News Taffy
| Post Your News Send Us An Event Start A Gallery |  |
| Most Recent | Most Popular | Top Contributors | Galleries | Events |
News Article
 | Contributor: tanner_1 subscribe to my stories |
Filling Open positions-- Blog Post
One of the most difficult tasks for any employer is hiring the right person. To paraphrase Jim Collins in his groundbreaking book "Good to Great", a vital concept for a 'good to great company' is to realize that the goal is not simply pointing the 'bus' in the right direction, but ensuring that you've got 'the right people' on the 'right seats' on that bus! I truly believe that this is the best philosophies when it comes to overall business strategy. The truth is that you can have the best, most desired product on the market or the most innovative concept, but without the right people in the right places, that success will be short-lived at best. While I know that this seems like a simple concept, it is often overlooked. We get so wrapped up in trying to get the job covered that we often overlook simple things that might clue us in on whether or not this is the right person for the job. On the other side, we sometimes suffer from information overload causing 'analysis paralysis'! I've seen just as many people interview dozens of candidates over a 3 month period as I have seen people hire the first person that walks through the door. Both are flawed and will usually get you the same result. So often, we treat job candidates like they are lucky to be sitting in front of us--- like they are disposable. The interview process gets very little of our time. I remember a time when I showed up late to every interview that I performed because it was such a low priority to me and could not figure out why I could never get good people in the workforce. Then it hit me--- I was getting out of it exactly what I was putting into it. What if we treated job candidates like we were paying them to be there? We would be more efficient with their time and certainly try to make the most out of our interaction. In a way, we are paying them to be there. When we have an open position, we are paying someone to cover it. That means that someone is getting overtime or some other aspect of someone else's job is not being done, not to mention the time that we are devoting to the interviews. In reality, interviews cost us more than we recognize. Here are some basic things to think about when considering improving your interview process: Strategic Alignment: Have you thought about the position? Do you know what qualities you want the job incumbent to have? Do you have thoughts about what education, experience, personality, work ethic, etc. the perfect candidate would have? Is now the time to make changes to the role and your expectations of it? Placement: Are you looking for candidates in the right places? Are you using social media, industry journals, placement agencies, networking, or even current employees? Preparation: Do you have a good interview process developed? This may sound like a 'no-brainer' but people rarely think about this part until they are in the 'heat' of the interview. This is the first impression and you are letting them into the 'inter-sanctum' of your business. To put it into more simpler terms, this is like skipping the first date and taking them home to meet your family! Why not put your best foot forward? This will potentially set the tone for the rest of this relationship with the candidate. Information Gathering: How do you plan to do this? Do you have good interview questions? Are you going to do a background check? What about references? What do you want to learn from this interview and how are you going to learn it? Deal Closers: How high are you willing to go if the dream candidate walks in? By identifying your top tier offer, you will be able to negotiate with comfort in knowing that you have already set the limits. While you might not want to make your first offer your highest, you also don't want to low-ball someone-- it will instantly devalue your opinion of their worth and theirs. If the pay is significant enough, they will feel valued and you will treat them like a precious asset-- both of which are true! Commitment towards the position: This is the 'catch-all' categories for all of the other issues that pop up when you are dealing with HR in general. What happens if you don't find a candidate that will do for you? What happens if you find someone that is perfect but they have to have more than what you were willing to pay? What if you have 2 top candidates? Remember, your most valuable asset is your employees, so why not treat them that way. Don't settle because you haven't taken the time to think through your interview process and try to get the best possible candidate.
For more information, find me at www.leafturning.com [+] add comment |