ARTICLE 20 - HIRING THE RIGHT EMPLOYEE

Hiring the Right Employee

Finding the perfect employee to meet your company's needs takes time. Understanding how to find that employee who is the perfect fit also takes knowledge and practice.

According to a Gallup study, 70% of American workers are not fully engaged in their work. This may be due to the fact 53% are unhappy with their work. Hiring the right person who is not only a perfect fit for your company but who also loves what they are doing requires effective hiring and problem-solving skills. The process of finding the right employee is a series of steps that includes:

· Determining key competencies required for the position ahead of time and writing them down. Prioritizing key requirements, special qualifications, traits, and characteristics is critical.

· Making a list of key personality traits that would make a good fit for your office and its culture. Traits may include whether you are laid back or formal, what your hours of operation are, whether you are seeking someone with motivation, drive, creativity, or someone who is a self-starter or just an average worker.

· If you have an HR department, work with them in developing a job description and determining a salary range.

· Advertise your position internally and if you don't have qualified candidates, search externally. Spread the word through your industry contacts and through your network of friends and associates. You can use online social media sites such as Twitter and Linked In. Other options in finding a pool of candidates beyond advertising includes: posting the position to professional association websites and talking to university career centers.

· Initial Interviews - Interviewing may be one of the more critical and difficult steps to be accomplished. There are many ways one can interview potential employees. The first is to do an initial phone interview. This is a way to screen out your first round of candidates. Speaking to someone by phone at home and away from the work environment can give you some insight into the character of the person. With this interview, employers can often gauge a potential candidate's ability to function under pressure or conversely, determine what they are like when they are relaxed.

· For the face-to-face interview, determine the appropriate people to participate in the interviewing process. This may include the hiring supervisor, the hiring supervisor's manager and HR. Only include people who will impact the hiring decision. When interviewing, ask job-related questions. For instance, determine whether a person is more comfortable with details or the big picture. If time management is a skill required for the position, you will want to determine how the candidate has managed their time in past positions. Concentrate on how their past work experience can translate into success in the position that you are attempting to fill. You also want to listen rather than do all the talking - easier said than done.

· If the candidate is successful through the interview process, talk informally about whether he or she is interested in the job at the offered salary and stated working conditions. If they are enthusiastic about the opportunity, ask them to complete an employment application. Thoroughly review the completed employment application. Ensure that the candidate understands the various aspects of the hiring process that may be required such as the background check, drug screening, non-compete or confidentiality agreement depending on the position and your company policies, etc.

The hiring process is not especially complicated, but it is one of the most important processes in which any company engages. It is the first step towards reducing turnover and the first step towards excellence.

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