WHEN YOU ARE A MANAGER, IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW GOOD YOU ARE WITH YOUR WORK. YOU ARE BEING JUDGED BY HOW WELL YOUR EMPLOYEES DO THEIR WORK. The day you re given the assignment to fill an open position is the day you re invited to change the world and leave a legacy that could outlast you for generations The Truth About Hiring the Best Hiring a) Ripple effect with all hiring decisions. b) Who you hire will have major consequences for you, the person you hire, and your organization. c) First get the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and then figure out where to drive it. -Jim Collins, Good to Great 1) Job Descriptions: a. The job description describes the duties, functions and responsibilities of the position b. 4 Hints to Develop a Job Description (Complete Idiot s Guide to Managing People) 1. Observe 2. Question the employee 3. Question the employee s manager 4. Make it a team project (ii) Have your staff write their job descriptions and the job description for the available positions. You might be surprised at the answers. 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 1
2) Job specifications: a. Job specifications are written descriptions of the skill and background necessary to perform the job effectively. b. Need to determine the difference between what is necessary and what is desirable. c. Need to include the following in the job specification: Education Skills Work experience Personal characteristics d. When hiring, do not duplicate your current team e. Do not make your job specifications too restrictive. Areas to examine are: Education Work experience Type of experience Intangible factors Examine what is really required to do the job. 3) Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws a. Covers all aspects of the employment process: Screening Interviewing Pay Management while employed Separation b. Ignorance of the law does not excuse you. 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 2
4) Recruiting a. Best indicator of future success is past performance b. Start with internal candidates c. Other places to find candidates: d. All candidates should complete a standard application form (even if they have a resume. Makes it easier to compare applicants Make sure it complies with EEO laws Resumes often give a distorted or slanted view of the applicant 5) Interview a. Prepare b. Determine questions c. Make sure you are familiar with the job description and job speciation d. Review the job application and resume e. Write down questions to ask applicant f. Use same questions for all applicants g. Select a comfortable environment for both of you. 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 3
6) From Five Steps to Better Interviewing: Welcome the applicant Summarize the position Ask your questions. Always ask for an example Probe experience Find out candidate s strengths and weaknesses Wrap up the interview a. All interview questions can be categorized under the following headings (*from What Color is Your Parachute?) Why are you here? What can you do for us? What kind of person are you? Can we afford you? 7) Notes: Take them! You don t need to write every word but instead use to record highlights Use a standard form for all applicants Good notes can be a very valuable defense tool if you are investigated by the EEO 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 4
Miscellaneous: When in doubt, don t hire keep looking. Jim Collins, Good to Great Use small talk to make the applicant feel at ease but don t let the interview turn into a social call Stay legal with your questions Ask open-ended questions. Stay in charge of the interview After hearing an answer to your questions, wait 4-5 seconds before asking your next question Involve team members in the hiring decision If you bring applicants in for a second round of interviews, switch the order you interview the candidates. Consistency Check references 6. Decision time: a. Separate candidates into 3 piles (winner, possible, and losers) b. Rank the winners and possibles a. Be objective b. Don t buy the façade c. Aim for diversity d. If everything appears equal between two candidates, trust your gut e. Consider the whole person f. Don t string the interview process along g. Decide your top choice and make an offer h. Most companies make an oral offer followed by a letter of confirmation i. Notify those who were not selected that the position has been filled (but only after the candidate you awarded the job accepted it) j. Do not hire someone just to fill a position. 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 5
7) Retention 1. Remember that finding, developing and retaining top performers is your most critical activity. 2. You are only as good as your team. 8) Communications The day soldiers top bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. Real leaders make themselves accessible and available. They show concern for the efforts and challenges faced by underlings-even as they demand high standards. Accordingly, they are more likely to create an environment where problem analysis replaces blame. -General Colin Powell 9) Training 1. Developing new employees is ultimately your responsibility. a. You are responsible for the development process and integrating your new employee into the team. 2. Who does your training? 1. The magic apron training approach does not work. 2. Is it the employee who is doing his/her job AND the vacant position AND is now training? 3. What kind of training do you think this new employee will receive? 4. How welcome will they feel? 3. Integrate your new hire into the team 1. One person does make a difference 2. It is a team effort 3. Not just a one-day activity 4. Develop your new hire for success rather than failure 5. Have strategies in place to maintain your team 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 6
