Finding and Hiring Good Employees: Basics You Need to Know and Follow (Part One of Two)

Human Resources expert Jean Fortin recently addressed attendees at the 2003 Hunter Preferred Contractor Program Business Conference on the subject of hiring and retaining good employees. Here are highlights of her discussion.

Finding the best candidates to fill your company’s job needs will ensure that you will have employees longer and thus keep the search process from becoming a regular, recurring event.

Make a Staffing Plan

What exactly is the type of job that needs filling and how many of those jobs are there? What are the precise specifications and descriptions? Decide in advance what the salary and benefits will be. Create a timeline for what positions must be filled and when. Consider your recruitment sources, how much you will budget for your search and what the selection process for choosing the ideal candidate will be.

Find Good Candidates

If the person you are seeking is not currently a member of your staff, where are you going to locate them? What type of advertising will you do – newspapers, trade journals, internet?

Getting in touch with public employment agencies (including the local unemployment office) and the nearby Chamber of Commerce. Also contact high schools, religious organizations, social services and even a private employment agency or temporary service.

And, don’t forget your current employees (a past employee may be the right person, as well).

Prepare Interview Questions

A good interview has a purpose and a direction…and you are the one responsible for keeping it on course. Make sure your interview follows these guidelines:

1. Application Process
   This serves three purposes: it is a record of the applicant’s desire to obtain a position, provides the interviewer with a profile of the applicant, and becomes a basic personnel record for applicants who are hired.
2. Legal vs. Illegal Questions
   You may not ask questions about race, complexion or color of skin. You also may not ask about marital status, living arrangements, spouse’s occupation, children or child care arrangements. You can inquire if a candidate has any relatives employed by your firm, but you cannot ask them to list the names or identify their relationship.
3. Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-Haves
   Identify the essential characteristics you are looking for in a candidate – e.g., physical strength, ability to follow directions, flexible hours, good work ethics, etc. Then, focus your interview questions on those particular characteristics.
4. Behavioral Questions
   Have them be specific about their behavior in a past circumstance relevant to this position. How did they address the situation?
5. Alertness
   Have them tell you about a specific experience when they had to react quickly because of a change in the physical environment. Also ask about their experiences in dealing with routine work.
6. Commitment
   Find out about any times when they were highly motivated or had to work very hard to reach their goals.

Common Errors

Try to avoid any and all of the following and you won’t waste time – yours or theirs. Asking leading questions. Making decisions too early in the interview. Lacking knowledge of precise job requirements. Letting the pressure of your duties shorten interview time. Doing more talking than the candidate (the “70/30 rule” – they should talk 70% of the time). Failure to direct the interview. Not knowing what to look for. Allowing one undesirable factor to influence your overall judgment. Lack of preparation for the interview. Being interviewed by the candidate instead of doing the interview.

Check References

If possible, check three references on each candidate. This demonstrates that you are using reasonable care in the hiring process. Careful reference checks ensure that candidates are right for the job and they are who they claim to be. Always ask open-ended questions about job performance and avoid questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.

Part II: “How to Retain Good Employees: Basics You Need to Know and Follow (Part Two of Two)” once you hire them.