Small Business Troubleshooting
Quality hiring process brings quality workers
South Florida Business Journal - by Roger Fritz
Problem: The employees that you have been hiring do not seem to be of the caliber that you would like. They are either incapable, uncommunicative, hard to lead, or otherwise disruptive to the company's work flow.
Diagnosis: This is the kind of problem that could go either of two ways: Either you or your senior staff are not doing your part to draw the best effort from your employees or your employee selection process needs some rethinking.
Prescription: On the premise that the problem lies in the way in which you screen, select and hire your employees, examine the following as possible ways to improve the process:
• Prepare yourself for the interview by familiarizing yourself with the candidate's resume in advance.
• Before the interview takes place, prepare a list of questions to ask the candidate.
• Understand the responsibilities of the position for which you are hiring.
• Ask the candidate open-ended questions.
• Allow the candidate to do most of the talking.
• Keep the interview flowing by using such questions and statements as: Why? Then what did you do? Tell me some more about that.
• Give your full attention to the candidate. Take only essential notes to help you remember such things as names, dates and statistics.
• Focus on the interview. Do not let the conversation drift to mutual acquaintances, common experiences, travels, hobbies, or other interesting but unimportant facts.
• Watch for signs of maturity and accountability. Does the candidate accept responsibility for his decisions, achievements and mistakes? How objective is he?
• Ask such questions as: Why did you leave (or are you thinking of leaving) your last job? What did you like best about your last job? If you could have made any improvements on your last job, what would they have been? Why? What was your most interesting assignment? Describe the best person you ever worked for, worked with, or had working for you? What types of people annoy you the most? What would you like to be doing five years from now? What is most important to you: the money or the type of work you will be doing? How would you describe yourself? What motivates you to put forth your best effort? If you were hiring a person for this position, what qualities would you be looking for?
• Watch out for braggarts.
• Check the candidate's references carefully.
• Don't make spot decisions.
• Weigh the candidate's potential in three broad categories: His job aptitude. His work attitude. His ability to fit in with his colleagues.
Small Business Troubleshooter is written by speaker and consultant Roger Fritz, author of 27 business and management books. Fax inquiries to Roger Fritz c/o San Francisco Business Times, (415) 398-1895, or e-mail them to sanfrancisco@amcity.com.
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