10) Orientation 1. Create the right atmosphere and establish a positive relationship. 2. YOU should be involved in orientation (and not just shaking their hand and welcoming them). 3. Your job is to ensure the new employee feels welcome to the company and his/her team. 4. Have a plan. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. -Ben Franklin 11) Motivation 1. Have a passion for what you are doing. 2. Do you know all your employee names? What else can you tell me about your employees? 3. Manage by walking around 4. Still effective 5. Get out from behind your desk and go see what is actually going on. 6. Be there some nights, weekends. See all meal periods. 7. Spend time actually getting to know your employees. Find out if they have any suggestions or ideas on how to do their job faster, better, or more efficiently. 8. Plan on walking around at least 30 minutes each day 12) Six Keys 1. Become an employer of choice. a. Understand why your employees leave and what it takes to retain your top performers. b. Communication (a) Understand the barriers to effective communication. 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 7
2. Empowerment a. Give employees the authority that is commensurate with their responsibilities. 3. Motivate and Energize 4. Have a strategy for retention a. Employee retention does not just happen b. Must be strategized and plans must be developed 5. Termination and Resignations a. There are times when employees just do not work out. b. Retention of top performers is jeopardized by the presence of employees who are not fitting in and are not contributing to the team. 13) Ten Ways to motivate employees (extracted from Managing for Dummies): 1. Personally thank employees for doing a good job one-on one, in writing, or both. a. Do it timely, often, and sincerely. 2. Be willing to take the time to meet with and listen to employees. 3. Provide employees specific and frequent feedback about their performance. a. Support them in improving their performance. 4. Recognize, reward, and promote high performs AND deal with low and marginal performers to that they improve or leave. 5. Provide information on how the company makes and loses money. Explain the employee s role in the overall plan. 6. Involve employees in decisions. a. Especially those decisions that affect them. b. Involvement equals commitment. 7. Give employees a chance to grow and learn new skills a. Encourage them to be their best. b. Show them how you can help them meet their goals while achieving the organization s goal. c. Create a partnership with employees. 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 8
d. Provide employees with a sense of ownership in their work and their work environment. (can be symbolic). 8. Strive to create a work environment that is open, trusting, and fun. a. Encourage new ideas, suggestions, and initiative. b. Learn from, rather than punish for mistakes. 9. Create successes of the company, of the department, and of individuals in it. 10. Take the time for team and morale building meetings and activities. a. Be creative and fresh. 14) Why do employees leave? a. Because of bad employees b. It doesn t feel good around here c. They wouldn t miss (care) about me if I were gone d. I don t get what I need to get my job done e. No opportunity for growth f. Compensation does not meet my needs 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 9
Conclusion: Retention begins at the top The day you re given the assignment to fill an open position is the day you re invited to change the world and leave a legacy that could outlast you for generations. There is a ripple effect with every hiring decision you make that goes beyond the simple transaction that begins with the question, How soon can you start. Just like Jimmy Stewart s character discovered in It s a Wonderful Life : The individual does matter and can make a big difference for his family, his friends, and his community. The decision you make about who you will hire will have similar dramatic consequences for you, the person you hire, and the life of your organization. No future will be exactly the same based upon the choices that you make. Realize that making a choice of candidate A will lead to future A and that a choice of candidate B will lead to future B. Understand that the quality of your hiring decision will not only impact the future of the organization, it will likely impact your personal future as well. So, the choice is yours. And it s bigger than just this one task of filling a position. Excerpted from The Truth About Hiring the Best-Cathy Fyock Enjoy the journey! Kim Hofmann 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 10
References used for this presentation (in no particular order): 1. The Truth about Hiring the Best. Cathy Fyock 2. No More Rotten Eggs-A Dozen Steps to Grade AA Talent Management. Debra Thompson and Bill Greif. 3. Talent/Unknown-7 Ways to Discover Hidden Talent + Skills. Bill Bonnstetter and Ashley Bowers. 4. Hiring the Best-A Manger s Guide to Effective Interviewing and Recruiting. Marin Yate. 5. Thomas International (DISC). www.thomasus.com 6. The Platinum Rule. Dr. Tony Alessandra. http://www.alessandra.com/tahome.asp 7. 30 Days to a Happy Employee-How As Simple Program Of Acknowledgement Can Build Trust And Loyalty At Work. Dottie Bruce Gandy 8. 1001 Ways to Reward Employees. Bob Nelson 9. The Complete Idiot s Guide to Managing People. Arthur Pell. 10. Type Talk at Work. Otto Kroeger with Janet Thuesen. 11. Managing for Dummies. Bob Nelson. 12. It s Your Job to Motivate and Energize Employees. http://www.tgassociates.com/articles/articlesmotivateemployees.asp. 2016 Kim Hofmann Page: 11
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