BusinessManagement

Introduction:Hire or Misfire?On paper, Ryan was an HR manager’s dream. Following a stellaracademic career (Phi Beta Kappa, then an M.B.A. at a top businessschool), he entered a training program at a Fortune 500 company.Ryan’s focus was marketing strategy, and his innovative methodsfor attracting new customers soon earned him the attention of high-levelexecs. One of the youngest vice presidents in the company, he was on hisway to a senior management position when his department was downsized.Rather than stay on after the restructuring, Ryan sent out a flurryof résumés and landed a position with XYZ Co., a fledgling electronicsfirm looking for a new marketing director.During his interviews with XYZ, Ryan had said he longed for the satisfaction ofseeing his ideas help grow a small company. XYZ’s HR manager had conducted thehire by the book: gathering a slate of appropriate candidates, verifying informationon résumés, scrutinizing cover letters, setting up first interviews and follow-ups withall of XYZ’s top execs and contacting references. By the time Ryan accepted the position,the HR manager was receiving high-fives on how well the process had gone. Itseemed to be the “perfect hire.”A Match Made in HellLess than six months later, everyone agreed it was a match made in hell. Ryan’s staffopenly despised him. Senior managers, all of whom had interviewed him earlier,discovered that Ryan was a bit of a prima donna, refusing to do some of the moreroutine jobs required of XYZ’s managers. Although Ryan had seemed sincere aboutwanting to work for a smaller company, it soon became obvious that he missed thesupport services and cachet he had enjoyed at his Fortune 500 firm.After Ryan was asked to leave, XYZ’s management conducted a post-mortem.Something had gone wrong during the hiring process. But what?Reviewing the paperwork, the firm’s HR manager maintained that all the writtenevidence supported the decision to hire him. What had not shown up in writing,however, was Ryan’s attitude about working for a company like XYZ. Although thesenior managers thought they had conducted thorough interviews, upon closerinspection they realized they had asked superficial questions and had been satisfiedwith superficial answers.Checking the Hiring MeterGauging an applicant’s attitude toward you, your company and the specific job openingis not a simple task. “Attitude is a very shaky thing,” says Jane Whitmore, salesmanager of Development Dimensions International, a consulting firm. “What is attitude,and how do you define it behaviorally?”1

2 / Business Management DailyUnmasking an applicant’s attitude has become even more difficult these daysbecause of the emergence of a whole industry devoted to educating and preppingindividuals looking for jobs. An applicant may present a professionally preparedrésumé and a cover letter virtually copied from any number of self-help resources.These boilerplate records obscure, rather than illuminate, an applicant’s qualifications.As a result, companies must scrutinize all this information with a degree ofskepticism.Face-to-face interviews present perhaps your best opportunity to assess each candidate.Yet as the XYZ Co. example illustrates, unless you know what to look for andthe right questions to ask, a well-rehearsed applicant may present a façade that willbe impossible for you to penetrate.Moreover, some managers are intimidated by the thought of meeting job applicants:They know that the job interview is rife with legal minefields. Many questionsand comments are prohibited. That list becomes even longer if the applicant is amember of a protected group (someone with a physical disability, for example). Theinterviewer may be so cautious that she winds up gaining little insight into the candidate’sabilities.The threat of litigation has also succeeded in gagging many former employerswhen they are called to give a reference. They may fear being sued if they are toohonest about an ex-employee’s track record. This area should be one of great concernto you. Being able to assess an applicant’s previous performance is probably the bestway to ascertain whether he can do the job available at your company. How can youreassure the references you call that they can talk freely about the applicant?When a Mismatch Occurs . . .Hiring the “perfect” person may seem like a daunting task. As a manager, you probablywant to get it over with and get back to the business at hand. Having to hire andfire people is time-consuming and distracting. Yet if you make a recruiting mistake,the consequences are telling:◗ You waste time and money in training someone you may have to let go.◗ You weaken the overall effectiveness of your team.◗ You risk losing other, more valuable employees.◗ You reduce the amount of time you can spend on managing since you must startthe hiring process all over again.◗ You damage your reputation as a manager because your associates will begin todoubt your ability to attract good people. Leaders are judged on their ability not onlyto lead but also to attract and retain good people. Thus you have everything to gainby playing the hiring game well.Nevertheless, many managers stumble and blunder during the hiring process. Themost common mistakes they make include the following:❏ Hiring someone who reminds you of yourself. Sometimes a manager may beconscious of this inherent bias. Ivy Leaguers who want to interview only graduatesof Harvard and Yale are one example. Extroverts look for talkers. Technical peopleare naturally drawn to those who can speak their lingo. Other managers may bedrawn to those who look like them, walk like them and manage like them.Yet it doesn’t take a Harvard graduate to see that a mind-set like this brings with itmany conflicts. “I hired Paul because he knows his own mind and is not easily convinced,just like I am. But I don’t have time to argue and debate with him every time Iwant something done!”

4 / Business Management Dailyceived value to the company begins to drop. Long-term employees tend to havelarger salaries, so you wind up paying someone more for doing the same job she waspaid less to do a year ago.Some organizations (law and accounting firms, for example) adopt an up-or-outphilosophy, giving employees a certain number of years to make partner or leave.Although most corporations eschew having a formal policy like this, there’s still anunwritten rule of thumb: Valuable employees will leverage themselves over time,illustrating that their worth to the company has increased, not decreased.◗ Possesses a win-win attitude. This quality is the most important—and the mostdifficult—to find in a job candidate. You need an employee who will take a positiveapproach, looking for solutions rather than hand-wringing over problems. Someonewho will be a team player rather than a loner. Someone who ultimately will make adifference in your department and your company.“It’s easy to figure out what they can do,” Whitmore says. “You want to find outwhat they will do and will find satisfying.”Good hiring is not random or simply luck. Finding the right person takes research,hard work and follow-up. All these activities take time. But with the right guidebook,you can find your way more easily and not waste valuable hours getting lost.In this Special Report, we’ll examine the hiring process, from attracting qualifiedapplicants on through making the offer to the No. 1 candidate. As many experts nowbelieve, hiring the person whose enthusiasm for the job equals (or even outweighs)his or her skills may be the key to job success. As such, this report will focus on howto assess the attitude of each applicant, whether you are scrutinizing a résumé, conductingan interview or making reference checks.

Part I.Starting Your SearchYou thought you had made the “perfect hire,” then soon discoveredthat it was a match made in hell. What happened? How could youhave prevented it? In this section we lay the groundwork for findinggreat hires by concentrating on what clues to look for in the prescreeningprocess.5

