How To Hit The Hiring Target

To hit the hiring TARGET, we need to A.I.M. properly. We need to incorporate questions and processes to detect Abilities, Interest and Manageability of the candidates. When it comes to perfecting your A.I.M., Abilities are the easiest part. We can consider related education and experience, ask open-ended questions, and have candidates illustrate their skills. Often, that is where we stop.

We often neglect to explore whether the candidate is truly Interested (willing & motivated) to excel at this job in your practice. The issue of Manageability is even more illusive. After all, how can we predict if this person will comply with our standards and policies, get along with coworkers, and accept leadership and constructive feedback? Will this be the  Employee of the Year, or the worst renegade on record? So what questions can you ask to help predict a candidate’s Interest and Manageability?

Interest

-        Why did you apply for this job?

-        What other employers have you applied with?

-        What do you know about our company?

-        How does this job fit in with where you see yourself in a few years?

-        What was the best thing about your last job? What did you like least about it?

-        Describe your idea of the ideal (job, boss, and coworker).

-        What have you done on your own time and with your own money to make yourself better qualified for this type of position?

-        Give an example of when you went above and beyond what your job required.

We are all in the business of treating and pleasing our patients. Your employee Interest in meeting or exceeding your patient’s expectations is critical. Have the candidate’s role-play through some difficult scenarios. First ask what they would do, but then ask them to role play how they would do it. Would their approach and communication style align with your standards?

Manageability

-        What kinds of people do you work best with?

-        Describe a conflict you had with a co-worker.

-        How important is communication in your job?

-        Describe the best boss you have had. What about the worst boss? (Note: if they describe you, think again about the match!)

-        Give an example of a company policy you disagreed with, and how you responded.

-        How would your coworkers describe you?

-        What will your boss say when you quit?

-        When I ask your previous employer, what will he/she say were your greatest strengths? Which areas will he or she say you could improve?

-        Describe your dependability?

-        Tell me about a time when a supervisor told you about a shortcoming in your performance. How did you respond, and what did you do to correct the problem?

-        What do you like least about your past positions?

Don’t forget to use scenarios and role plays here. You can learn a lot about a person’s manageability with those techniques.

Watch for clues in all the answers. Does this job and your company fit with their expectations and experiences? Will it keep their interest and will they be motivated to stay and succeed? All of your hiring decisions may not result in  bulls eyes, but with some structured questions, you can sure reduce the likelihood of missing the target all together.

TPO is an award-winning firm established in 1991 made up of a group of highly experienced, nationally certified HR experts and trainers. TPO is licensed by the State of California (PI-25638) to provide investigative services. For more information, please contact us at 800-277-8448 or visit our web site www.tpohr.com.

Contents © 2011 TPO Human Resource Management. No part of this article may be reproduced, excerpted or redistributed in any form without express written permission from TPO Human Resource Management.

How Job Descriptions Benefit Companies

Organizations large and small have recognized the advantage of maintaining current written job descriptions for all job positions. The essential areas of a job description should include: Essential Duties and Responsibilities, Qualification Requirements (Education & Experience, Language Skills, Mathematical Skills, Reasoning Ability, and other skills), Physical Demands, and the Work Environment.

USES FOR A JOB DESCRIPTION: Current job descriptions are useful in many areas of your business activities, such as:

<      Placing Classified Ads: The job duties and responsibilities outlined on the Job Description can serve as the basis for writing targeted job advertisements to help ensure that only the most qualified candidates who are interested in your position apply. Make sure to accurately describe the position and to include personality traits desired as well.

 

<      Hiring the Right Employee: Interviewers who review the Job Description before talking to applicants will be better able to ask job-related questions and obtain more useful information from applicants. Additionally, applicants can see in “black-and-white” what is expected of him/her and decide if there is a match between the job and the individual’s qualifications before continuing with the recruitment process.

<      Clarifying Responsibilities: Job Descriptions help employees develop a sense of how their job fits in with the company as a whole. The Job Description should provide a clear picture of the scope of responsibilities of the position, and reduce the amount of time required of management to clarify what is expected of the employee.

<      Performance Appraisal Tool: Communicates to employees what is expected in advance of evaluating how well they performed the job is key. A Job Description can be a primary tool in seeing that the employee understands what is expected. Yearly and introductory period performance appraisals are a perfect time to (1) review the employee’s Job Description to make sure that he/she is performing according to expectations, and to (2) discuss any changes in job responsibilities that have occurred and update the Job Description.

<      Returning Employee to Work: Prior to an employee returning to work from a disability or long-term absence (work-related or not), a properly written job description can be used by the physician to determine if the employee is able to return and under what (if any) limitations.

<      Complying with ADA Requirements: Although a written Job Description is not required by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), it can be extremely helpful should a claim under the ADA be filled. A properly written Job Description can be pertinent evidence.

HOW TO DEVELOP JOB DESCRIPTIONS?

ü  When identifying essential functions of the position, focus on the purpose of the function, not the manner in which the function has been performed in the past. 

ü  Involve employees in the process of developing their job description.

TPO is an award-winning firm established in 1991 made up of a group of highly experienced, nationally certified HR experts and trainers. TPO is licensed by the State of California (PI-25638) to provide investigative services. For more information, please contact us at 800-277-8448 or visit our web site www.tpohr.com.

