Why Hiring Systems Are Better

In the world today, technology has affected nearly everything and, in most cases, this has been for the better. One of the major changes has been in the way recruit screen and hire employees. Since the inception of automated hiring systems, hiring the right individuals to work with us has become easier and more scientific. Hiring systems serves as a filter in the recruitment process. It only allows applicants who meet your basic job descriptions to move forward in your hiring process. Saving time and money. 

In this post, I’ll be writing on the main benefits of hiring systems and why people should embrace it.

Hiring systems are consistent 

With the help of an automated hiring system, all applicants are screened against your requirements in an unbiased manner.But hiring systems will help to eliminate biases. They’ll screen each person accordingly and no preferential treatments will be given. Only the best will qualify. 

Hiring systems save TIME

With the help of online hiring systems, applicants and employers will be able to check the status of their applications from anywhere in the world. This gives you the opportunity to invest your time in more productive things and will also give the applicant a feeling of control. 

Hiring systems are the best option for any organization looking to move forward. Hiring systems help you to hire the best without much stress. Hiring systems are a ‘blessing’ and should be embraced by everyone including small companies. 

Just remember that it takes a great hiring system to hire Great Employees. 

Let us help you implement a GREAT HIRING SYSTEM, give us a call and we will be more than happy to help you get started.

The 10 Commandments of Hiring & EMPLOYEE RETENTION

Today more than ever the pool of job applicants is filled with bodies yearning for employment. They are skilled and the unskilled. They are talented and the less fortunate. They are the willing, able, and desperate. They are male and female; young, old, and middle-aged, and of every color under the sun. They are honest, yet reserved. They are sometimes deceitful, yet loyal. They won't work now, and they look unto you for their future lies in your hands.

I can lead you to these candidates, but you, the employer, must make the hiring decision. And decide wisely you must, for the wrong choice will condemn you to unnecessary struggles, burdens, misery, problems, and lawsuits. In other words, every bad hire will cost you a lot of money.

And so, I offer you these 10 Commandments to guide you through the employment process. Heed these words carefully and hiring success you shall enjoy – now and forever more.

I.      YOU SHALL COMMIT YOURSELF TO HIRING AND RETAINING ONLY THE BEST.

Great companies are great employers who, in turn, hire great employees. If you are going to succeed, you cannot settle for run of the mill employees. Mediocre employees breed mediocrity, so make sure you recruit and select ONLY the best employees. If it means not hiring anyone, you are still better off than if you settle for a new employee who does not measure up to your highest standards.

II.   YOU SHALL NOT BE UNDULY INFLUENCED BY DAZZLING ANSWERS AND FALSE APPEARANCES.

Applicants are generally better prepared for the hiring process than most employers. They receive coaching, practice and pat answers to standard interview questions. They know how to dress to impress and will mightily try to do just that. As an employer, you must find ways to get to truly know these applicants. There are only two sources of information about every job applicant – the applicant and the people who know the applicant. Skill, aptitude and attitude testing are good measures of an individual’s strengths and weaknesses. Also effective are the candidate’s references. Talk to these people to find out as much as you can about the prospect.

III.  YOU SHALL KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

A detailed job description is essential to the hiring process. You need to know exactly what it is you expect of a candidate. This includes the responsibilities of the position and the skills, aptitudes, and, most importantly, the attitudes needed to be successful. Use the job description as only one measuring stick for evaluating talent. Do not hire anyone who does not live up to at least your minimum expectations.

IV. YOU SHALL TAKE A MARKETING APPROACH TO RECRUITING.

Recruiting is an on-going process. You should recruit new employees in the same way you recruit new customers – consistently and proactively. Be conscious of the message delivered by everything an applicant sees, including ads, application forms, and facilities. Be mindful of the tools you are using to attract new employees and seek out creative alternatives to the “Help Wanted” sign or classified ads. (“Help Wanted” is not a good reason for anyone of any caliber to want to work for you.)

V.   Thou shalt solicit REFERRALs. Rehires, & pay attention to retention.

First and foremost, you want to recruit the best and then retain them. Your current employees and quality former employees are the best sources of great, new team members.. Fighting turnover is a sore spot for many owners and managers. When you identify a great employee, make sure you do everything possible to retain them. Remember, it is easier to keep an employee than to replace them. If you do lose a great employee, keep in contact with them for future rehire or referral of other candidates.

VI. THOU SHALL NOT BE LIMITING NOR DISCRIMINATORY.

The job market is changing and you must change your perceptions and attitudes along with it. Don’t look only for the young or people who have always been in your business. The graying of the baby boomer population has resulted in more seniors staying in the job pool while rising unemployment and more trying economic times have created more highly skilled professionals seeking employment. These professionals understand the value of a job and will be more loyal, committed, focused and successful. In most cases, it pays far greater dividends to hire for who they are and not for what they know.

VII.  THOU SHALL NEVER STOP LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT GREAT EMPLOYEE.

Do not limit your recruiting activities to only when there is a need. You should constantly be on the lookout for your next great team member. If someone gives you good customer service, is attentive, prompt and knowledgeable, ask them if they are interested in working for you. When you stop at the bank, go to the grocery store, or pay the kid down the street to mow your lawn – ask yourself, “Could this person succeed in my company?” You’ve already witnessed their work ethic; you owe it to yourself to at least ask.