Hiring for Attitude1What do you look for when evaluating an applicant? Most managersprobably focus on the person’s skills and work experience.These are the obvious yardsticks, to be sure. But withoutassessing a candidate’s attitude, you risk making a serious hiring mistake.Why is attitude so important? Attitude is mind-set. Having a positive mind-set canmean the difference between an employee who is willing to go the extra mile and onewho is content just to cover the required distance. An employee with a positive attitudeis eager to pitch in on a project even when the rewards aren’t apparent. Attitudeis what helped Michelangelo finish painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel andwhat propels many Olympic athletes to push beyond their physical limitations.‘Just Do It’In the business world, consider the example of Nike. A visitor to Nike’s corporateheadquarters in Beaverton, Ore., can’t help but notice the sporting enthusiasm thatpulsates throughout the shoe giant’s campus. In his book, Just Do It—The Nike Spiritin the Corporate World, Donald Katz writes: “Employees who want to excel at Nikemust understand what makes people able to cry and scream with pleasure whilewatching a game.” Although most of Nike’s employees are young, there are also“innumerable employees [who] talk about having been reborn at Nike after abandoningless fulfilling ways of life,” Katz notes. Besides professional athletes, the rosterincludes former English teachers, lawyers, journalists and government officials.At Nike the “Just Do It” mantra is more than just a catchy advertising slogan—it’sa state of mind. It sums up the corporate approach to every challenge encounteredalong the business path to success. The “Just Do It” attitude helped the companystave off formidable competitors like Reebok and Adidas. It’s also the attitude exhibitedby the company’s celebrity endorsers.Those who come to work at Nike have bought into the program. They work hard,they play hard, but most of all, they love sports. In his book Katz cited the case of aformer Reagan administration official who held a Ph.D. and a law degree and survivedseveral rounds of grueling interviews for an important job managing Nike’s“environmental action team.” A member of the selection committee said he had justone more question. “Who’s Deion Sanders?” he asked. The candidate said he did notknow—and was politely shown the door.Despite stellar credentials, the applicant obviously didn’t follow sports. With thatone question, Nike’s management was able to determine that the candidate didn’thave what it would take to succeed there.As the Nike example illustrates, many companies perceive attitude as being criticalto job success. Someone who was lukewarm about sports would never last at a companywhere employees’ lives revolve around the latest game or match. A manager therewho merely tolerated athletics would fail to develop a rapport with his staff.7

8 / Business Management DailyIdentifying AttitudeAlbeit, a love of sports is probably not a prerequisite for success at your company. Butsomething else is. Before you start to list the skill requirements and work experiencenecessary for any job opening, take some time to identify the attitudinal responsesyou should be seeking in any new employee. Here are some points to consider:❏ Look at the products your company produces. A candidate who understands—even loves—what your company makes will stand a better chance of succeeding.Remember the movie Big, in which the character played by Tom Hanks was quicklytapped for advancement because he loved toys? (For the record, he was actually achild in an adult body, so his affinity for playthings was natural.) Someone whobrings to the job that kind of enthusiasm for whatever your company makes—be itfood, computers, automobiles or books—will have no trouble getting others excitedabout it, too.❏ If your company offers a service, does your candidate believe the service isimportant? Someone who believes, for instance, that everyone is out to scam theinsurance industry wouldn’t make a very good insurance salesperson.❏ Does the candidate mention career-related activities that she pursues outsidenormal business hours simply for the enjoyment? Someone in the food industry, forexample, may have taken a cooking course to increase her appreciation and involvementin food.❏ Does the candidate have vision? The most important factor that helps peoplesurvive—whether they are struggling on the battlefield or in a badly managed corporation—isan overpowering desire to complete the work yet undone. Research hasshown that children do better academically when they can visualize their future roles.In the workplace, the person who feels passionate about work and his involvementin it will be inherently motivated and will motivate others.❏ Does the person have well-defined goals? Many of these goals may be pie-inthe-skywishes; others, more reachable. Someone who has goals and is able to articulatethem has given some thought to the future and is willing to take risks, large orsmall.❏ Does the person focus on the negative “It can’t be done” approach, ratherthan the “Let’s see if we can make it work” tactic? You don’t want to hire dreamers,of course. But history is filled with examples of individuals who defied the odds andwent on to make a difference. An applicant who comes across in an interview asupbeat and positive—a can-do sort—is someone who will make things happen.❏ Is the person resilient? Let’s face it, these are not happy times in corporateAmerica. Downsizing will continue well into the next decade. It’s easy to be bitterwhen your job and livelihood are eliminated. But the person who will survive—andthrive—is able to move beyond that anger and look toward the next step. “What do Ineed to do to land on my feet? What skills do I have that may still be valuable to anemployer (even if they weren’t valuable to my last employer)? What skills can Iacquire to increase my marketability next time?”❏ Can the person adapt to size? Ryan, in our opening example with XYZ, couldnot. He thought it would be challenging to work for a smaller firm, but he couldnot make that transition. Employees who are able to make adjustments—whether itmeans working without an assistant or a large backup team—will have the kind ofattitude that will make a difference in your department and company.❏ Does the person welcome change? It’s easy to feel comfortable with the statusquo—the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school of thought. Yet if corporate Americathought that way about everything, nothing would ever be improved or invented.

Society moves ahead because visionaries are able to look at things that “ain’t broke”and yet devise ways of changing them. Simply put, that’s called progress, and individualswho can advance the state of affairs are valuable workers to have on board.Unless your company is like Nike and has a clearly defined corporate culture, itmay be more difficult to pinpoint the one question that will reveal whether an applicantpossesses the attitude you are looking for. As such, throughout this report, youwill find tips and questions to help you assess a candidate’s attitude.Great Hires—Every Time / 9

Defining the Job2You have a position to fill, and you think you know what the jobentails. Think again. The job may have changed. How long has itbeen since you hired someone for this particular position? In thattime, have the person’s duties shifted? Perhaps new tasks have beenadded, and others taken away.Or, the department may have changed. It’s possible you hired someone for anotherposition, and that person has displayed a particular talent for tasks not originally inher job description. Now may be your opportunity to restructure your talent lineup.Then again, the market may have changed. When you last hired for this position,the applicant pool was not as competitive. Now you may need to upgrade therequirements needed for the job.As you can see, before you can begin to advertise the position and evaluate candidates,you need a job description detailing the responsibilities and skills required tofill the position to your satisfaction.Analyze Each TaskBegin by interviewing the person who currently holds that position. This interviewwill differ from an exit interview, which may be done by your company’s HR director.Ask the departing employee what he viewed as his major responsibilities. Writethem down, and under each, list the tasks necessary to meet those responsibilities.Be specific with regard to frequency. How much time was involved in completingeach task? What skills, knowledge, experience and training were required to executeeach task well?Review past performance reviews of those who have held the position. By doingso, you will become more familiar with the duties that go along with the job. In addition,you will appreciate which talents helped make people perform well and whichtypes of applicants would not be a good fit.Others to check with: supervisors, co-workers, clients, vendors and customers(both current and those you have lost). Solicit opinions on the qualities a personshould possess to do the job well. Descriptive terms—“motivated,” “focused,” “levelheaded,”“steady,” “dependable,” “adaptable,” “decisive,” “goal oriented”—willhelp you flesh out the skeletal job description.As you analyze each task, focus on action verbs. These words can help identifywhat the person really needs to do. Seems obvious? Don’t be too sure. Many timesan interviewer asks all the right questions except the ones that get to the center of thetarget—whether the person can deliver and get the job done. Don’t fall into that trap.Rank the tasks in order of importance. This lineup will help you later as you beginto evaluate the top contenders for the slot. Someone who can perform well in threeout of five tasks may still not warrant the job if he could not complete the most importantduties, the ones you ranked as No. 1 and 2. (See the sample chart on page 12.)11

12 / Business Management DailySkills RankingUse the following sample chart to help you zero in on the tasks required for the positionyou are trying to fill.Position: Sales associateDepartment: Computer softwareIn the first column list the skills necessary for the job. In the second column, rank theskills in their importance by using 1 for “mandatory,” 2 for “significant” and 3 for “canlearn on the job.”SkillsValue1. CommunicationsAble to talk with prospects in person or over the phone. 1Knows how to conduct a sales call, from cold callthrough to close. 22. NetworkingKnows people in the industry to tap for potentialsales leads. 2Knows where to find leads on his own. 23. Technical knowledgeConversant with software made by the company. 3Familiar with software made by competitors. 3Works with word processing and spreadsheet programs. 24. Financial knowledgeAble to track sales. 2Hands in timely reports. 35. Sales meetingsAble to work well with other salespeople. 2Communicates ideas well. 26. AttitudeEnthusiastic about sales. 1Enthusiastic about computer software. 2Enthusiastic about people. 2