Contents © 2011 TPO Human Resource Management. No part of this article may be reproduced, excerpted or redistributed in any form without express written permission from TPO Human Resource Management.

Challenges Of Finding Talent – Where Are They And How Do We Get Our Hands On Them?

When an employer is caught with a vacant management position, there is often a knee-jerk reaction to fill that position with a warm body that resembles what the organization feels management should look like. However, identification of critical positions and future vacancies as well as individuals who might potentially fit into these vacancies will give the organization a larger and more qualified pool from which to draw.

Parallel to identification of key positions in the organization is the determination of future critical success factors for the position. What are the skills and competencies needed in the future for critical positions? How will you determine a potential candidate has demonstrated the skills and competencies for success? It is also important to identify why key talent is leaving the organization and make a conscious choice that culturally ingrains “passing the torch.” It can be challenging to recruit for a key management position based on “future” needs and goals. However with an eye to future customer needs, future market conditions, and what it will require to be competitive, organizations can outline a management profile for the future. Once identified, it becomes easier to target those skills and experiences in current and potential employees.

Strategic and Future Focus

Key management talent is crucial in the hyper-competitive global economy. Organizational talent becomes a competitive advantage and is just as important to organizational growth as adequate capital and a sound business model. Organizations today need executive and staff talent who have the vision to take the organization to the next level, as well as manage up, down, and laterally. Developing talent takes time and often becomes a “nice to do” item on organizational check lists. Many organizations are engaged in finding warm and safe places to avoid pain and find it difficult to focus on the very things that could help them rise above that stage. Organizations tend to focus on in-the-moment issues -- putting out fires, such as cash flow, increased production, increased costs, and filling the ever revolving door of vacancies with qualified and talented people.

Goal of Recruitment

It becomes more important in current market conditions to be very clear about the specifics of the open position as well as how the organization will “sell” itself to prospective candidates. While perks, bonuses and traditional rewards are not at the level we saw in the technology boom of the mid to late 1990’s, companies are aware that by strategically reviewing the Total Remuneration issues such as health benefits, compensation, child care, relocation costs, etc., they can provide an attractive “package” for potential candidates – especially if those candidates are already employed by competitors.

Key factors to identify in the recruitment of qualified employees are:

• Critical cultural success factors
• Recruitment policies and systems that must change to reflect current practices as well as future goals
• Non-viable job descriptions that must be rewritten in order to have a clear understating of the tasks and responsibilities
• Personality traits of a high performing employee (with regard to a specific position as well as organizationally)
• Competitors and potential candidates to cast a broad net for potential new leaders
• Recruitment processes that must be systematized to ensure consistency of screening techniques, predictive assessment, reference checking, orientation and training

Talent Identification - It is easy to identify a handful of people whose departure would be devastating to the organization. It is somewhat harder to identify current employees who are already thinking beyond their job, thinking bigger, and have the potential to make a bigger impact on the organization. The task is simpler in small organizations, but becomes a serious search in larger organizations. Once identified, current employees are prime for development to move up into the management positions. Advantages of developing current employees are retaining of institutional knowledge that often leaves with departing executives; current employees have first hand knowledge of the organization and industry, and it provides a way to retain good talent. Also important is planning the development of internal talent.

Targeting and Recruiting Talent - When looking outside the company for talent whether executive or otherwise, most skilled recruiters will target the company’s competition - individuals who are already engaged in areas that the organization has identified as a potential gap in knowledge/skills or expertise. Passive candidates are typically the best qualified for positions you need to fill and also may be less susceptible to multiple offers. The recruitment process starts with clearly outlined objectives, skills, experience and knowledge needed to perform the position successfully - the nuts and bolts of this starts with an up-to-date job description. Additionally, defining what specific expertise will be needed now and in the future will help to identify individuals with a broad knowledge base. Expertise in only one area can be a handicap in today’s global market.

Critical Success Factors – in addition to key position specific job skills critical success factors for key talent are:

• Knowledge of the industry or industries
• Vision to take the organization to the next level – often overlooked and under valued in looking at current employees
• Broad understanding of business and it’s global operations
• Flexibility – the right approach at the right time
• Reasoning and problem solving skills
• Strategic skills required to control costs, increase revenue and be competitive

However, not all organizations are created equal. The strategic skills required to grow an organization are not always transferable to another.

To conclude, when employers recognize the inherent benefits of developing an integrated recruitment plan to their succession planning system they have recognized one of the greatest costs in their business environment – the total cost of turnover as well as the potential loss of top talent. The next step after you have successfully recruited and hired your employees is to focus on training and development processes that help ensure growth and development of key talent, but will also become a competitive advantage in the recruitment process.

TPO is an award-winning firm established in 1991 made up of a group of highly experienced, nationally certified HR experts and trainers. TPO is licensed by the State of California (PI-25638) to provide investigative services. For more information, please contact us at 800-277-8448 or visit our web site www.tpohr.com

Contents © 2011 TPO Human Resource Management. No part of this article may be reproduced, excerpted or redistributed in any form without express written permission from TPO Human Resource Management.