Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Solid hiring decisions begin with a job description which accurately incorporates the
success factors for the position in question. Identify the behaviors, skills and qualities
which are required to add value to that role. Make sure these assets are obvious within
the job advertisement. Formulate a clear hiring criteria and charge your interviewing
team to evaluate candidates based on those specific factors.
Involve line staff and managers in that department heavily in all phases of
the screening and selection process. Individuals with intimate knowledge of the job
are often better equipped to evaluate how candidates will actually fare in the position.
Formulate interview questions that will elicit concrete evidence of how candidates
have exhibited successful behaviors for the target job in past experiences. Ask for
examples which prove that individuals have applied the right skills, knowledge, and
personal qualities to add value.
Look for evidence that candidates have taken on difficult challenges and overcome
obstacles in the past. For example, take the college senior who took 19 credits with
many advanced courses while working significant hours, holding down a leadership
position on campus, or pursuing a sport. This individual might be a better prospect
than a student with a higher GPA, who took less demanding courses and focused
exclusively on academics.
Make a record of the specific evidence which candidates have shared regarding how
they have achieved success, taken on challenges and solved problems. Conduct
reference calls to check the facts with previous supervisors and colleagues. For
example, if a candidate asserts that she cut expenses by implementing a specific cost
cutting initiative, be sure to ask her references if and how expenses were cut in order
to verify her facts.
Avoid the charisma trap. The most charming and eloquent candidate is not
necessarily the best person for the job. Interviewing teams can easily become
enamored with smooth and attractive candidates.
Whenever feasible, incorporate tests for candidates into your screening process. If
you are looking for someone to debug programs, provide them with a program to
refine. If you are looking for a great proofreader, ask them to proof a flawed
document.
Be willing to reassess your methods of advertising and start over if the pool hasnt
yielded an outstanding candidate. Finding the right person for the job is well worth
spending the time it may take.
Take the time to evaluate and learn from your past hiring processes and the decisions
you made.
Walk employees through your building to orient them to the lunchroom, the
restrooms and smoking areas, if applicable. Point out any safety hazards and
illustrate appropriate precautions to take when entering those areas, as well as the
spots for first aid supplies and emergency call buttons if you have them. Introduce
new hires to current employees you pass during your orientation tour.
Provide new hires with the paperwork theyll need to fill out to for benefits the
company provides. Go over the benefits and let employees know when they will
become eligible for various perks, such as insurance, 401(k) plans and vacation days.
Describe the procedures for applying for benefits and answer questions as they arise.
Present employees with the rules the business will enforce. Include information about
appropriate dress codes, calling in sick and other policies. The rules are an integral
part of your company culture and can include unspoken rules, such as eating in the
work area or bringing children to the workplace. Discuss workplace relationships,
discrimination and sexual harassment policies.