Posted by Danny Kellman
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Contrary to what is believed, preparation for hiring is as important for the hiring companies as it is for job applicants. This is especially true for companies that know the cost of bad hires and want to steer clear from falling into that trap. Quality employees not only add value to the company but also help in its propagation.
There are many factors that need to be considered before applicants are called for the interview process. This can be very time consuming and may not always be possible given the highly competitive nature of businesses today.
To help explain our concept, we have created a short, but useful, cheat sheet on hiring quality employees that you can add into your recruitment strategy, in order to increase the quality of new hires. Please note that this is not a complete recruitment management list, but for this exercise these are some elements that come to mind. For innovative recruitment ideas, please download my FREE Ebook - "The Future of Recruitment Management: The Fundamentals"
The (Not So) Ultimate Hiring Cheat Sheet
This cheat sheet will enable a systematic step-by-step approach to the hiring process and is especially designed to be used by the management to choose the right people.
Analysis of the job – Before the interview and screening process starts, it is imperative that the requirements of the offered job are clearly stated and understood. This involves the setting of criterion for the skill sets, personality, qualifications and other factors that are essential for the successful rendering of the job at hand.
Establishing the selection criterion – Different jobs have different requirements. It is important that the selection criterion evaluates the competency of the candidate in a measurable way and is relevant to the job field for which the interviews are conducted.
Standardized procedure – The organization cannot practice any form of discrimination and adheres to Equal Job Opportunity, which is the right of each individual applying for the job. This requires that the hiring process is standardized and applicable for applying candidates, irrespective of gender, class, race, age and other factors. This standard process needs to be understood well by all the members that are involved in the hiring process or are present on the interview panel.
Standard evaluation – There needs to be uniformity in the way the interviews are rated and scored. Specific areas that can be quantified need to be established before the hiring committee or group so that there are no discrepancies in this regard, and all candidates receive a fair chance.
Documentation – All the documents and papers used throughout the hiring process including candidate resumes, assessment, test sheets, and interviewer comments need to be retained, filed and made available to the Human Resource Department. This helps in systematizing the process while building a database for prospective employees. Documents can also help in spotting loopholes in the hiring process and help the management do a better job each time.
Pre-employment testing – To objectively test all candidates for cognitive skills, emotional intelligence, motor skills, personality, knowledge and other factors can help eliminate subjectivity from the hiring process. It also improves the chances of the best person being hired among the lot.
Things To Keep In Mind
There are a few other things that need to be kept in mind during the interview process, in addition to the basics that have been covered above.
Any discrimination based on factors like... sex, race, color, religion, disability, creed, and sexual orientation among others goes against the basic human rights and is a legal offense that is liable for punishment.
Certain jobs may require a thorough criminal background check, a fact that needs to be made known to the job applicant before providing provisional employment.
Personal questions that have no bearing on the offered job or the competency of the applicant cannot be asked during an interview.
Questions that may suggest prejudice cannot be asked during an interview.
Every company has its own unique vision and organizational structure. The cheat sheet, which is not all-inclusive, can be adapted and worked upon to suit the requirements of the firm.
OVER TO YOU
What is your secret recipe for hiring quality employees at your organization?
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