VIII. YOU WILL MAKE THE NEW HIRE’S FIRST DAY THE BEST DAY THEY WILL EVER HAVE.

First impressions are lasting. The extra care and time you spend making the new hire welcome and comfortable will be richly rewarded by the hiring gods. When your new hire returns home at the end of the first workday, a friend or family member will most certainly ask: “How’s the job?” The answer needs to be, “Fantastic. What a great company. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow.”

IX. YOU WILL SET HIGH STANDARDS AND HOLD YOURSELF AND YOUR EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE.

You shall be clear from the get-go about values, mission, duties, and responsibilities. Your employees will know and understand why their jobs are important and exactly what’s expected of them so they can meet your standards and be stunningly successful.

X.    HONOR YOUR EMPLOYEES AND TREAT THEM WELL.

Though it sounds simple, too often employers forget that employees represent more than a “one-time sale.” These “chosen ones” also represent the inner sphere of influence. They can raise the perceived value of your company or they can speak negatively and undermine your reputation. They are the reason customers come back as well as why new customers come to you. They can refer future team member candidates or they can scare prospects away. Do not burn any bridges.

If you follow these rules and remain focused, dedicated and committed to hiring the best, you will soon see that your organization become just that – THE BEST.

Certified Speaking Professional Mel Kleiman is an internationally recognized speaker, consultant and author on strategies for hiring and retaining the best hourly employees and their managers. He is the president of Humetrics, a leading developer of Hiring systems, training processes, and tools for recruiting, selecting and retaining an hourly workforce. For more information, call (713) 771-4401, email mkleiman@humetrics.com or visit on our online website at Humetrics and www.kleimanhr.com. 

Winning Managers & Coaches Don’t Recruit Whiners

If you're a manager, who do you want on your team? A bunch of losers who moan and groan about everything or winners who know what they have to do and are willing to meet every challenge?

Of course, you'll say you want the winners, but I'll bet you have a few whiners on your team right now anyway. These are the folks who say things like: "I didn't know what I was getting in to; having to work so hard and deal with so many difficult people every day."

How did you end up with a team of winners and losers when you use the same techniques to interview and select everyone? Well, you didn’t tell your applicants the information that would make the winners really want the job and the whiners disappear. You didn't tell them how hard the work actually is or the people challenges they would face or whatever else is difficult about the job. When you stress both the good and bad parts of the job, you screen in only those who love a challenge and really want to be on your team.

While it may sound like more work, you only have to do it once up front with each applicant and you'll save yourself hours of time down the line because now you're actually choosing winners and they are choosing you. Best of all, you will enjoy your job more and so will all of your winning employees because they don’t like playing with losers either.

So, take a page out of the coach’s playbook and pick the winners in the first place. You can also visit on our website for more details about us-http://humetrics.com/

The ABC’s of Hire Tough, Manage Easy by Mel Kleiman

When you make it a practice to hire tough, everything else gets easier. "Hire tough" managers know exactly who they're looking for and refuse to lower their standards. They cover all the bases - from A to Z - and create a win/win situation for employee and employer alike. 

                                                            

Attitude.  Hire for attitude, train for skills. The No. 1 reason customers don't come back is because of an attitude of indifference on the part of an employee.

Body Language. During interviews, pay attention to the applicant's posture, facial expressions, and eye, hand, and leg movements. If you focus only on taking notes, you'll miss more than 50 percent of what the applicant is communicating nonverbally.

Capacities. Define the mental (IQ) and physical (strength, stamina, dexterity and more) capacities needed to do the job. It's senseless to spend time with any applicant who can't meet these basic requirements.

Decision Making. Most interviewers make a hire/no hire decision within 30 seconds of meeting an applicant. This gut-instinct approach has proven to be less reliable than flipping a coin. Weigh all the information – pre-employment test results, interview results and reference checks - before dismissing or hiring any candidate.

Employees. A great source of new employees is all the good employees you already have. To get more good people just like them, start an employee referral award program.

Former Employees. Your best source of new employees is all the good people who used to work for you. Go ahead, call and ask if they want to come back - the grass doesn't always turn out to be greener. Even if they're not interested, ask them if they know of anyone else who might be.

Gut Feeling. If your gut says, "Don't hire this person," then, don't. If it says "Hire this person," doubt it and get objective verification through testing and reference checks.

Hire Tough. The most expensive person you'll ever hire is the one you have to fire. Hire tough systems are the best insurance against employee turnover, negligent hiring lawsuits, workers' compensation claims and management migraines.

Interview Tough. Prepare by reviewing all the information you've collected so far and plan the questions you'll ask. Tell applicants you expect them to be truthful. Don't interview with the application in front of you or you'll end up simply confirming information instead of finding out what you need to know.

Job. The most important job you have is hiring. If you put the right people in the right jobs, managing them is easy. As Red Auerbach said: "If you hire the wrong people, all the fancy management techniques in the world won't bail you out."

