Hiring for Success

Hiring someone new to work in your business is one of the most critical decisions a business owner makes, although it is not always given the justice it deserves. If a position is vacant, or additional staff are needed, recruitment decisions are often driven by the pressure to get someone in quickly, rather than waiting for the best person to fill the job. Lack of proper and systematic recruitment process can also result in a high cost to the business.

The direct and indirect costs of this recruitment process are many, and have been estimated to be at least 30% of the new person's salary on average:

Recruitment costs ? include advertising and agency fees (if used), travel

Cost of time ? for everyone involved in the interview process

Cost of having the job unfilled -if the process is lengthy

Cost of lost productivity ? "the show must go on!" Co-workers are picking up extra workload and completing unfinished projects. The reduced productivity of managers who lose key staff can be a big issue

Cost of training ? on average it takes 20 weeks for new employees to become fully productive. Consider also the costs of orientation, learning materials and lost productivity of the manager overseeing the new employee

Costs of person filling in ? this may be a current employee, in which case their own job suffers, or a temporary person.

Further costs are incurred when the process is inefficient and time-consuming, and when the process does not result in the best person for the job being hired.

So the incentive to hire the right people and keep them for as long as possible should be a focus for all businesses.

So what approach to recruitment gives the best chance of long-term success?

Job Definition

You need to have a clear understanding of what the job involves in terms of activities, responsibilities and priorities. Once the nature of the job has been clearly defined, we can begin to specify the attributes (education, skills, experience, competencies) of a person who is likely to do the job successfully. It is these, particularly the qualitative skills, that make the biggest difference to job fit.

Attracting and Assessing Applicants

There are numerous sources for finding applicants for a job. Some of these include traditional newspaper advertising, approaching people directly, use of agencies, job groups, unemployment agencies and so on. The one you use will vary depending on the job and industry. When it comes to assessing applicants, most people make the same mistake ? we all believe we are good judges of character, and trust our gut when it comes to making hiring decisions. Sometimes this will work, often it will not. A sound recruitment process works to take as much of the subjectivity out of the process as possible.

To achieve this you need to be organized in your approach to hiring. There are all sorts of assessments and "psychological" testing available now to make more objective hiring decisions. This is not practical for many business owners, so at the very minimum you should include the following steps in your process:

·Have a written definition of what the job involves

·Decide what skills are essential for the position ? this can include technical skills and qualitative skills such as communication, negotiation etc.

·Develop a list of questions to get an understanding of each applicant's experience in each essential skill. There are numerous resources available on behavioural questioning techniques to help with question design

·If possible try to interview with 2 people present to ensure you are not being biased in a particular direction

·Ask every applicant exactly the same questions, and note down their answers so you can compare them afterwards

·Make your selection based on each applicant's fit to the essential criteria ? only use the responses they gave you during the interview, don't let your "instinct" take over.

One of the major benefits of using sound recruitment and selection practices is that they increase the likelihood of selecting successful employees. The hiring decision is an important one with many consequences. A good choice results in an effective employee who will help your business meet its goals and objectives. A poor decision will lead to reduced productivity and increased costs.

Megan Tough is a published author, coach, facilitator and speaker. Her business, Action Plus, works with professionals to create sustainable and profitable income streams. Make more money and have less stress! To learn more and to sign up for more FREE tips and articles like these, visit http://www.megantough.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a Genius

Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a... Read More

Planning a Productive Retreat

What value is there in leadership or team-building retreats? Just... Read More

ISO 9001 Registration ? 8 Steps for Success

You've made the plans, built the quality system and conducted... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: The Best Incentives are Free

This article relates to the Recognition competency, commonly evaluated in... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management ? Personality Testing

Whilst tests measuring the creative or innovative personality exist, there... Read More

Big Company Intelligence on a Small Company Budget

Information is the lifeblood of the economy. That's especially true... Read More

How to Get Your Procedures Project Done

Wouldn't it be nice for business owners and executives to... Read More

What Makes A Good Media Story?

Media relations can be difficult, but also rewarding. And the... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Dont Leave Your Key Stakeholders Guessing

Communicate! Don't leave you key stakeholders guessing.We are generally not... Read More

How to Make a Difference Every Day

Every day, everyone can make the world a better place.... Read More

Better Management Performance - The Easy 3-Step Way

Managers make three mistakes when they try to run businesses.... Read More

Motivating For Higher Performance

Employee motivation is probably the most important single manageable factor... Read More

How Managers Can Help Retain Their Best Employees

A major problem for employers today is attracting the best... Read More

5 Tips For Creating Great Jobs

1) Create A Powerful "Mission Statement"-When your business mission is... Read More

Competion or Cooperation?

It has been said, there is no better way to... Read More

Dont Let Your Measurements Mislead You

Don't Let Your Measurements Mislead You ... Read More

Islam in the Workplace

Suggested practice for HR personnelMuslims now form one of the... Read More

Management Training: Are You Satisfied With The Results?

If you're not satfied with the results of your management... Read More

Organizational Culture and Creative Blocks ? the Similarities

Few Decision makers see the link between between creativity and... Read More

Are You Managing to Lead?

For many people, the terms "manager" and "leader" are synonymous.... Read More

Assessing Managers for International Competence

How do you select staff for international assignments? It's an... Read More

Focus on Outcomes to Keep Your Business On-Course

Did you know that an airplane in flight is off... Read More

Spirits in the Corporate Boardroom.......Oh, sure......

There is a growing movement in the spiritual... Read More

To Thine Own Self Be True--Its Better for Business: What Arthur Andersen Would Say to His Company

As a child, you probably heard, "to thine own self... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management: Generating Better Ideas

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Uncovering the Secrets to Effective Performance Management

In many ways there are no secrets to implementing effective... Read More

Demise of the Lone Ranger Manager: A Lesson in Management Communication Style

When executives see themselves as solely responsible for the overall... Read More

Effective Meetings: Why Most Meetings are a Waste of Time

Whether your company holds one meeting a week or dozens... Read More

Performance Appraisal - Ten Stupid Things Managers Do To Screw It Up

Performance appraisals aren't fun. But a lot of the time... Read More

Coaching Can Get The Boss In Shape

Who tells the boss that they can improve their management... Read More

Faith is the LIFE-blood of Your ACTIONS before the Benefit -

Nothing has changed. Your ancestors lived by faith. Some planted... Read More

Bullying and the Not for Profit Organisation

Where there is people there is politics! Bullying is now... Read More

How to Prepare for Your Companys Financial Future

Sooner or later, most business owners need to look for... Read More