference. Such questions might
be interpreted as being discriminatory. Focus on the applicant’s
qualifications, experience, abilities, and future goals. Almost every applicant will have been
coached or read about typical interview questions such as: ·
Why did you leave your last job? ·
Why do you want this job? ·
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? ·
What are your strengths? What are your
weaknesses? ·
What did you like most about your last
job? ·
What did you like least about your last
job? Those questions will certainly provide
valuable information, but you may want to come up with questions for which the
applicant will be less prepared. Some examples might be: ·
Tell me about the best boss you ever
had. Why was he/she the best? ·
Tell me about the worst boss you ever
had. Why was he/she the worst? ·
What’s the most important thing a
boss can do to support you? ·
How do you solve problems? ·
Describe a work conflict and how you
resolved it? ·
What are some things your last employer
could have done to be more successful? ·
What area of your skills do you want to
improve in the next year? 4.
Create the Proper Interview Atmosphere
Arrange for a quiet, private space to
conduct your interviews. Clear your schedule and allow ample uninterrupted time.
Interruptions are not only rude to the applicant, they disrupt the flow and make
it more difficult to elicit and evaluate information. In order to get an accurate picture of
the applicant, you need to ease any tension and establish a comfortable rapport.
Interviewing can be a stressful situation, and it’s up to you to relax an
applicant who might be nervous or uncomfortable. Putting the applicant at ease might
include such things as greeting the person in the reception area, introducing
yourself, offering coffee or tea, being courteous, and generally making
them feel welcome. The business value of creating the
proper atmosphere is that you: ·
Get more and better data; ·
Get a more natural response; · Give a positive impression of your organization; and, · Increase the “accept rate” of talented candidates. 5.
Make Your Purpose Clear
Even though it may seem obvious why the
person is there, you should reiterate the purpose of the interview. Without yet
getting into details about the job, confirm the position that is open and
briefly explain your process for conducting interviews. Is this a screening
interview? Will there be others to talk to? Will there be a follow-up interview?
Give applicants an approximate length
of time for the interview and check to be sure that it won’t conflict with
their schedule. Explain to applicants up front that all
references and work history will be checked. Ask for permission to contact
current employers and for names of key players in their past work life. 6.
Control the Interview Flow & Direction
It is your responsibility to use the
right techniques and ask meaningful questions to get all the information needed
to make a smart hiring decision. To do that, you need to keep the interview on
track and focused on job-related questions. Refer to your list of questions if
necessary. Don’t get caught in the common interviewing mistake of talking too
much and listening too little. Encourage the applicant to do most of the talking
by asking open-ended questions. Probe for details of the applicant’s
competence (experience, education, aptitude), work attitudes (enthusiasm, likes,
dislikes, goals), and social attitudes (personality, integrity, 7.
Listen & Take Notes
Your purpose is to gather job-related
information about the applicant. To do that you need to actively listen and pay
attention to everything being said. Applicants will be more at ease and
talkative if you show your undivided attention. Take brief reminder notes of key things
the applicant says. You can use these notes and elaborate on them immediately
after the interview. You may also want to jot down follow-up questions to issues
that were raised or incidents you want to explore. Explain that you are going to take
notes in advance. Write quickly and briefly to avoid distracting or disturbing
the applicant. 8.
Allow Questions
Give the applicant time to ask
questions about the job and the organization. If the applicant asks meaningful
and thoughtful questions, you can gain additional insight into his/her thinking
process and long-term goals. Be prepared to answer tough questions such as: ·
How is excellent performance rewarded? ·
What are the organization’s values
and ethics? · How does the organization support career development? · How secure is the position and the organization? 9.
Provide Information & Closure
The end of the interview is the
appropriate time to describe in detail the essential duties of the job and how
they fit into the organization. It is also the time to talk about the
organization’s culture, how people and different departments interact, and
what is expected of employees. Providing this information too early in the
interview gives the applicant clues on how to answer your questions. Be honest about the job and the
organization. If there are negatives, bring them up and discuss them. Potential
employees should have a good idea of what they are getting into and what they
can expect on the job. Discuss salary expectations, work
schedule, and benefits offered by the organization. Explain the next steps in
your hiring process. Close by thanking applicants for their time and interest in
your organization. 10.
Rate the Applicant
Allow yourself time after each
interview to collect your thoughts and rate the applicant. This can include
elaborating on the notes taken during the interview and your reflections on how
the applicant answered job-related questions. Avoid personal reactions to the
applicant. Focus on the essential duties and requirements of the position. Based
on the background and skills, how might the applicant perform in the position?
Be prepared to justify statements that you write down. The three most important questions you
need to answer to guarantee a quality hire are:
1.
Is the applicant able to do the job? 2.
Is the applicant willing to do the job?
3.
Is the applicant manageable, once on
the job? Hiring top-quality employees is vital to an organization. Employees are an organization’s most important resource and the greatest contributors to its success. They are a valued asset that should be carefully selected and nurtured. |
|
Send mail to havrejsc@mt.gov with
questions or comments about this web site.
|