“Hire integrity, enthusiasm, and passion; develop skill.” – Ty Howard
Most small and medium-sized companies do not have a dedicated HR person: someone to manage the recruitment of associates and build the right team for the work you do. More often than not, HR is another hat that people in your organization have to share on top of all of their other jobs. Of all the “hats,” however, HR is the one department that can have the greatest impact on the success of your organization.
Finding the right associates, like most things, is easier when your organization has a plan. The following short checklist will dramatically improve your organization’s ability to find and on-board the people you need.
What should your plan look like to improve your chances of getting the right people?
CREATE A SHOPPING LIST
In its simplest form, recruiting is essentially a procurement problem. Discuss with your key people what type of person your organization needs in a new hire and create a draft job description.
- What are the attitudes that you want?
- What are the behaviors that you want?
- What are the skills that you want?
- Then ask those three questions to your organizations key people, particularly those who will be directly involved in what the new associate will be doing?
- If you have never created a formal job description, templates are easy to find online. A quick internet search will present you with a variety of options that you can use to customize the template to fit your needs. A job description, like a performance conversation, is a living document; it will change and evolve as your organization does.
- A job description represents the concept that if you could BUILD the perfect person for this position, these would be the duties, skills, attitudes, and behaviors that they would have.
HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO PAY?
Once a job description is established, set a budget. Keep in mind:
- If you want someone with the equivalent skill of a CEO and you are paying an “entry level” salary, you already have a problem: your budget has to be realistic. Too many organizations omit this step and are unsuccessful in their search because they have not set realistic expectations to match the compensation they are prepared to provide to applicants.
- Use your personal network of business associates online hiring sources to find examples of competitive wages in similar fields.
CREATE A JOB ADVERTISEMENT
A job advertisement is like any other marketing or sales tool. As an organization, simply posting the job description is not enough. A job advertisement needs to capture an applicant’s interest and desires exactly the same way any kind of advertisement does.
- Even if you have an existing advertisement that has worked in the past, review it and update the content.
- Search online for similar positions for ideas on how to “turbocharge” your advertisement. Copy the best concepts from industry leaders to make your ad stand out.
- Ask for references with a cover letter and resume. References help to reduce the risk for you as a small or medium-sized company. References remain an effective tool, but only if utilized properly.
- Sponsor the ad when using an online provider. Even a small budget will increase the exposure of your advertisement.
- Post the job internally. Your organization may have associates who want to grow and develop within your team, and providing them with such opportunities is an excellent way to retain their skills and expertise.
- Consider offering a “finder’s fee” to your existing associates if they recommend qualified candidates that are hired.
- If your organization is open to the public, post the job so your customers or clients are aware of the opportunity.
- Use your social media presence and post the job opportunity.
- Contact local employment agencies such as the YMCA to post your position.
- Check the results DAILY. Acknowledge online applicants immediately, and do not hesitate to interview qualified people before the job-posting deadline. The job market is every competitive and applicants with more than one opportunity may not wait for your cut off date.
WHO TO INTERVIEW?
Evaluate each application as soon as it is received, and use the job description to weigh the skills, experience, and attitudes of each person. In a competitive marketplace:
- Understand that it is unlikely the “perfect applicant” will apply. As a recruiter, you will have to find the “best person” available. It may be necessary to review the list of applicants several times, depending on how many people apply.
- Prior to starting the interview process ask your key associates, “Of the skills, attitude, and behaviors desired, which are “deal/no deal breakers”? A candidate who has almost everything except one or two of the minor points may be worth the risk, if they are the best overall applicant.
- Examine where the applicant lives relative to your location. Long commutes, particularly in the winter, will create anxiety, both for the new associate and for your existing staff during inclement weather.
- Read every resume and cover letter. A useful process to consider: Read the first five resumes: when the sixth is reviewed, and if the candidate has better skills than one of the first five, replace the weakest application. Repeat with each subsequent application. It is impossible to interview everyone and this is a useful method of sorting though dozens of applications.
INTERVIEWING
The interview process can be intimidating for the applicant and even the people conducting the interview. Take the time, plan, prepare, and relax.
- Always have a second person interview with you. The second person doesn’t have to ask many questions, but their presence is invaluable when they are evaluating the applicant. Consider the following: How relaxed is the applicant? How does the applicant address both interviewers? How well does the applicant answer each question?
- Try to ask each applicant the same questions. Search online to find an interview template and then customize its questions so the interview is tailored to draw out the skills, experiences, and attitudes from the job description.
- Avoid recording too many personal comments on your interview notes. Use “red/amber/green” to note concerns or highlights.
- Take the time to “drill down” on any specific question to ensure clarity, when necessary.
- Try to avoid doing marathon interviewing. The most I recommend is five per day, spaced evenly throughout the day. Allow a review period with the co-interviewer to discuss each interview as it is completed.
- Consider using a pre-interview questionnaire. These questionnaires are helpful to see how applicants handle unexpected situations and how well they think in a pressure situation. For administrative positions, make use of standard Microsoft Word and Excel tests to check for computer competencies.
- Finish by asking the applicant if they have any questions. A good applicant will have questions for you. Having questions demonstrates that they are interested and prepared.
- Take a moment and ask your office associates how well the applicant treated them while waiting for the interview.
- End the interview by saying that you will get back to them as soon as you have an opportunity to check references.
- If the person was impressive, ask them to wait in the lobby. Discuss the applicant with your co-interviewer and do not be afraid to offer the applicant the position on the spot in certain circumstance. If the applicant is good, your organization may not be the only company where they will have an interview.
- Consider having a second interview for higher-level positions.
THE NEXT STEP/THE OFFER:
If you have several qualified applicants, review each applicant against the job description then make your decision. If you have not found the right person, consider rerunning the advertisement and modify the text as required. When making an offer:
- Contact the successful applicant and ask them if they would like the position.
- Be prepared with the salary.
- Ask them to come in and do the paperwork within 48 hours to ensure they are committed.
- Ask them to bring their banking information and be prepared to go through your hiring package.
- Have a training schedule prepared with an agreed upon start date.
- Contact the people who did not get the position and speak to them, but try to avoid leaving a message. Thank them and keep them in mind for future opportunities, if they are interested.
- Update all of the online sources indicated the position has been filled.
- Have your “Hiring/On-boarding Package” prepared and ready.
SUMMARY
Finding the right person is difficult. Any new hire involves a certain percentage of risk. That risk can be minimized by preparing, planning, and then executing your plan. With each new hire, revisit the plan, update, and modify as necessary.
Always build up and sell your organization’s culture and professionalism right from your first meeting.
Good luck,