Question: How do I improve my hiring skills?
Answer:
First things first, set crystal clear hiring goals.
Before you do anything, from placing a help-wanted ad to conducting the first interview, make sure you know exactly what you want in a new employee. Not only does the person need to have the necessary experience, he or she will also need to share your basic work philosophy.
Never hire anyone until you’ve conducted a thorough interview. Interviews provide a way for you to assess whether the candidate completely lacks skills, knowledge and attitude that are necessary to perform the job.
Know the right questions to ask. To get all of the information out of the interview that will help you make the right hiring decision, you have to ask the right questions. Make sure you learn all that you can about the person’s training, job experience and, perhaps most important, work ethic.
Read the r & #233;sum & #233;s. It may not be your idea of great reading, but it is necessary reading when choosing a new employee. Paying close attention to what your applicants’ r & #233;sum & #233;s say can make a huge difference when it comes time to decide who would make the best employee for your organization.
Never make it sound like a candidate already has the job. Sounding overly confident you are going to hire someone happens for many reasons. Sometimes inexperienced interviewers may commit this sin out of nervousness, or experienced interviewers may want to avoid making poor candidates feel bad. Or an interviewer may jump the gun because he or she really likes a candidate and gets excited about snatching him or her out of the job market.
Always ask about a candidate’s work experiences. Be sure to listen closely to what he or she says about the topic. You might discover that he or she claims to have had an experience at a company that just doesn’t add up.
Reference checks usually aren’t worth your time. The problem with reference checks is that most of the people you call as references aren’t being forthright. Previous employers don’t often say bad things about their departed employees. If their employment ended poorly, chances are their employer is happy to get rid of them and may give them a good reference to make sure they stay away.
Too much concern about money is not good. A sure sign that someone isn’t the right person for the job is a preoccupation with how much money it pays. If they are overly concerned about money during the interview, chances are that attitude will carry over into the job itself. Look for people who are enthusiastic about what they bring to the table and express an interest in professional growth.
Excerpts from author Ruth Haag’s “Hiring and Firing: Book Three.” For more information, visit www.haagpress.com.
