How to find the right people…

Ideally recruiting should be a 2 way process, but there are 2 reasons why it usually isn’t. One, the employer has a vacancy he/she needs to fill; and two, the candidate is under pressure to find a job.

One thing we can do as an employer to move closer to the ideal is to recruit on an ongoing basis. When we meet someone who we think would make a good employee, build a relationship with them, even although we do not have an immediate need for them. Then stay in touch (using an existing employee if necessary).

There are 4 things which, handled well, will improve the odds of us finding the right people - regardless of whether we use recruiters or place our own ads. in the Employment Opportunities section of the local paper. They are the resume, the interview, testing and the reference check.

Start by looking carefully at the resume. Has it been customized for your position, are there typos or spelling mistakes? Ask yourself if what’s in it matches the requirements in your job description. Check for gaps in employment. If the candidate claims to have the qualifications you require – anything from completing a fork lift driver’s course to a College Diploma – make any offer of employment conditional on production of proof of completion of the training. If they’ve started but haven’t completed a qualification, that may - and I stress may - be a cause for concern.

Use what’s on the resume as a basis for the questions you’ll use in the interview. Ask questions that require them to describe situations in which they used qualities they claim to have. For example, if someone says they say they possess initiative, ask them to talk about a situation in which they had to use it.

Take time to prepare before walking into an interview. Consider each candidate’s appearance and the first impression they make. Ask questions which call for specific examples of past behavior (the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior). For example, “Tell me how you dealt with your former workmates when you became the charge hand.” or “I see you were involved in the expansion of the warehouse while you were at XYZ. Describe your responsibilities and tell me how you carried them out.” Ask them to give you some examples of how they think they’ll be able to apply their previous experience in your company.

Listen carefully to answers you get. Ask yourself if the candidates actually answered the question you asked. That will tell you something about their listening skills. Pay attention to the words they use - do the team players talk about “we” – or “I”; do they take responsibility or “blame” other people and factors for things that didn’t go as planned; how well do they explain themselves? The more responsible the job they’re applying for, the more structure you should look for in their answers.

Then give them an opportunity to ask questions. Assess the quality of the questions they ask. For example, they might be simple but valid for entry level positions –“What are the working hours?” But you should expect more probing questions from more experienced or senior applicants – “What’s the average length of service of your employees?” or “How will my performance/success be measured?”

The more impact the position has on your businessthe more you should consider using some form of testing. Recruiters, industry associations and Industrial Psychologists offer different types of tests. Decide what skills and/or qualities you want to assess and use the appropriate tests. But never decide whether or not to hire a candidate based on test results alone. Rather use test results to help you understand how you would manage the candidates after they’re on board.

We’re all aware that some companies refuse to respond to reference checks. However, it’s always worth calling the people the chosen candidate has given as references – just in case. I have talked to someone who was surprised to be a reference, on more than one occasion. There is a key question you should always ask when taking a reference and that is - “Would you hire this person again in the role in which they were employed?” If the referee struggles with his or her answer, then that is a warning signal.

This article is based on the presentation “How to Find and Keep the Right People” which I made at the Markham Small Business Enterprise Centre’s Small Business Conference “Path to Prosperity” held on 5 October 2005. If you want to see more of Jim’s presentation on “How to Find and Keep the Right People” go tohttp://www.profitpath.ca/events.html

© Copyright ProfitPATH, a division of JDS & Associates Inc., 2005

Before becoming CEO of the Canadian subsidiary of a multi-national corporation, Jim gained over 25 years’ business experience in major corporations (including subsidiaries of Pitney Bowes, Xerox and ITT) in Canada and Internationally. His orientation and expertise saw him spend much of his time starting and growing new or existing businesses. Since 1997, he has specialized in helping the owners of small and medium size enterprises, successfully achieve their growth objectives. Three of the companies with whom he has worked have received Business Achievement Awards. In 1995, Jim completed an MBA in the Executive Program at the University of Toronto, finishing on the Dean’s List. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of South Africa. Visit Jim's web site http://profitpath.ca/ for more information.

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