The Legal SideManagers often presume to know the duties of a position and view writing a jobdescription as a bother. Some companies maintain a file of job descriptions, but theyare not updated on a regular basis. As we’ve said, this practice ignores the reality thatthe duties of any job will change over time.Your company should keep on file job descriptions of all the positions within yourcompany. Job descriptions are among the first items the courts examine to determinethe legitimacy of a discrimination charge.➢ Observation: You can use a job description as part of your company’s defense incourt only if it is accurate and was prepared before a slot was advertised or interviewingbegan, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.When writing a job description, make sure it includes the following:◗ The title of the position.◗ The job’s essential functions (including any physical requirements, such as liftingheavy objects).◗ Any secondary duties.◗ Standards to which the person filling the position is held (such as whether a salespersonis expected to bring in five new clients per month).◗ The worker’s supervisors, if applicable.◗ Whom the worker will be responsible for supervising, if applicable.For new jobs, sit down with the department head who is creating the position, andask for a description that covers the points mentioned above. If an applicant everaccuses you of discrimination—especially under the Americans with DisabilitiesAct—the EEOC will review what you identified as the essential functions of the jobto see if the charges have merit. If you don’t have a job description, the commissionmay decide for itself what functions are “essential.”Great Hires—Every Time / 13

Cover Letters andRésumés: Readingthe Fine Print3Unlike a book, you can judge an applicant by a cover—a coverletter, that is. Particularly when you are attempting to assess acandidate’s attitude toward the job and your company, the coverletter may provide valuable insight. Likewise, a candidate’s résumé is astarting point, like an advertisement. But with both cover letters andrésumés, you need to proceed with caution.First Impressions: The Cover LetterLook first at the cover letter’s overall appearance. Did it follow proper business form,including the applicant’s address at the top and an inside address (your company’s)next? Does the salutation read properly? “Dear Sir,” “Dear Madame” or “Dear [nameof company official]” rather than “To Whom It May Concern”? Did the applicant useproper grammar and punctuation?Now, study the content of the letter. This may be a revealing exercise, telling youwhether the letter was written for your company alone or mailed to 200. Does the lettersay anything specific about your company and the job opening?If the gist of the correspondence is general and vague, you can be sure it was a massmailing. Some people may think there is nothing wrong with that approach. As longas the cover letter is neat and well written, why should it matter if it is mailed to oneperson or 100?Remember, we are talking about attitude in this report. Someone who is promisingyour company and 99 others that “I know I would be very comfortable in your corporateenvironment” or “I am writing because I have been impressed with your company”will not come across with much sincerity.In fact, the best candidate will make sure she’s writing to the appropriate person inyour company. Also, her letter will contain some indication that she has done homeworkabout your company and the specific job opening.In addition, a good candidate will spell out in the letter why she is the perfect personfor the job. As a final note, the person will include some sort of teaser—“I havehandled similar assignments in the past and would like to share with you my experiences”—thatwould make you want to call her for an interview.Résumés With AttitudeAs with a cover letter, the smart applicant tailors each résumé to fit the position beingsought. If that seems like a lot of work, it is. Consider what it says about a person’sattitude, though. Someone who is diligent enough to spend time crafting an individualizedresponse to a specific job is someone you would want on your team.15

16 / Business Management DailyIn the past, résumés were simple and followed a chronological format. The candidatelisted his education, followed by a sequential listing of work experience. Somerésumés still adhere to that set-up. Yet many applicants now have abandoned thatdate-by-date rundown and are opting for another form:◗ Functional résumés stress skills and accomplishments. In most cases, this type ofrésumé will provide no specifics on when or where jobs were held.◗ Broadcast résumés are similar to functional résumés in that they attempt to snowyou with four or five winning phrases that “broadcast” the person’s stellar credentials.◗ Combination résumés fuse the functional and chronological styles and give thefullest picture of the candidate.Although there is no hard-and-fast rule on which résumé style candidates willchoose, some generalizations do hold. Many managers are wary of functionalrésumés because they are often used to cover up employment gaps or a job thatended disastrously. Broadcast résumés are employed by older, high-powered executiveswho have experience to sell but may feel that their higher price will put themout of the running. Also, individuals with a military or educational backgroundsometimes use a functional or broadcast résumé.The combination résumé will be the easiest one for you to work from because itgives a detailed time line of experience as well as specific skills and accomplishments.Deciphering functional and broadcast résumés will be trickier—it may take you moretime and effort to satisfy any nagging doubts. You may decide to cross those candidatesoff your list totally. An alternative might be to contact those applicants whoserésumés seemed difficult to interpret and ask them to resubmit a chronological or acombination résumé. Someone who is seriously interested in the position will be willingto oblige.How to decipher a résuméNo matter the form, how do you go about analyzing a résumé? Keep in mind thatany résumé tries to present an applicant in the best possible light. The person’s mostnotable accomplishments are usually stated upfront, so you will need to scrutinizewhat follows more closely. “Résumés can be very deceptive,” consultant JaneWhitmore says. “I interviewed someone who had a fabulous résumé, but I couldn’tfind the meat. She couldn’t give me examples of anything she had done.”When reading a résumé, start by using some of the same guidelines for evaluatinga cover letter. Is it neatly printed on good-quality stock? Can you read it withoutsquinting? Is everything spelled right, in the proper tense and grammatically correct?It may seem cynical, but it’s prudent to take nothing at face value on the résumé.Experts estimate that more than one-third of résumés seen by businesses contain at least onefalsehood. One consultant puts that percentage even higher. “The last data I saw suggestedthat 80% of all résumés contain some sort of fabrication. Most people don’tdeliberately misrepresent themselves but claim responsibility for something theywere only peripherally involved in,” says Mike DeGiorgi, of the Alliance EducationGroup, an educational consulting and training design firm in Rockville, Md.Here are some other points to consider when studying a résumé:Attempt to construct the applicant’s work history in chronological order. Thisshould be an easy exercise if the person has submitted a résumé with dates. If not, tryto do so based on the information you have. Go through the résumé using a markerto highlight any dates or date-relevant information.Then determine whether the applicant’s responsibilities increased with each successiveposition held. Someone who has moved around a lot but appears to be doing

Great Hires—Every Time / 17the same job over and over again probably is not going to bring any value added toyour company.Assess the person’s attitude by the descriptions used. Passive verbs (“was selected,”“was cited,” “was promoted”) may imply that the applicant is reactive rather thanproactive.Study the descriptions to determine how well the candidate communicates. Doeshe give minimal amounts of information or expand upon it so that you gain a deeperinsight into what the position entailed?Look at the adjectives the person used to describe his accomplishments in previousjobs. “As a hiring manager, it’s possible to get an insight into attitude by lookingat how something is expressed,” says Peggy Schmidt, a consultant who has writtenseveral books on résumé writing. She offered this example from a résumé: “Took theinitiative to reorganize a database that was out-of-date and contained inaccurateinformation.” Schmidt’s analysis: “Such an example tells you that you have anemployee who is able to recognize problems and do something about them, whetherit’s part of the job or not.”You can also get a handle on attitude by looking at the kudos awarded the person.Someone who has earned the distinction of best customer service rep or top salesproducer, for example, should get your attention. “Clearly, getting that kind of recognitionpoints to high levels of motivation, as well as a friendly and helpful disposition,”Schmidt says. Needless to say, any such claims need to be verified during thebackground check as part of the hiring process (see below).Plan to learn about salary during the interview. No one lists salaries on a résumé,but learning the candidate’s salary history, as opposed to what she was paid on thelast job, is important. First, you will be able to see how the person’s salary level progressedover time. If someone moved from one job to another with little or no increasein pay, you would want to question her more closely about the move. Second, youwill gain some perspective on what salary increase the person could reasonablyexpect to achieve in the position you are offering. Remember: A person may beinclined to exaggerate her last salary earned, but she will have more difficulty inflatingher entire salary history.Circle any red flagsKeep your marker handy to circle any item that should be a red flag. Make sure youcheck out these claims later when you interview the candidate or when you call herreferences. What warning signs should you look for? They include the following:◗ Words such as “managed” and “supervised.” These two terms are used excessivelyand oftentimes improperly.Managing or supervising someone means that you are responsible for training,performance evaluation, salary reviews and so on. A person cannot use these termsmerely to describe a relationship, such as working on a team with junior-levelemployees, for example. Another important factor is the length of time such anarrangement existed. Did the applicant manage others on only one project for a fewweeks?◗ Claims that the applicant saved time or money for the company.Oftentimes, the claims are true, but in many cases, they are an out-and-out fabricationor, at the least, an exaggeration. “Made staffing changes that resulted in a 50%increase in clerical time.” What the applicant may mean is that he cut his assistant’slunch hour in half. Unless you question him, you won’t find out the truth.

