3 .
The best employees are not a dime a dozen .
When is the best time to look for new hires to ensure that you find the best ? You should always be looking for new employees . You should try to have an interview once a week . Develop relationships with “ A ” players and ask they keep you in mind should they ever be looking for a new position . This is a great way to build bench strength by having relationships with future employees . One reason we settle for a mediocre hire is we have no bench strength .
Just like marketing , recruiting should be an ongoing activity . You should recruit new employees the same way you market to attract new customers – proactively and consistently , 24 / 7 . In fact , the very best time to recruit is when you don ’ t need anyone . If you recruit only when you have job openings , you won ’ t get the best people because the pressure to hire quickly causes you to be less selective and sometimes , even results in a bad hiring decision .
Hiring is like dating . It is probable that you will spend more time with the person you hire than the person you marry . Ask yourself : Do you really want to work with this person eight hours a day for the next three or so years ?
Where would you look for your next date ? Spa owners and industry experts agree that trade schools can be a source for new employees . You might want to make regular visits to local schools and participate in Career Days to let students know about employment opportunities in your industry . If you develop a relationship with the top schools , you will be on the school ’ s preferred list and they ’ ll send you their best students . You should also use your employees , customers , and vendors to help find good people . The biggest source within the workplace is the people who work with you … who they know . Create an employer referral program .
4 .
When interviewing , what types of questions should you ask ? Basically , there are three types of hiring questions : Questions that ask for facts ; questions that determine skills and questions that reveal attitude and references . How you ask for this information determines how revealing the answers you ’ ll get .
Asking about achievements makes an applicant feel proud and allows you to follow up with questions like , “ What were the three most important things you learned from that ?” and “ How did you apply them ?”
To gauge attitude and personality , ask questions like , “ Tell me about the dream you had when you got out of school , and what have you done to make sure that dream comes true ?” A person who has goals and has taken steps to meet or exceed their dreams will most likely be successful .
A great hiring system treats every part of the hiring process as a test . It also keeps you focused on the qualities applicants need to successfully perform the job . For example , if the job requires working in the evenings , schedule the interview at 7 pm . If the job demands a great phone conversations skill , conducting the interview over a phone should be your first step . An applicant that leaves you with a favorable impression will leave the same impression with your customers .
Every step in your hiring process should be viewed as a test and each test should get progressively more difficult . How did the applicant answer the phone the first time you called ? Did she show up for the interview on time ? Did she complete the resume completely ? What did her body language say during the interview ?
5 .
KLEIMAN SAYS we often hire people for what they know , when we should also hire for who they are . To do this , he suggests using the CAPS System . Visit digital
Pulse at experienceispa . com to learn more about The CAPS System .
What are the critical criteria to look for when making the final selection ? When making the final decision on who to hire , there are four criteria you should consider in your analysis : Interview = 30 % Reference ( always check references ) = 30 % Skill Test = 30 % Personal Perception = 10 %
When you get good to great ratings in all four areas , you ’ ve found the right person for the job . ■
LEANN HAMM is the Human Resources manager of Associations International based in Lexington , Kentucky .
Get more recruitment advice from Kleiman at the 2011 ISPA Conference & Expo . Catch his Professional Development Session titled “ How to Build a Frontline That Will Build Your Bottom Line ” from 8 – 9:30 am on Tuesday , Nov 8 . Or , purchase the PDS audio recording on-site or at ispa2011 . com
November 2011 ■ PULSE 69