7 Steps to Hiring People Who Won’t Leave
Published at www.emergingtechpr.com under Guest Speak
Hiring is a complicated process that requires thoughtful planning, execution, and evaluation to land the right candidate who will be a long-term contributor to your organization. Three things you need to remember be honest with candidates, ask tough questions, and know exactly who you need to hire. Here are the seven steps that every employer should consider in finding that perfect candidate.
Step 1 Determine why the candidate wants to change jobs.
This is the critical question that must be answered by every candidate before going on any further. Too many employers don’t get the real answer and find out later they should have never hired that candidate. Keep drilling down with specific questions until you are satisfied.
Perhaps the candidate’s current company is financially unstable or does not offer challenge, growth or opportunity. The candidate might be in conflict with peers or a poor performer. Don’t just get the basics: Ask for specific examples to determine why these conditions exist. For instance, if the candidate is experiencing conflict with his or her peers, does that mean he or she has poor conflict resolution skills, not politically astute, or a poor performer? If you suspect behavioral issues, you might want to change gears and turn it into a behavioral interview.
If the candidate indicates that his or her current employer does not offer enough challenges or growth opportunities, you need to determine whether no true promotional opportunities exist or if the candidate is not promotable. Many top performers do outgrow their jobs and companies cannot always accommodate them. On the other hand, some candidates are not management material, thus opportunities are not afforded to them. There is the possibility that their company is mismanaging talent, in which case you may have a diamond in the rough.
Step 2 Identify if the candidate has the potential to be a long term employee.
After you determine what is motivating the candidate to change jobs, the next step is to evaluate potential longevity at your company. Ask what he or she is looking for in their career now and what would they be looking for in three to five years from now. Is the candidate’s search focused? Does it correlate with what your company is offering?
Ask the candidate what are they looking for; a start-up, growth-oriented or well-established company? Does he or she prefer a job in the private or public sector? What job responsibilities, industry preferences, geographic location, and company environment does the candidate prefer? When an employer can meet these needs the probability of retaining any employee is greatly increased.
Does the employee have a life plan (career and personal goals) and are those aligned with your company’s objectives and environment? Generally, grounded candidates possess a well-defined personal road map and consistently focus on attaining their goals.
Step 3 Discover what motivates the candidate.
When you discover what motivates a candidate, you have answered one of the most telling indicators for long-term compatibility. Some motivations candidates have are money, power, team, affiliation, and opportunity. Employees who consistently contribute are team players. They constantly seek out opportunities where they can add value and make your company stronger and more profitable.
Candidates who seek money and power are not necessarily preferred employees and further discussions are recommended to determine why they exist. Ask what motivates them to do a great job?
Step 4 Find out if the candidate is honest.
Does the candidate openly share personal and professional information? Have you ever felt like you were pulling teeth during an interview to get any details from a candidate? A reluctance to share information can indicate a lack of social skills (generally not a good hire) or lack of honesty and integrity (not a good hire either). Companies should hire honest candidates who are team players and good listeners.
If an interview becomes a question-and-answer session, you do not have a winner. On the other hand, if there is great conversational flow chocked full of significant accomplishments that is a good indicator of openness and honesty. Watch their body language as well. Remember avoid asking yes or no questions; you want candidates to tell you stories about their personal and professional experiences.
Step 5 Assess the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.
During the interview, weave into the conversation topics that lead to uncovering a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. This will give you insight into their technical and non-technical skills, which is the other half of the equation. When a skill is mentioned, ask the candidate for specifics about what he or she accomplished. Getting more than one example will give you an idea of the breadth and depth of their experiences. If the candidate is unable to articulate clear, concise and well thought out examples, it may be an indication of an inflated resume or lack of communication skills. In either case, keep probing for more answers until you are satisfied.
Ask tough questions such as what do you do well? and why should I hire you?
Step 6 Evaluate your candidate’s communication skills.
Continue asking tough questions and evaluate your candidate’s communication skills. Listen carefully to his or her answers. How does he/she process information? How does he/she articulate responses to questions? Does the candidate think well on his or her feet when put on the spot?
Is the candidate’s resume clear, concise, and neatly written, without spelling/grammar errors? Ask questions about specific bullet points and why they left each job. In this highly competitive environment getting the job done right the first time is imperative, which makes communication skills integral in a team accomplishing its goals.
Step 7 Verify the candidate’s references, education, and do background checks.
This step is not consistently addressed and can put an employer at risk. Always have the hiring manager call references, including the candidate’s supervisors, peers and staff prior to hiring. Hiring managers are in the best position to ask relevant questions and probe for technical answers. Ask the reference about the candidate’s experience, accomplishments and qualifications for the job, listening for consistency. If the references are general or too good to be true, ask for references from the candidate’s references to confirm they are legitimate.
In addition, obtain confirmation of degrees, licenses, and certifications. We also recommend hiring an outside firm to perform a background check that includes credit, motor vehicle, and criminal records report.
Don’t leave yourself open to surprises from inaccurate resumes, unsatisfactory references, and questionable backgrounds. It is imperative to verify a candidate’s qualifications to ensure integrity in the hiring process. Remember to replace an employee costs at least 150% of their annual salary so hire the right people won’t leave. Then hold regular discussions with your employees to determine their longevity and create succession plans to ensure continuity in your organization.
Three things you need to remember are…
Be Honest
Ask Tough Questions
Know Exactly Who You Need To Hire
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