fied with the number. “When you say supervise, what did your duties involve? Didyou assign work, evaluate the employees and conduct performance reviews?” A truemanager would have done all that—and more.4. Any boast about saving the company time or money should be followed up.“You say that your improvements to the company’s accounting procedures saved$20,000 for your department. How exactly were those savings realized?”5. Check out any lateral moves. “You moved from Adobe Electronics to AdelphiElectronics in what seems to be the same level of position. Why did you decide tomake that move?”Any information that is false or misrepresents the candidate will often prove to bea stumbling block for him during the interview. It’s important for you to do yourhomework, carefully reviewing the person’s résumé so that you will be prepared tozero in on these weaknesses.➢ Recommendation: Devise a way to acknowledge all the résumés you receive,whether or not you intend to interview each candidate. An e-mail or quick phone callwill let those who took the time to apply know that you appreciate their interest, butyou’ve decided to pursue other applicants whose qualifications more closely meetyour needs. Observe business etiquette by acknowledging all the applications; thiswill cast you and your company in a favorable light.Great Hires—Every Time / 19

Legal Minefieldsin the Hiring Process4The hiring process will seem less intimidating if you are familiarwith the legal parameters within which you must operate. Don’tunderestimate the cost if you don’t observe proper legal guidelines.The American Bar Association says that companies may spendupward of $20,000 just in legal fees to defend a discrimination lawsuitthat goes to trial. Of course, the cost to you professionally may also bedevastating if you are the manager involved.“Most people are not trained in asking questions and conducting a legal, fair interview,”consultant Jane Whitmore says. “Managers let biases and stereotypes affecttheir judgment.”Don’t let that happen to you. Begin by educating yourself on the laws affectingyour employment decisions. In this section we’ll review some of the major employmentlaws.Civil Rights ActThe Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the nucleus of anti-discrimination law in the UnitedStates. Title VII of this act deals with labor and employment and prohibits discriminationon the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.For example, you cannot ask about a candidate’s political beliefs or affiliations orher religious beliefs or observances of religious holidays. Asking what church orsynagogue a person belongs to, or seeking a recommendation from a pastor or arabbi, could land you in trouble.What you may ask: Whether the person would be available to work on Saturday orSunday.Steer clear of any questions regarding race or national origin. Never ask where acandidate was born or about parentage or ancestry, and never comment on his raceor ethnicity.Caution: It is unlawful for employers to recruit, hire or employ illegal immigrants.All employers are required to verify the employment eligibility of new hires. Newemployees must provide proof of identity and employment eligibility. The employerand the employee must sign an I-9 form (downloadable at www.uscis.gov). TheImmigration Reform and Control Act also prohibits discrimination against legalaliens and holds employers liable for unreasonable requests of identification documents.This requirement puts you in a bind: You must ensure that anyone you hireis in this country legally; however, you are barred from verifying such informationduring the screening process. Your safest course of action: As soon as you make yourhiring decision, have the new employee fill out his I-9 form. You do not have to waituntil his first day on the job.What you may ask: If the person can speak a certain foreign language if that skill isconsidered an essential function of the job. For example, a company with a sales office21

22 / Business Management Dailyin Poland would be justified in arguing that fluency in Polish is an essential functionfor the manager of that office.When interviewing women, never inquire about previous names, marital status,spouse or children. Avoid asking how she prefers to be addressed: that is, as Miss,Mrs. or Ms.What you may ask: If she ever worked for your company using another name; if shehas any relatives working for your company; and if she would be available to worknights or weekends.There are several other topics you should avoid asking on a job application. Theseinclude:◗ Names of relatives and friends.◗ Age.◗ Physical attributes.◗ Military record.◗ Arrest and conviction records.◗ Pregnancy/childbearing intentions.◗ Disabilities.◗ Credit standing.◗ Bonding.◗ Transportation plans.◗ Garnishment records.◗ Emergency contact information.Pregnancy Discrimination ActEnacted in 1978, this law prohibits discrimination on the basis of “pregnancy, childbirthand related medical conditions.” A woman cannot be denied a job or a promotionmerely because she is pregnant or has had an abortion. Also, she cannot be firedbecause of her condition or forced to go on leave as long as she is physically capableof performing her job.Age Discrimination in Employment ActThe ADEA, as amended in 1978, mandates that employers with 20 or more workerscannot engage in personnel practices that discriminate against individuals age 40 andolder. (Many states have laws that apply to companies with fewer than 20 workers.)Because many states and case law have broadened the scope of the federal law, youshould check in your own jurisdiction to see what rules may apply to your company.What you cannot ask: Don’t ask a person’s age, but, if applicable, inform the applicantthat proof of the minimum age is a state requirement once he is hired. Anythingmore probing (including any comment that could somehow be construed as a remarkon a person’s age) is verboten. Don’t ask, for example, when someone graduatedfrom college. And when you run an ad about the job opening, do not specify a preferencefor “young” applicants or “recent college grads.” Exception: There will besome instances in which you could demonstrate that the age of the applicant is a bonafide occupational qualification (BFOQ)—one that is reasonably necessary to performthe job. For example, age is a BFOQ for airline pilots because the Federal AviationAdministration sets the age limit at 65 for safety reasons.

24 / Business Management Daily➢ Observation: Even experienced interviewers would do well to review the legalguidelines before and after each interview. Those who are new to the interviewingarena might want to practice with an associate and vet the questions they intend to ask.Legal Do’s and Don’tsYou may think you know what to ask during an interview. But sometimes the rules are more difficultto observe when you are actually conducting the interview. Place yourself in the following situationsand assess what you would do. Then proceed to the scoring section to rate your performance.1. You have just ushered an applicant into your office, and she comments on the photographs ofyour children on your desk. She volunteers that she has children, too. Your next comment shouldbe:A. “How many children do you have?”B. “Do you find it difficult to work and raise a family?”C. “Yeah, kids are great. Now, let’s begin by talking about your résumé . . .”2. The applicant mentions that his spouse works for a major corporation that is currently undergoingcutbacks. Do you:A. Ask whether the applicant expects his spouse to be fired or transferred in the near future?B. Ask whether the applicant is covered under the spouse’s insurance policy?C. Say that the cutbacks are unfortunate, then move on to your next job-related question?3. You are interviewing for a computer programmer position. The applicant has no on-the-job experiencewith your company’s system but mentions that he helped his church set up a similar system.Your next comment is:A. What church was that?B. How long did it take you to get the system up and running?C. Did you contribute money to the venture as well as volunteering your time?4. The candidate states on her application that she attended Garden State College. You went there,too. Your comment is:A. Does Professor Livingston still teach natural science?B. I graduated in 1966. What year did you graduate?C. Did you belong to any clubs while in college?5. You see that the applicant lives a long distance from your plant. You ask:A. How will you get to work?B. Why do you live so far from Center City?C. In this plant we work from 9 to 5. Is there any reason those hours might be unacceptable for you?Answers1. Even though it seems rude not to inquire about a person’s children after she mentions them, it’s illegal for you to pursue this line of conversation.For that reason, A and B would not be appropriate questions to ask. Stick with C, and move the interview on to legal ground.2. It is illegal to ask about a spouse’s work situation. Although the applicant volunteered that the spouse works for a company currentlydownsizing, you can get into dangerous territory by following up with questions aimed at ascertaining the spouse’s job stability. It is alsoillegal to inquire about insurance coverage. The best strategy is to say that the cutbacks are unfortunate and then move on.3. It is against the law to ask about a person’s religious affiliation. That would include inquiring about any donations made, either of his timeor money. The safest approach is to keep the questions job related.4. You cannot ask when a person graduated from college. It also is illegal to ask if the applicant belonged to any clubs there. However, askingabout Professor Livingston is not only permitted but recommended. Anyone who is not being truthful about attending Garden StateCollege might trip herself up by not knowing the professor (or claiming to know him if you made the name up).5. A and B are definitely out of bounds. If the applicant is disabled, you cannot ask how he will get to work. To comment on where a personlives might be construed as a comment on the person’s economic status. The third choice is the best question.

