Paul Idziak
Shermco Industries, Inc.
Most business owners and managers will say “employees are our most valuable asset.” Even though we say it and preach it, do we act like it? The results from the May Management Pulse Survey on hiring practices tell the story that many in our industry don’t spend enough time properly vetting the investment in these critical employees.
VIEW THE RELATED ARTICLE
Roughly 30 percent of the 112 respondents admit to not having a formal job application form for their business. Important information about the candidate’s past work experience, skills, and education are commonly required on job applications. If the applicant isn’t asked to provide this information, how is the employer able to verify or attain this information?
More than 50 percent responded that their company doesn’t perform personality tests, IQ tests, or skills tests when considering a candidate for an open position. While hiring certainly isn’t an exact science, there are a few steps that can be taken in order to find the right “fit” for the position and your company’s culture. These diagnostic tests help provide a clear picture of the candidate’s capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses. There are several assessment services online or in your community that can administer these types of tests. Also, educate yourself on how to read and interpret the results from the tests.
It’s encouraging to see that many companies in the industry are performing multiple and different types of interviews, such as by phone, face-to-face, group and with multiple employees from different departments. Nearly all the respondents reported that they conduct at least one of these types of interviews. It can be extremely beneficial to gauge fellow colleagues’ opinions on a candidate and see how the candidate interacts with different types of people. The majority of questions asked during an interview are straightforward. However, adding some behavioral and situational questions will provide a deeper understanding of the candidate.
More than 50 percent of the respondents provide a formal written letter to the new employee stating compensation and benefits. Providing a formal written offer letter also is critical to starting the new employee and employer relationship in a positive direction. The letter should clearly lay out out the proposed wage, health benefits, bonus or commission structure, vacation and sick policy, and start date. We have all experienced some form of miscommunication. By setting the expectations up front, you can help ensure the start of a successful relationship.
In conclusion, the hiring process should be a methodical one focusing on efficiency, compliance, and quality. A book called Who: The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart and Randy Street was recommended to me by a friend in the industry. The book provides some great examples of different types of interviews along with a suggest hiring process.
EASA’s Management Services Committee thanks those who participated in the survey. I hope you have decided to focus on some new hiring practices from this short article and I encourage you to spend more time on selecting your most valuable assets.
Related Reference and Training Materials
Print