Filling critical positions today requires more energy than the typical process of advertising jobs and standard interviews. Running job ads can attract unqualified applicants, employed job shoppers and unhappy employees. In most cases, happy employees are not seeking new opportunities.
Successful HR and recruiting professionals recommend the following checklist for your next recruiting project:
• Most importantly, know your company culture, what kind of candidate would be a “best fit,” and understand the position requirements before you start the recruiting process. Have a list of questions, and ask each applicant the same questions. Take notes so you can evaluate effectively. Rate their answers during or after the interview, 1 to 10 or A to F for each question.
• Phone screen first to save valuable time and money. The phone interview can be an effective way of screening applicants if you’ve done your homework and are prepared. Sharpen your interview skills, and if you don’t have the experience, get some training or coaching from a professional or co-worker. You need to be confident about your interviewing skills or else the applicant will see through you. First impressions are so important and long-lasting.
During your initial conversation with a potential applicant, communicate to them that part of the recruiting process will include checking professional references, employment verification, criminal background check and a possible drug screening.
This is the applicant’s opportunity to decline or communicate to you if there are past incidents upfront before you go too far into the recruiting process.
Inquire about their authorization to work in the U.S. If your company has no policy to authorize applicants that require visa sponsorship to work in the U.S., there is no need to proceed any further.
• Ask about their compensation requirements. If your position is budgeted in the range of $50,000 to $60,000 annually and the applicant’s range is $70,000 to $80,000, this should raise a flag. Once a person has earned a specific dollar amount it is difficult for them to be satisfied working for less unless there are valid circumstances. Beware of applicants who tell you otherwise.
• If you’ve made it this far, find out why they are seeking a new position. You can find out a lot about an applicant at this stage. What are their goals and objectives for a new position, management and company? What culture do they prefer to work in, large, small, startup, well established, etc.? If their answers don’t match your requirements for the position, management or culture – pass.
Beware of applicants that have a long history of consulting and express their desire to work full time. Some applicants may have valid reasons, but it could be the market demand for their skills and experience is low.
Be cautious of job hoppers. We are all aware of the numerous company closures, mergers and acquisitions that occurred in the last five-plus years and have resulted in loss of jobs. But more than three, four or five in the last five years is over the top.
Listen to what the applicant is telling you. In some cases their reasons are valid, and they’ve experienced some bad luck. In some cases consultants go full time for personal reasons. Marriage, children or taking care of elderly parents have caused them to change their priorities and they need to be closer to home and have financial stability that can come with full-time employment. We all go through changes over the years, and our lives take a turn that changes our outlook.
Finally, it is very important to ask the applicant about their requirements and expectations. Inquire about where they are in the search process, interviews, offers, relocation, etc.
During the screening, if it is clear to both the employer and the applicant that there is no match, don’t be afraid to ask for referrals.
If you’ve done a good job representing yourself and your company, the applicant will be open to providing referrals and keep the door open to future opportunities.
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Jennifer Laxton is president of Staffing Corp. in Windsor. She can be reached at jennifer@staffingcorp.com or 707-837-7100 ext. 101.
What a recruiter should do for you
Does your staff have the skills to be successful at recruiting talent to your company?
Whether a professional from the outside or inside, recruiters should provide the following to your hiring projects:
• Assess your hiring needs and requirements and determine exactly the type of individuals you want filling them.
• Assist in writing job descriptions and advertisements.
• Provide a network of qualified candidates.
• Screen and pre-qualify all candidates, often meeting with them in person.
• Screen out applicants that do not match the skills required.
• After acceptance of an offer, help you define and write the job duties and responsibilities or performance plan so that all parties are clear about their roles from the start.
• Conduct reference checks on viable candidates, very often obtaining important information from former employers and associates to which you would not otherwise have access.
• Coordinate online testing of viable candidates in accordance with your specifications and vendor of choice.
• Conduct background checks to reveal any DMV violations, credit problems or criminal histories that may preclude a successful hire.
• Coach on interviewing for people skills as well as hard and soft skills, so you’ll get a better sense of how candidates will fit in with your corporate culture.
• Provide the candidates you wish to hire with counseling to help ensure that they, their families and even their former employers experience the job transition as smoothly and positively as possible.
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Copyright 2008 - North Bay Business Journal
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Phone: 707-521-5270 - Fax: 707-521-5269
