Good Hiring Takes Preparation

Chances are you can easily remember how it feels to have a promising new hire. The lengthy interview process is over; you can announce the new employee to the other staff; and productivity will quickly be back up to speed, with only a minor backlog. Relief and a pat on the back are in order for a job well done. That is, until the new hire shows up late for his very first day of work. You tell yourself, maybe he got lost or wasn't clear about the work hours. Day by day, you learn a little more about your new hire's less desirable qualities, and what looked promising at first, now appears problematic. You end up feeling frustrated and wondering why you hired him in the first place.

According to the American Management Association, hiring mistakes can have the greatest negative impact on a company's performance, and when the wrong person is introduced to a small or close-knit department or company, the repercussions can be devastating. There are, however, steps to take to help avoid costly mistakes when hiring office personnel in today's competitive job market.

Job Evaluation and Description

With the existing labor shortage affecting just about all industries, the first step in hiring office personnel is to thoroughly evaluate how the job is being done and whether it should be done differently or replaced with technology, according to Mel Kleiman, managing partner in the Hire Tough Group, Houston, Texas. Studies done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor show that the number of people who were employed both year-round and full time (65.6 percent) in 1998 was the highest it had been in nearly 50 years and this trend is likely to continue. “It's a very competitive market for everybody and we can no longer continue to do jobs the way we have always done them,” said Kleiman.

The next step is to define the duties of the job and the qualifications candidates need to fill it. The pressures of time and expense can often lead to sketchy job descriptions, however, a clear understanding of the job and what you're looking for will help both you and your future employee. According to Grayson Foster, partner in WD Consulting Group, LLC, Metairie, La., job descriptions for office personnel should define the following: accountability, primary responsibilities and job tasks, educational requirements, and critical knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics needed to perform the job.

Under accountability, it should be clear who the employee will report to, and if the position has supervisory responsibilities, who will report to the employee. This area should also cover accountability related to financial responsibilities, such as checking the accuracy of work orders or ordering parts.

The responsibilities and job tasks section should be a list that defines the specifics of the position without becoming overly narrow, and therefore, limiting what you can ask the employee to do.

The knowledge, skills and abilities area should outline what skill sets and experience the job requires, as well as your expectations for the employee to participate in company-sponsored training to enhance their skills. This area should also define expectations concerning self-education, what the employer expects employees to do on their own to better themselves. “You want your employees to continue to improve themselves and not wait for you to do everything for them,” explained Foster. He also recommends that a job description spell out care for equipment responsibilities, since so many office jobs involve computers and software, and sales and marketing tasks. For example, a job description may define that the employee attend monthly sales meetings or make suggestions on company marketing and sales promotions.

Lastly, the job description should address any educational requirements for the position such as postsecondary degrees or certifications.

“Every employer should go through this process before they interview someone. A well-executed job description becomes a very objective road map for the job and it also gives employers a format to evaluate performance on the job, once someone is hired,” said Foster.

Interview Prep

Hiring experts recommend that all candidates fill out an application form prior to the interview to gather basic information (name, address, telephone) and information about past employment, education, references and any convictions. Applications must comply with state and federal legal requirements, so check with your legal advisor to verify your application is in compliance. In addition, if you require drug screening, make sure you have the applicant's signature to acknowledge their understanding and acceptance of your drug policy. (Check with your attorney to establish a legally correct drug policy and supporting forms.)

When it's time for the actual interview, many employers aren't adequately prepared and this becomes one of the most common hiring mistakes. Most people simply “wing it” and read the resume for the first time right in front of the applicant. By reviewing the resume ahead of time, you can plan your questions, look for warning signs and appear prepared, confident and professional. Some warning signs to look for include gaps between jobs, career progression and whether the candidate has bounced around from employer to employer, and wording about credentials (for example, “attended university” doesn't mean “graduated from college”). Resumes should also be reviewed for their overall appearance and organization, as well as spelling and grammar. A messy resume or an incomplete application form will tell you a great deal about the applicant, even before you conduct the interview.

The Interview

Employers should develop a list of questions based on the qualifications and tasks of the job. Foster recommends that each applicant for a given position be asked the same questions and scored based on their response. A prepared list of job-relevant questions will encourage the applicant to share more about his skills, knowledge and experience, and allows you to get the same information about each candidate. “What we find is that in a normal interview, the employer talks 80 percent of the time, and ends up learning very little about the candidate. A prepared list of questions will help avoid this mistake,” said Foster.

The best interview questions are those that are open-ended and allow the candidate to talk. Kleiman recommends the following questions when interviewing office personnel: “How would you describe the first job you ever had that you were paid for, and what did you learn from that job?,” “What does it take to be good at the job you're applying for?,” “What is the toughest job you've ever had and how long did you last at it?” and “When I talk to your references, what will they tell me about you?” He also recommends asking, “Why should I hire you over anyone else?,” “What is one reason why I shouldn't hire you?” and “Is there anything else you'd like to tell me about yourself?” Other questions to ask should pertain to the applicant's accomplishments, academic background and career goals.

According to Kleiman, questions that all employers should ask, but don't like to ask, are those that help them understand the applicant's dependability, performance, safety on the job, criminal record involving convictions (if any) and drug use (if any). Questions never to ask include those about race, religious belief, national origin, marital and family status, age, disability, workers' compensation history and previous arrests.

If the job requires good communication skills with vendors and customers, be prepared to role-play with the applicant. For example, ask an applicant for an accounts receivable position how they would handle 90-day delinquent accounts. If the position requires a specific skill set, such as accounting software proficiency, be ready to test the applicant on their skills. In addition, take into account your first impression and the “personal chemistry” of the candidate, especially if the position involves customer interaction. If the candidate looks sloppy and unprofessional, and doesn't make a good first impression with you, he's likely to be the same or worse around your customers.

Leave time during the interview to explain your business and your background, as well as general shop policies and when you expect to make your hiring decision.

Reference Checks

While it takes extra effort, not doing reference checks almost always results in problems later. Applicants should be asked to sign a written release granting you permission to contact their references. Take the time to call the candidate's references and although previous employers may not divulge a lot of information, they should respond to a very important question: “Would you allow the applicant to work on your team again?” A reference who refuses to answer or provides a negative response has given you some valuable information. You may also wish to hire a company to do a background check on the candidate to verify education and criminal record.

These steps will help identify the right person for the job. In a competitive labor market, Kleiman advises shops to take a proactive approach toward hiring whenever feasible, which means to always be on the lookout for your next employee and avoid crisis hiring. According to Kleiman, people who you come in contact with on a regular basis, such as suppliers, are the best sources for prospective employees. The second best source is people who have left your business for another opportunity. According to the Web site, asktheheadhunter.com, the best job candidates today are part of a “hidden candidate pool.” That is, they're not looking, but they're available.