The interview process can be exciting and annoying at the same time. Many small business owners are very excited to hire employees, sometimes for the first time. This is definitely exciting because it means there is growth. The problem with this is the necessary advice and direction on who are the best people to hire. Where do you start? I know this scared me a bit when I started my first business.
The following tips are to help you see the true personality of potential new hires, show you where to look for them, and give you ways to avoid expensive job advertisement boards.
Tip 1: start with the right environment
Why would I want to work for you when I have heard that the environment is not very good? I have left high paying jobs for better environments before and have met many others who do the same. In fact, I personally witnessed how one individual turned down 2 bonus offers and raises if he stayed because he hated the environment.
Some would think that this phenomenon is more focused on the world of design and art, but entrepreneurs we hate a bad environment so much. Your “employees” must be team members. They must be respected and told that they matter. Take a look at those “Best Places to Work” companies and see why they are listed as such. People are respected and appreciated. Salary is not all that matters and is often lower on the list than you might think.
Yes, in this economy, people will still leave. If you want the best members of your team to stay, make sure they have a reason. I hear my team members say all the time that they feel like “family.” This means a lot to me, especially when I wish I had paid them more at times when I couldn’t. They turned down, and I mean them, ALL OF THEM, much, much better paid jobs because they loved where they worked.
Don’t get me wrong, my people are not distracted. They work hard. But I reward them with little lunches, outings, and praise where I can. They know that I respect them and I have no problem telling them that I couldn’t run this business without them. Some managers and business owners think this is a sign of weakness; I think it is a sign of trust and “transparency”.
Tip 2: To keep costs low, try the free tables.
Many states have job boards. In Louisiana, we have LAWorks.net. Look for a state program.
Craigslist. The downside to this is that a lot of attorneys use the site, but I’ve actually hired some really good team members through this site.
Facebook. If you have a lot of friends, let them know that you are looking for. Believe me, everyone knows someone who is looking for work. This is a good resource because you can get a personal reference on the person you can trust.
The spider of work. This one is relatively new to me, but you can give it a try. It can’t hurt … too much.
Google. Just Google “Free Job Posting”. There are new ones popping up all the time and job seekers will be looking everywhere for that high paying job.
Tip 3: Don’t Interview EVERYONE
I have made this mistake. I know you are afraid that if you don’t interview them all, you will miss out on the perfect one. This is a risk you really should take. If you interview everyone, it will be exhausted.
Most unemployment systems require people to look for at least one job per week. This means that many people who are not really interested in the position will apply just because it will save them trouble with the unemployment office. Be prepared for this and interview only truly qualified people.
Tip 4: prepare for absences
I couldn’t believe in this economy that people wouldn’t show up for an interview, but it happens all the time. I’ve had people call 2 or 3 times just to get that appointment, just to no-show and no call. I’ve even had people come in, fill out the application, and leave without speaking to anyone. I still don’t understand that. I know the job wasn’t intimidating, they hadn’t heard of it yet.
I usually book 2 people at the same time in 30 minute intervals for about 2-3 hours. This gives me time to talk to everyone for at least 15 minutes and gives me a better chance of not allocating time to people who won’t show up.
Tip 5: know what you want
Are you sure you want someone with a degree or will someone with less qualifications? What are your personal preferences? Like it or not, most people hire based on whether someone will “fit in” or not. This is not a bad thing. Chemistry in a workplace is essential. Look around you and see what your chemistry is.
Tip 6: match qualifications with salary
Make sure you’re willing to pay for that title if you just have to have it. It is understandable that some positions require an individual degree, but many times I have come across new business owners who are only willing to pay minimum wage and need people with exceptional experience. Frustration grows after 2 or 3 people don’t fit into the job. Find the average salary for the specific job tasks needed in your area and increase or decrease based on your needs.