Part II.Interviewing:A Six-Step ProcessDon’t think of interviewing as a single event. Rather, it is a six-stepprocess, with each interval presenting the opportunity to gathermore information that will help you make a final hiring decision.These steps include:1. Initial screening phone call. 4. Second in-person interview.2. Employment testing. 5. Reference/background checking.3. First in-person interview. 6. Negotiating salary and benefits.Of course, there will be instances when time pressures force you to hiresomeone more quickly than you would like. You might skip the screeningphone call and invite candidates in for an interview based on what youhave gleaned from their résumés. Perhaps you may decide to forgo thesecond in-person interview or use that time to talk about salary and benefits.This list is intended to be used as a guide, which you can modify to suityour needs. Be aware, however, that with each step you eliminate, you willhave to work that much harder during the other phases of interviewing togather enough information to make an informed hiring decision.25

Step 1: The InitialScreening Phone Call5had a position I needed to fill and placed an ad that netted me 100résumés,” one manager recalled. “About one-quarter of those—23,to be exact—were good enough to merit interviews. So I broughteach person in and spent at least two weeks interviewing them. Out ofthat nearly two dozen people, only two were acceptable—and those justbarely. How could people look so good on paper and so bad in person?When I think of the hours I wasted!”This manager’s story is not that unusual. Too often, the person doing the hiringomits a crucial step: interviewing candidates over the phone.The “phoner,” as it’s known in recruiting jargon, is the best way for you to decidewhether someone who looks good on paper is worth interviewing in person. Duringthis brief conversation (anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour) you should concentrateon learning the salient points about the applicant. This phone call representsthe first direct contact with the person. From it you will be able to assess phone etiquetteand communications skills. By the person’s tone of voice and choice of words,you can also discern how enthusiastic he or she is about the job opening.“ IRehearse Before You CallKeep in mind that you and your organization are being evaluated by each person youcall. It is essential that you plan what you’re going to say and have a method ofrecording the interviewee’s remarks. Following are some suggestions that will help:❏ Rehearse how you will introduce yourself and your company. The person mayhave answered a blind ad and thus will not know which company is calling. Youshould explain your position with the firm. Tell the applicant you have a few questionsto ask and inquire whether this is a good time to talk.Catching the candidate before she has an opportunity to rehearse may provide arealistic picture of how the person feels about the job. Since you might be calling theperson at work, however, she may not be able to take your call at that time. If so,schedule another time when she can speak freely.❏ Familiarize yourself with the position. It won’t be necessary over the phoneto give a long, detailed explanation of what the job entails. But you should be able tosummarize what the person’s duties and responsibilities will be.❏ Write out the questions you plan to ask. In this way you can be sure to ask eachapplicant the same questions and will be able to evaluate the entire field fairly.❏ Talk with others who will supervise or work with the person. What questionswould they like you to ask? How do they perceive the job?❏ Keep an evaluation form in front of you to fill out during the conversation.(See the sample form on page 30.) Keep the form simple, and include reminders aboutwhat to ask and what topics to avoid.27

28 / Business Management Daily❏ Make sure youBefore You Begin the Phoners . . .have the time to talk. Ifyou have only 10 minutesto spare before yourMake sure you know:1. The exact position you are screening for.next appointment, don’ttry to squeeze in a phone2. How you will describe your organization and the job.interview. The person3. The major duties and responsibilities involved in the position. may have questions toask you; having to cut4. The educational requirements for the job.her off would be rude,5. How much experience the applicant should have.and you would kill the6. The salary range.momentum.❏ Prepare others in7. The starting date.your company who may8. The next step in the hiring process.receive the applicant’scall. If you have applicantscalling in, makesure the receptionist or the department secretary is aware of this. Placing someone onhold or otherwise mishandling a phone call at the onset may turn off someone youwere hoping to attract. Try calling in yourself to see how such an inquiry would behandled.If you decide to use the phoner as a screening device, because of the sheer numberof people you must interview, enlist others in your company to help with the calling.In this case, you can give them the sample interview form to use as a guide.❏ Steer clear of the legal minefields pointed out in Section 5. Remember: It’s justas illegal to ask someone discriminatory questions over the phone as it would be inperson.❏ Focus on what the interviewee is saying. You might become so caught up informulating your next question or jotting down notes that you might miss somethingthe applicant says. If you pick up on an inconsistency or another comment thatdeserves follow-up, ask more probing questions.❏ Try to get all your phone interviews done within a day or two. That way, eachapplicant will be fresh in your mind, and you will be able to select those prospectswho stand out.❏ Don’t rush to fill in silences. Many people are uncomfortable with silence andwill attempt to fill in the gap. These are moments when an applicant may revealmore than you had hoped. Also, if you have asked a particularly probing question,the applicant may need time to formulate a response. Keep silent and wait for theperson to respond.➢ Observation: A phone call that catches someone off guard can reveal a lot about aperson’s character. Did the person answer rudely, in gruff tones? Even if the personhad to take your call in front of a boss and, therefore, was limited to monosyllabicanswers, how she managed to finesse the situation would indicate if she can handleherself under stress.Receiving Calls From ApplicantsThe first voice an applicant hears at ZZZ Corporation may be yours. Make sure youare warm, welcoming and accommodating. Be sure to ask the following:◗ The specific job he is applying for.◗ His name, address, e-mail and phone number.

Great Hires—Every Time / 29◗ Where he heard about ZZZ Corporation.◗ With whom he would like to speak. If that person is not available, ask when wouldbe a good time for someone to call him back.Assure the applicant that someone will be in touch within the next few days.Thank him for calling.Be sure to pass along the information on each employment inquiry to the appropriatemanager as well as the human resources department. Keep this checklisthandy as ready reference for all those who might answer incoming calls.Telephone Screening FormInterviewing for the Position of _____________________________General Guidelines1. Introduce yourself by your title, company name and the fact that you are calling aboutthe position.2. Explain that you want to conduct a short phone interview.3. Ask, “Is this a good time for you to talk?” If not, set up an appointment for the phone interview.4. Do not make any personal inquiries that might be construed as illegal. These wouldinclude asking about a person’s accent, place of birth, date of graduation, marital status or children.5. Use the list of sample questions below as a guide. Listen to an applicant’s answers carefully,and follow up, if necessary.6. Take notes as you conduct the interview.7. Do not make comments evaluating a person’s answers.8. Do not make promises that are not yours to make on behalf of the company.9. Provide an opportunity for the applicant to ask questions.10. Explain that someone will be in touch with the applicant within the next few days.11. Thank the person for taking the time to talk and for expressing an interest inZZZ Corporation.12. Fill out the evaluation form while the interview is fresh in your mind.13. Hand in all interview evaluation forms to the appropriate supervisor within 24 hours.Sample Questions for a Phone InterviewWhy are you interested in working for ZZZ?What duties are involved in your current job?How would your experience be valuable in the job you are applying for?Why are you interested in changing jobs?What do you like best about your current job? The least?What types of assignments motivate you the best?What is your current salary?What are your salary requirements for this opening?When would you be able to start work?Is there anything else you would like to tell me about yourself and your qualifications for this position?Do you have any questions about ZZZ Corporation?