Knowledge. The more you know, the less you risk. There are only two sources of knowledge about a potential new hire - the applicant and the people who know the applicant. Check it all out thoroughly.

Listen. The most common mistake interviewers make is talking too much during the interview. How much can you learn while you're talking? Make sure the applicant is doing the talking at least 80 percent of the time.

Maintain Control. Stay in control of the interview by telling applicants up front what you're going to cover. Let them know they'll have an opportunity to ask questions after you've told them briefly about the job and the company and have asked your prepared questions.

Notes. Take notes, but never on the application. It's a legal document that you need to keep on file whether or not the applicant is hired.

Open-Mindedness. Be aware of your personal biases and don't rule out anyone because of them. You're looking for the best person to do the job – not the person you like best.

Personality. Like people, jobs and companies have personalities. Try to get a good fit between the applicant, manager, job, and company. While no applicant will match each of the other three, people with good attitudes will manage their personalities (do things they don't really like to do) to get the job done.

Quality. Never lower your standards. Once you've identified the capacities (mental and physical), attitudes, personality traits and skills necessary to do the job well, don't ever lower your standards. The No. 1 reason good people leave is because they get tired of working with hiring mistakes –– the people with poor attitudes or who aren't cooperative team players.

Recruiting. Just like marketing, recruiting is an ongoing activity. You have to recruit all the time. The very best time to recruit is when you don't need anyone.

Skills. If you have to hire for skills, make sure you get what you need by testing for them. Have the cook applicant prepare a meal, the driver parallel park, and the cashier make change.

Testing. Every step in your hiring process should be viewed as a test and each test should get progressively more difficult. It's the only way to screen in the best.

Upgrade. Every time you have to hire, it's an opportunity to improve the whole organization. Keep raising the bar.

Verify References. Always, always, always check references – even if you're hiring your neighbor's son. The only way to avoid negligent hiring lawsuits and bad hiring decisions is to verify the information the applicant gives you against every reference.

Who, What, Why, When and Where? You can't hit the target if you don't know what it looks like or where it is. Write a job analysis that answers these questions and you'll hit that target every time.

X-Out Unsuitable Applicants. Do a short phone screening before asking anyone to come in for testing or an interview. This limits your legal exposure and ensures they meet all your basic requirements (capacities, skills, hours they can work, reliable transportation and availability).

Yield. Go slow. Don't make an offer before you have all the facts. Always remember that what you see in the interview is better than anything you'll ever see again. If you're afraid you'll lose an applicant to a competing employer, make an offer contingent on the outcome of the drug test, physical exam, background and/or reference checks.

Zero-In. Identify the mental and physical capacities, the attitudes, personality traits, and skills you need. Zero-in on your target. Test for what's needed and interview only the best of the best.

Certified Speaking Professional Mel Kleiman is an internationally recognized speaker, consultant and author on strategies for hiring and retaining the best hourly employees and their managers. He is the president of Humetrics, a leading developer of systems, training processes, and tools for recruiting, selecting, and retaining an hourly workforce. For more information, call (713) 771-4401, email mkleiman@humetrics.com or visit www.humetrics.com and www.kleimanhr.com.

Experience & Skills Are No Match for Talent

Human knowledge is now doubling every 3.7 years. This means that 50 percent of what you now know will be out of date in less than four years. 

Just to bring it home, let's imagine you need open heart surgery. How would you like to have it performed by someone who hadn't learned anything new about the procedure in the past 48 months?

For this very reason, it is no longer about hiring skills and/or experience. Today, it's all about hiring talent.

So, what is the difference? A skill is the ability to do a particular task, like drive a truck or design a building or fly a plane.. All of these are skills. Talent is the ability to learn new skills and/or dramatically improve upon an existing skill set.

Because of all the rapid changes in the workplace and technology, hiring a skill today is only going to solve a problem in the short run. When you hire talent, those people will be able to move the organization to the next level because they can quickly learn and apply new knowledge. (While you may want to hire a computer programmer who knows a specific language, you would be better off hiring a programmer who has the ability to rapidly learn and apply new languages.)

Here are some interview questions that explore an applicant's talents:

1. What was the last thing you learned and how have you applied that learning?
2. How do you learn best?
3. Give me an example of a situation where you did not know how to handle a particular problem. What action did you take? Why did you take that course of action?
4. What more would you like to learn about your job or career? Why?
5. In your present or last job, how long did it take you to feel like an expert in your position? How much did you have to learn? How did you tackle it? What were the most difficult aspects of the job to master? Who helped you?
6. Let's assume for a moment I hire you and you start in two weeks. During that time, I get called out of the office on urgent business  and am not available to support you for the next month. What are you going to do to get yourself up to speed?

When Talent is in the ring versus Experience/Skills, my money's on Talent every time.

Certified Speaking Professional Mel Kleiman is an internationally recognized speaker, consultant and author on strategies for hiring and retaining the best hourly employees and their managers. He is the president of Humetrics, a leading developer of systems, training processes, and tools for recruiting, selecting, and retaining an hourly workforce. For more information, call (713) 771-4401, email mkleiman@humetrics.com or visit www.humetrics.com.