Tip 7: during the interview look for the following
By now, you may have heard that looking down and to the right is a lie; however, a person who cannot look you in the eye may not be as trustworthy as you would like. Make sure they look you in the eye. Here is an interesting article on eye movement and what it means. (http://www.blifaloo.com/info/lies_eyes.php)
Ask them, “If I asked your best friend what your best trait is, what would he say?” Then move on to the opposite. They will be more likely to tell the truth about this issue because they are thinking about what this person would actually say rather than what they think of themselves. People are not as ready for this question as “Tell me your best.”
My husband told me this. Ask them “What do you think I’m going to say next?” This one brings all kinds of answers and can really bring real personalities to life. I’ve had some strange responses to be sure. Many tell me “I don’t know”. And this is fine. There is no right or wrong answer because they really should have no idea.
Be sure to follow through with “Is there anything else I need to know about you?” If they have come prepared, they should be able to sell themselves right now. Leave them. Everyone should be able to sell themselves in an interview if they really want the job and will be ready to work for you.
Tip 8: have an evaluation period
You want to be sure you’ve hired the right person, so let them know in advance that there is a 2-week, 30-day, or 60-day evaluation or “trial” period. This ensures that they will perform better up front, that they know they are expected to perform at a certain level, and it gives you more flexibility if they are not the right fit.
Many times you just don’t know until they start working. I’ve had people work one day and leave. No one was mean or rude. They just didn’t know enough about the position to be ready for it. Even if you are as direct as possible about the difficulty of a position, many people only hear “new job” and nothing else in the interview.
Tip 9: don’t fix it if it ain’t broke
If you have someone who performs a task in a way that works well, don’t change the way you work just because you have a preference. People work differently, just as they learn differently. This is especially true in sales. There are many who are better door-to-door, some who are better over the phone, and some who are a mixed bag. There are many different “sales dogs” and they need to find their way themselves. The same is true in an office or other area.
Some things need to be done a certain way, but in cases where this is not necessarily the case, sit back and observe your employees. Sometimes you may learn something from them and find a better way to implement the structure or procedure. Changing the way you work could affect your ability to complete your work in the same amount of time or level of precision.
Tip 10: keep communication open
Make sure your employees or team members have a way to communicate with you openly. I hate when companies oppose company policy by discussing their salary. I wonder if they realize that the fact that they say “don’t look” makes people want to look a lot more. If you don’t want to be talked about, try not to talk about it. But people will speak no matter what they say or do. Get over. If you don’t want them talking, make sure you’re fair when it comes to paying and make sure that’s not their only reason for working with you. Now that I’ve finished my spiel on that, the next communication problem.
Be careful with family employees. Others feel that they cannot say anything if it is a family member. Let them know that this is not the case and that they will be treated exactly the same as any member of the team. They need to know that there will be a fair deal, otherwise you can have a lot of stress … even if you never find out about it. [You will be the last to hear when it finally blows up in your face.] All team members should be able to talk to you about any and all issues, including those related to your family in the office or at work.
It has more than one way to communicate. If team members are too intimidated to talk to the “boss,” make sure they have another route to talk to you. Give them a suggestion box that is truly anonymous or set someone else as an alternative to speak to you and make sure that person is not only trustworthy but also conveys the information clearly. For example, my husband and I own a property company. If our team members are not happy with something or someone, including any of us, they are free to speak up without us judging or defending ANYONE. We will listen to you and make sure to correct the problem or address it in some way. We do our best to make sure that person is comfortable communicating your complaint, idea or problem and does not feel repercussions from open communication.
All these tips are to help you in your process. They definitely don’t cover the perfect team building needs, but they will get you off to a great start. Combine these tips with as much research as you can on good management skills and you should be fine. For reference, be sure to read The one minute manager by the Ph.D. Kenneth Blanchard and Dr. Spencer Johnson, Dirty dogs by Blair Singer, the writer of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Y The 7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen R. Covey. These are good places to start. A great blog on management skills is from Tom Foster at http://www.managementblog.org