30 / Business Management DailyTelephone Evaluation FormPosition applied for:________________________________________Name: ____________________________________________________Address: __________________________________________________Phone: ______________________________(work)____________________________(home)Current position: __________________________________________Current company: _________________________________________Evaluate the candidate, keeping in mind his or her suitability for the specific job opening.Scoring: 5, excellent; 4, very good; 3, good; 2, satisfactory; 1, poor.EducationScore _______________Salary RequirementsScore _______________Comments ______________________________Comments ___________________________ExperienceScore _______________AvailabilityScore _______________Comments ______________________________Comments _________________________SkillsScore _______________Attitude During InterviewScore _______________Comments ______________________________Comments __________________________Total Score _____________________Recommendation ____________________________________________Interviewer ________________________________Date ________________________

Step 2: Testing6Amajor question facing managers and organizations these days:To test or not to test? Oftentimes, testing will help you evaluatea candidate’s fitness for a job. Yet, if handled incorrectly, anemploy ment test could land you in legal hot water.How? An applicant who is offended by your test may claim that you invaded hisprivacy or screened out protected groups. In the 1990s the testing community reeledfrom an out-of-court settlement in the landmark case of Soroka v. Dayton Hudson Corp.The employer paid a $2 million settlement to job applicants upset over intrusive testquestions regarding their religious, medical and sexual practices. Among the moreoutrageous statements: “I sometimes have trouble holding my urine.” Test makersacross the country responded to Soroka by scrapping their more invasive questions.What if your company follows rigid employee privacy standards, protecting testresponses from prying eyes? “Some courts have held that merely asking certain questionsis invasive,” say Los Angeles employment attorney Paul Grossman. “Ask thetesting company if it will indemnify you if you land in court over invasive questions.I bet none of them will.”Besides invasion of privacy, applicants have sued on the grounds that certain testswere devised to eliminate from the competition certain protected groups, such asminorities, women and the disabled. “Ultimately, you have to be able to prove thatthe results of a particular test translate into success on the job,” Mike DeGiorgi says.That may be difficult to do. Adds Grossman: “The stakes are huge if a lot of membersof a protected class were rejected because of a test.”To meet equal employment opportunity requirements, make sure the tests are validatedby research showing they do not have a disparate impact on minorities. OneEEOC criterion, for example, stipulates that the passing rate of women and protectedminorities who take an employment test must be at least 80% of the passing rate ofwhite males.Is the risk of administering a test one worth taking? Many managers would sayyes, particularly if the tests used can assess a person’s attitude toward work in generaland the job position specifically.There are essentially two kinds of employment screening tests: physiological andpsychometric (mental-measurement). The following section analyzes each type,along with some pros and cons of their application.Physiological ScreeningPhysical exams are used to assess a person’s strength, coordination and other physicalattributes. Physical tests can be potentially troublesome for employers becausethey are often used to avoid hiring female applicants for physically demanding jobs.To combat charges of discrimination, be sure that all tests are administered to bothmale and female applicants and are related to the job’s essential functions.31

32 / Business Management DailyPhysiological tests may include screening for alcohol and drug use, AIDS andgenetic abnormalities (often used when employees will be handling toxic substancesthat may cause adverse side effects).There are no federal laws prohibiting mandatory AIDS tests for workers, althoughmany states do have statutes related to this issue. Check with your state labor department.If mandatory testing is allowed and you have a legitimate, business-relatedneed for this information, be sure all employees are required to take the test.Substance abuse costs business an estimated $100 billion a year, according to theCenter for Substance Abuse Prevention. A worker with a drug or alcohol problem ismore likely to make critical mistakes on the job that can harm co-workers, customersor clients—leading to an array of lawsuits. That’s why many companies are developingdrug screening programs to ensure the safety of their work force. A study by theAmerican Management Association shows that drug testing by major U.S. organizationshas increased 277% in the last decade.Testing for drug or alcohol abuse may be useful or required if you are screeningapplicants for a sensitive job in a field such as transportation, pharmaceuticals orbanking. Many states have enacted strict standards regarding the use of alcohol anddrug tests, so check with your attorney. The National Institute on Drug Abuse(NIDA) estimates that at least one out of 50 employees uses illegal drugs.You have the right to demand a drug-free workplace, but employees also have reasonablerights to privacy. Principles of public safety and optimal productivity mustbe weighed against individuals’ reasonable expectations of privacy. Jobs involving atangible risk to public safety will justify intrusions that might not otherwise be permissible.Many experts believe that drug testing will proliferate in the future. If yourcompany decides to jump on the bandwagon, try to minimize the adverse side effectsby taking the following precautions:◗ Specify why screening for alcohol and drugs is important for your company. Arethere health and safety issues involved? State your company policy clearly. (In for mationon workplace drug testing is available from the Substance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration; www.drugfreeworkplace.gov.)◗ Incorporate drug screening with an employee’s physical. Those applicants whofail the drug screening might then be turned away on the basis of failing the physical.◗ Check out the laboratory that will conduct the tests. Some fly-by-night labs havepopped up to meet the new demand for drug testing, and their results have beensubstandard.◗ Have applicants sign a release permitting the tests. Make sure they understandthat refusing to sign such a release means they will be dropped from consideration.Psychometric ScreeningThese mental-measurement tests fall into three broad categories: honesty tests, psychologicalinventories and personality tests.❏ Honesty tests. This simple type of test often is used to screen entry-levelemployees. It is designed to detect the ringers among your field of applicants. One ofthe oldest, the Reid Report from Reid Psychological Systems in Chicago, measuresattitudes about theft, safety regulations, company policies and so forth, in addition toasking the candidate about past behavior.Proponents say these tests can be a good indicator of an applicant’s likelihood ofbeing on time, reliable and hardworking.

Great Hires—Every Time / 33❏ Psychological inventories. These tests provide a broader picture of the personby measuring positive and negative character traits. The Minnesota MultiphasicPersonality Inventory, for example, claims to single out those who are mentallyunbalanced.The Employment Inventory from Personnel Decisions, Inc., measures job attitudesand behaviors that contribute to productivity. A sample question: “Everyone at sometime in his or her adult life has stolen something.” The manner in which an applicantanswers supposedly reveals honesty, as well as initiative, desire to work hard andfollow rules. The test also claims to ferret out those who will quit in fewer than sixmonths, file exaggerated workers’ comp claims or break company rules.❏ Personality tests. These are designed to provide insights into a person’s character.The California Psychological Inventory is structured to identify traits such asempathy, tolerance and creative temperament. Experts believe that personality testsare valuable when the job under consideration demands someone who deals wellwith people.Other Types of Tests❏ Skills and aptitude tests. These are used to measure an applicant’s ability to performcertain tasks integral to the job. Typically, these tests measure typing and mathematicalskills, as well as verbal and written communication. Although many companiesdepend on prepackaged tests, others devise their own, either independentlyor working with a professional testing organization.For example, a vice president for a financial management firm routinely assignsapplicants a project that involves researching the financial performance of companiesin a specific field. “I can judge not only by the final product but by the questionsasked throughout putting together the report whether the applicant will work out,”she says. “I am looking for independent thinkers, workers who don’t need a lot ofguidance and supervision. If someone asks a lot of questions, I know he or she willhave difficulty surviving in our environment.”Testing ChecklistIf you are considering using a test during the hiring process, ask the following:___ What qualities or skills will you be testing for?___ Have you thoroughly checked out the testing service?___ Have you talked with former customers, both those who were supplied asreferences by the testing company and others whom you found on your own?___ Have you determined that the test is fair to all groups, regardless of race, genderor physical ability?___ Do any state regulations on pre-employment testing prohibit use of the testsyou’re considering?___ Would these tests be cost-effective?

