Listen to this articleHiring is one of the most important aspects of running a company. The base salary you pay an “A” player vs a “C” player is very similar. But the “A” player will grow your company and free you up to do more.
Most Companies collect “C” players. They meet the minimum obligations for the job and nobody wants to see someone get fired. Companies often hire additional employees to cover the “C” player’s weaknesses.
Companies like GE and Amazon rank the bottom 10% of employees as part of a forced termination policy. While this seems harsh, its intent is to make Managers deal with underperformers. Former GE CEO, Jack Welch, explained it as a way to make room for “A” players.
Marc Zboch, a business expert, explains the top 10 ways to find “A” players for your Company or Department.
1. Advertise Widely
One of the best ways to draw in a healthy variety of applicants is by advertising the job widely. Focus not only on sector-specific websites, but also on local boards and national job posting sites. Search LinkedIn and job sites for employees that work for your well managed competitors.
2. Be Specific
When you are creating your job description and advertisement, you need to be specific with the particulars of the job. Going into as much detail as possible will let potential employees know whether they are a good fit. You want to weed out unqualified applicants. This will save you time and money, especially on sites that charge you per click or per applicant. The last thing you want is to have 1,000 applicants to pay for and sift through.
More Companies, and the US Federal Government, have realized that they are losing qualified candidates by requiring a higher degree than is necessary in non-technical positions. I would rather have a candidate with two years of solid job experience than a recent graduate with a four year degree in French Literature.
I have had Managers who want to require that candidates have a graduate degree. But when I ask if they would hire someone without the degree who had 10 years of targeted experience they enthusiastically say yes.
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3. Require a Resume and Response
Understanding a person’s employment history can help you determine whether they will be a good fit for your company. When you see a person’s resume, you will see a curated view of their experience, but it is a good way to start getting to know the applicant. Unfortunately employers are bombarded with unqualified applicants that apply to everything in hopes of getting lucky. You can weed them out by asking for a response to a question. I like to ask, “Briefly explain why you may be a good fit for this position.” This will reduce your responses in half. You’ll eliminate most unqualified and lazy people. You want the person who will put in the little extra effort to write something. It helps you figure out what makes them qualified for the job rather than trying to interpret it from their resume. You also get to evaluate their communication skills since their resume could have been written by someone else.
4. Interview Wisely
When you have sorted through your job applicants, you should place them in priority categories. Some applicants may not be right for the opening but may be worth keeping on file in case something relevant is available later. Put your business’s priorities in order when deciding which candidates to interview. I like to give a letter grade right after reading them.
5. Check References
Too many employers skip the necessary step of checking references. If a potential hire does not have appropriate references, this could be a red flag. Perhaps this person did not measure up to expectations in a previous job. It is also possible that the work experience and education on the reference have been fabricated.
In the case of a college student first entering the workforce or for someone who has been outside the workforce for an extended period of time due to unemployment or family status, it is possible to carefully consider them without prejudice. Accepting references from outside the workplace, like professors or volunteer organizations, can be a big help.
Many Companies have policies of limiting reference information. I get around this by asking the employee to contact their immediate boss to arrange a call for me to speak with them. GE found that the best employees had strong relationships with their former bosses and left on good terms.
If all you can get is an uncooperative HR Department then ask them this question. “Is the employee eligible for rehire”. If “no”, then the employee likely left on bad terms.
6. Ask the Right Questions
Sometimes, hiring the right employee can be as simple as asking the right questions. Along with the traditional questions like “Where do you want to be in five years?” and “Why do you want this job?”, include creative questions that play into the potential employee’s actual duties. Ask them how they would handle a particular situation faced in your department. This can show off your potential hire’s creativity. Don’t ask “what are your weaknesses”. Instead ask “when I speak to your former boss Mr. X, what will he tell me you needed to improve upon?”.
7. Look for a Committed Candidate
You will probably not want to hire someone who frequently switches jobs. But most hiring experts are encouraged if a former boss moved Companies then recruited the employee to come join her. Or if they moved to take a higher level position. Checking the candidate’s work history can help you make this important decision.
8. Test for Analytical Skills
Taking an employee’s educational background into account, it is necessary to go beyond the resume. Resumes can contain misstatements, and educational background could be inflated. Find creative ways to test your employees’ skills. There are job skill tests for almost every position. Don’t be afraid to assign the person a task such as researching a problem or writing a blog post. If the project is involved then you can pay them for their time before hiring them as an employee.
9. Check for Compatibility with Company Culture
You will want to hire someone who is a good fit with your company’s existing culture. Find out ways to check whether the candidate’s social skills are up to par. This is especially important when dealing with current managers and coworkers. If a person can’t get along with their previous bosses or current clients, this might be a red flag against hiring them.
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10. Analyze Social Media
You will be surprised to find out what you can learn by looking at a candidate’s social media presence. If they are careless with their information and post unwisely on a public basis, this could be a problem. Likewise, it could be a problem if your potential employee frequently complains about their job on social media.
Using social media as a place to post job openings is an excellent idea. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are three places to look for new employees.
Understand the Hiring Process
Hiring a new employee can be nerve-wracking. If you keep these 10 tips in mind, it may be easier to sort through the stacks of potential new hires. Marc Zboch believes that taking new hires’ abilities and experience into account, along with their education and social skills, can lead you towthe right choice for your company.
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