A checklist to ensure quality hires as economy improves
Whether hiring for one or two vacant positions, or moving forward with a long-postponed expansion and recruiting an entire department, the stakes are high when it comes to finding the right candidate.
If the wrong person is hired and stays on for six months or less, the cost of rehiring and retraining is significant. And organizations in recovery mode — as most businesses are — can hardly afford to throw dollars away.
So what should employers do — and not do — to be on top of their game as the hiring market turns around? Here’s a list of dos and don’ts to keep in mind.
Job descriptions and competencies
Do: Hire people who can execute business strategies.
Don’t: Dust off the job description that has been kicking around for the last two years.
As a result of the recession, many talent management professionals report business drivers have changed in ways that affect how people do their jobs. This means the competencies associated with senior business analyst or customer service representative positions must be reviewed and amended accordingly, even if a position has been around for decades. What worked then may not work now.
Culture fit
Do: Make culture part of the hiring criteria to decrease turnover.
Don’t: Focus so much on skills that fit is ignored.
To get the right fit for the job and the company, paint a complete picture of a successful performer when looking at job requirements. This means looking at competencies, knowledge, experience and personal attributes, which translate into culture fit or fit to a job.
One-half of hiring decisions don’t work out as expected, according to a 2008 study by the Corporate Executive Board in Arlington, Va. This can often be attributed to poor culture fit. A computer programmer who knows every programming language inside and out and has been writing custom code for five years might have seemed to fit the bill when she was hired but, in reality, she likes to be left alone to do her work — not a great match for an organization that is highly collaborative. This culture mismatch is likely to lead to engagement and performance problems and, possibly, a premature departure.
Culture fit can be measured through various tools at all stages of the candidate search. Many organizations use tests to prescreen applicants and narrow the candidate pool. Personality tests are a popular choice because they can get at personal attributes.
Simulations are more time-intensive, but their big advantage is challenging a candidate to perform as he would on the job.
For example, in an environment where customers can be challenging, role-playing a common scenario offers information about performance and fit at the same time. Once they reach the interview stage, behavioural interviews are the most effective method and questions should be specific to a company’s culture.
Using technology to screen applicants
Do: Leverage screening tools to narrow the flood of applicants for few jobs.
Don’t: Let the giant candidate pool turn hiring interviews into a needle-in-a-haystack search.
We’ve all heard the stories of job fairs prompting lines that wrap around the block and thousands of resumés pouring in for a handful of entry-level positions. Add to that the fact organizations likely have fewer recruiting staff than two years ago, and wading through those applications can seem like an insurmountable task.
This is where an investment in technology will pay off. If applicant tracking systems and pre-screening tools such as testing are in place, ensure they are up to date and aligned with new business strategies. Testing is a cost-effective way to help efficiently identify top candidates, saving recruiters valuable time (and sanity), narrowing the interview candidates down and increasing the efficacy of hiring efforts.
Interviewing tactics
Do: Polish up interviewing skills.
Don’t: Forget to “sell” the job and company — this is still critical.
With effective interviewing, like any skill, practice makes perfect. It’s likely hiring staff and managers haven’t had much chance to use these skills over the past two years, so a refresher is in order. Reviewing the basics of good behavioural interviewing will combat an urge to revert to classic errors such as placing too much weight on a firm handshake and a “gut feeling” about a candidate.
In a job market where there is a seemingly endless pool of applicants, interviewers may have a false sense they can relax and not put as much emphasis on creating a positive candidate experience. This can be a costly error — there may be many jobseekers vying for a position but only one or two who are the perfect fit. And chances are they are also somebody else’s perfect fit and a poor interview experience could lead that candidate to walk away.
Interviewers still need to take the time to ask the right questions, collect data and integrate that data to gain the most accurate picture of a candidate. During interviews, they need to conduct themselves professionally so the organization puts its best foot forward.
Beware the slick candidate
Do: Recognize job candidates who are pretenders.
Don’t: Let over-polished candidates deceive hiring recruiters.
Once they’ve been on the market for an extended period of time, candidates have a lot of practice interviewing and meeting with recruiters. They have polished and repolished their resumés and are learning the right things to say even though they may not truly have the skills or experiences required.
Onboarding
Do: Treat onboarding as the final stage of the hiring process.
Don’t: Ignore an individual’s potential contributions and motivation in the first 100 days.
What happens during an employee’s first 100 days on the job predicts how successful she’ll be in that role from day 101 onward. Turnover is highest during the first six months of employment, which can also be the most frustrating as new associates struggle to learn the ropes. When new employees hang in there for the short term and can taste success early on, they are more engaged, productive and able to contribute. And they’re likely to stay long term.
Start them out with a solid onboarding strategy that capitalizes on their excitement for a new opportunity, gives them early “wins” in their job and access to what it takes to be successful in the job and company. Ultimately, it will reduce the risk they’ll become another early-tenure turnover statistic.
Scott Erker is senior vice-president of selection solutions at Development Dimensions International (DDI). He provides thought leadership and oversees the development and implementation of comprehensive selection systems to meet clients’ business needs. He can be reached at [email protected].