34 / Business Management Daily❏ Handwriting analysis. Graphology is catching on in the United States. Some6,000 American businesses report using the technique in the hiring process; many ofthem swear by it. It’s long been popular in Europe, where employers often ask for ahandwritten cover letter so that they can analyze the handwriting.What can you learn by studying an applicant’s scribbles? A lot, claim the supportersof such tests, while critics say there is no scientific basis for employing this formof analysis. As with personality testing, employers that look for insights from handwritinganalysis would do well to consider other factors, including interviews andreferences. It’s a matter of common sense, says Jeffrey Hornsby, management professorat Ball State University. “I’d hate to go into court and defend my hiring decisionby saying I didn’t like their signatures.”❏ Polygraph tests. The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 prohibits liedetectortesting by most employers. Exceptions include jobs involving defense andnational security, public transportation, toxic waste storage and disposal, pharmaceuticalsand private security firms, certain federal contracts and federal, state andlocal employment.➢ Observation: If you decide to use any psychological test, don’t base hiring decisionson the test alone. Use it in conjunction with applications, résumés, interviews,references and background checks.

Step 3: The FirstIn-Person Interview7By the time you are ready for a face-to-face interview, you shouldalready know a great deal about the applicant. This knowledgewill help you formulate a game plan for the questioning. There isno substitute for being well prepared. Managers who believe they willjust “go with the flow,” asking whatever question pops into their heads,will not come away with much meaningful information. Furthermore, ifyou are seeing many candidates, you run the risk that they all will beginto run together in your mind after a while.You may have heard managers claim they hired someone based on a gut instinct.“I just had a feeling he was the right person for the job.” Hires made on that basisalone seldom work out over the long term.There is, however, good reason to assess a candidate’s demeanor during the interview.Does the person appear attentive, enthusiastic, curious? Someone who seemsdistracted, bored and detached may be revealing her true feelings about you, yourorganization and the job even though her responses appear informed and positive.Thus you will want to stay alert to body language, facial expressions, tone of voiceand other mannerisms as the conversation proceeds.Keep in mind that the purpose of the interview is twofold: You want to learn moreabout the applicant, and you want the applicant to get acquainted with your company.Interview CountdownThe day before . . .Review the person’s cover letter, résumé and any other material that he submitted.Even though you will have these items available for reference during the interview, youdon’t want to be shuffling papers and giving the impression that you are unprepared.Review the telephone interview evaluation sheet (see page 30). Did the applicantmake statements during the call that you would like to follow up on?Confer with others who will supervise or work with this person, and solicit theircomments and questions. What qualities or abilities would they like to see in theperson you hire?Rehearse what you will say. Be able to give a brief description of your companyand the department. Explain how the person would fit into this structure. Know theduties and responsibilities for the position. Anticipate questions, and be preparedwith the answers.Formulate a list of questions. Have them written down so that you will be able torecall them easily.Prepare an evaluation form on which to take notes as the interview progresses. Makesure this form is unobtrusive—you don’t want to appear to be filling in a score card.35

36 / Business Management DailyThe day of . . .Go over all the candidate’s written material one last time. Decide where you willconduct the interview—in your office, a conference room or elsewhere. You want tomake a good impression, so make sure the space is clean and well lit. If there arematerials you need to refer to during the interview, have them in place or make sureyou take them with you.Alert the receptionist and/or your assistant about the candidate’s arrival, andinstruct them as to where to direct the person. Ask to have your calls held during theinterview or forwarded to your voice mail so that you won’t be interrupted.Will you offer the applicant a drink? If so, make sure there is fresh water or coffeesupplies available. You don’t want to spend precious minutes looking for a mug.If you plan to give the applicant a tour of the work site, do a walk-through beforehand.Make sure there aren’t any sights that would turn off a potential employee.These might include overflowing trash cans, cluttered aisles, or messy conferencerooms or desks. Look to see what stands out on your bulletin boards. Are therenotices or items you would like to downplay? See if you can have them temporarilymoved.At the appointed hour . . .Be prepared to start the interview on time. Emergencies notwithstanding, plan to seethe applicant at the appointed time. Know how many minutes you plan to spendwith the person and say so upfront. That way he will know the schedule, too.Greet the applicant with a handshake and a smile. Take note of how your greeting isreturned. Is the handshake firm and confident? Is there eye contact? Does the applicantappear friendly and relaxed, or stiff and wary? Someone who is qualified and wellprepared for the interview may be nervous but should look happy and excited to bemeeting with you.You can begin with some innocuous comments. Weather is always a safe topic. Or,ask if your directions to the company premises were easy to follow. Don’t commenton the applicant’s physical appearance or manner of speaking. Remember the examplecited by Mike DeGiorgi, asking why someone was limping and then learning thatthe applicant had a physical disability. You may paint yourself into a corner with anoffhand comment like that.Take the applicant to the interview site, and indicate where you would like her tosit. If you plan to offer a drink, make sure there is a table nearby for a cup or a glass.Then, signal a shift to the serious side of the meeting. Take a deep breath andpause. Start by giving a short introduction, which you should have already prepared.Your opening statement should include:◗ A thank-you to the applicant for coming in.◗ What you will tell the applicant.◗ What information you hope to learn from talking with the applicant.◗ An offer to entertain any questions or concerns the person may have.Here’s how the introduction might sound:Adrian, thank you for taking the time to come in so that we can exploreyour background, qualifications and goals for the position we advertised.What I learn during this interview, as well as during any reference calls Imake, will allow me to become more familiar with your qualifications. I knowyou will probably have questions for me, so I will allow sufficient time atthe end of the interview to answer them to your satisfaction. We’ll turn thetables, so to speak, and you can interview me about what I expect from my

Great Hires—Every Time / 37workers and what your future opportunities might be if you come to workfor our company.During the InterviewApproach the interview as a reporter would approach a story. You need enoughinformation to be able to “write” a convincing profile of the person. Look at an articlewhere a celebrity or a famous figure has been interviewed. No doubt the writerformed impressions about the person not only by what was said but also by what wasleft unsaid. Pay attention to these details as the interview progresses. Here are somepointers:❏ Watch body language. Blushing, little eye contact, twitching, fumbling andperspiring may mean that your question provoked a negative reaction. Did youask why the person left the last job? Perhaps the automatic response, “There werecutbacks,” isn’t the whole truth.❏ Listen more, talk less. Ask the question, then sit back and let the applicantanswer.❏ Use silence to your advantage. Most people can’t bear the quiet and will rushto fill in that dead air time. If you keep silent, the applicant may reveal more than shehad intended.❏ Don’t editorialize. Resist the temptation to evaluate on the spot what the personis saying. Not only will such comments take up time, but any statements youmake could mislead the applicant. Later on, after you have had time to reflect, youwill be able to judge the entire performance.❏ Don’t react. Similarly, don’t look shocked or dismayed by anything the candidatesays. Keep your impressions to yourself.❏ Stay focused. Particularly if you are conducting more than one interview in aday, you may start the conversation down a tangent. Take steps to keep on track. Oneway is to take notes as you go along or fill out an evaluation sheet.❏ Keep the candidate on track. If the discussion veers into territory that is not useful,jump in immediately. Make a note when a candidate rambles or is too talkative.Depending on the job available, those tendencies may work to her disadvantage.❏ Follow up on her answers. Don’t get so caught up in taking notes that you failto nail the applicant on an incomplete or inconsistent answer. A well-rehearsed applicantwill be able to answer your initial questions easily. Detailed follow-up questionsare more challenging. The candidate has to remember what she told you before,either during the interview or in a résumé. The details themselves may show howmuch she has thought about the situation in question.Jane Whitmore interviewed one candidate who represented herself on her résuméas an experienced salesperson. Whitmore decided to get specific, so she asked thewoman to walk her through a sales call she had done in the past. “She kept saying,‘We did this’ and ‘We did that,’” Whitmore recalled. “So I asked her what her rolewas. She said, ‘I took notes.’” In fact, the woman had let her boss take the lead on salescalls and essentially filled the role of being his secretary. Whitmore’s pointed questionsmanaged to reveal this fact. Needless to say, the candidate didn’t get the job.❏ Avoid a machine-gun-style delivery. You don’t want to pepper your candidatewith one question after another. Rather, try to keep the interview conversational.You can comment on or rephrase his answers before asking another question.Example: “Well, that example certainly illustrates that you can delegate successfullyand still maintain control over a project. Tell me, was there a time when you actually

38 / Business Management Dailyhad to pull back a project you delegated? How did you manage that?” Another tacticmight be to pause after delivering the compliment before asking the question.During the silence, the applicant might offer more information that would increaseyour understanding of his delegating style.❏ Take notes. Many interviewers begin the interview with good intentions bydiligently taking notes on everything the candidate says. Then, midway into theinterview, they forget all about writing anything down. Later, the interviewer willhave difficulty remembering what was said and, if he is interviewing several people,who said it. Don’t let this happen to you. You won’t be able to write up a profile ofthe candidate if you don’t have good notes.How do you manage note taking while interviewing? Use a clipboard. Attach anevaluation sheet, if you plan to use one, and some blank paper. Keep the clipboardtilted up or on your lap so that your notes are concealed. Keep your notes brief yetdescriptive. Try to capture key phrases that will later refresh your memory on whatthe candidate specifically said.Devise your own system for evaluating attitude as you proceed. You might usenumbers to size up a candidate’s demeanor, eye contact, conversational style orwhatever at different intervals. Was the candidate tense when you asked about hislast job? Excited to relate how he felt about his profession?❏ Note what the candidate asks about your company. Someone who has takenthe time to learn about your industry and the company shows that he is interestedand informed and will use that knowledge to make a sound decision if and when ajob offer is forthcoming. Likewise, did the candidate express interest in the job itself?Is it obvious that the person did some research on the position?❏ Be observant. Note the following:Did the candidate come prepared? Did she have a pen and note pad handy? Or didshe spend a lot of time fumbling in her purse?Was she appropriately dressed? The job candidate’s attire should be neat, clean andbusinesslike.Did the candidate smile? A smile can be a good clue to an applicant having a goodattitude. The candidate who smiles easily and genuinely not only will be pleasant towork with but will be able to generate smiles in co-workers and customers.Did the candidate talk easily? That seems like a simple requirement, yet some candidateslet the interviewer do all the talking and never open up.Did the candidate attempt to find common ground with you? Did the person focus onpictures or other items in your office and attempt to make conversation?Did the candidate seem too eager to agree? You want to hear “yes” in the right context.Anyone who is too eager to go along with whatever you say probably won’t bringmuch to your team.Did the candidate speak positively of former employers and co-workers? Even if the applicantexpressed some unhappiness with the former position, was he able to cite somepositive results from the experience?Did the person wait for you to bring up salary and benefits? Although these aspects ofthe job are very important to the candidate, he should let you open the discussionabout money and benefits.❏ Focus on key words. One manager likes to count the number of times an intervieweesays “yes.” He advised: “Pick the word your customer would like to hearand see how often the applicant uses it.” Similarly, you could focus on words thatyou don’t want to hear (“they,” “us,” “can’t,” “won’t” and so forth) and see how thecandidate fares.

Great Hires—Every Time / 39❏ Allow time for questions. Just as you promised at the outset, give the person achance to ask whatever questions he wants. Try to answer them to the best of yourability. If he asks a question you cannot answer, promise that you will get back to himon it later.❏ Close on an upbeat note. Select an appropriate moment when things are goingwell to bring the interview to a close. Thank the person again for coming in. Don’toffer an opinion about how things went. Tell the candidate when you will be contactinghim soon.❏ Give out literature. If the candidate hasn’t already seen your web site or printedinformation on your company, you might want to give her a packet at the end of theinterview. Include your company’s annual report, newsletters, product brochuresand your business card. (If you are recruiting on a campus, make sure you take alongenough material to hand out.) Tell the candidate that you would be happy to answerlater any questions she might have about the written material.❏ Walk the person out. Take a few moments to escort the candidate to the receptionarea or the elevator. Shake hands, smile and offer a parting thanks.The Best Questions to AskGarbage in, garbage out. If your questions are superficial, you will get superficialanswers.You need to work hard to develop the types of questions that will glean the mostinformation. Your goal is to determine the person’s skills and attitude. In this sectionwe explore how to uncover each one.Skill-related questionsOne method is to work backward, from the end to the beginning. Decide what qualitiesand talents the ideal worker should have. Now, what types of questions wouldreveal that information about each candidate you interview?Let’s take an example. Suppose you are interviewing for a managerial position,where the ability to delegate work is an important requirement. Your question mightbe: “Tell me about a time when you had to turn over an important project to someoneelse and still got successful results.”You would look to see if the person presented a relevant answer that demonstratedher effectiveness as a manager. This type of answer would detail the process theperson went through in delegating the work. How did the manager select the personwho would handle the work? Did the manager develop an action plan or trust theemployees to do that? Was the manager hands-on or detached from the project afterit was delegated? Then, the proof of the pudding: Was the project successful? Ifeverything up to that point is positive, but the final project never got off the ground,that’s a minus.Mike DeGiorgi uses the acronym REAL to explain the process by which applicantscome up with examples: REAL stands for RElevant, Action and what that action Ledto. “If a person can’t give relevant examples, then you have to ask yourself if he hasthe skills to do the job,” DeGiorgi says. Remember, however, not to penalize someonewho is right out of school. Instead, “Ask them relevant questions about their leadershipexperiences in school or doing volunteer work,” he says.The exercise isn’t as simple as it sounds. Suppose your question is: Can youdescribe a project that had a significant, positive financial impact on the company?The candidate has to come up with a relevant example for which he can claim credit.

40 / Business Management Daily“If the person starts talking about examples and uses the pronoun ‘we,’ the interviewerwould have to jump in and say, ‘What was your role?’” DeGiorgi says. Theinterviewer should persist in trying to nail down what the applicant did. If, after afew tries, the interviewer fails to get specific examples, he can probably assume thatthe candidate did not play a strong role.Think of interviewing candidates in terms of what “product” they make—forexample, a tangible product, such as chairs. If you were looking for a skilled craftsman,you would inspect the product—that is, the chairs—for their quality and workmanship.Unfortunately, many of the positions you will be interviewing for don’tproduce a tangible product. Yet, if you approach your questioning in those terms,you can elicit some valuable information. Look for people who have proven productionrecords that they can cite for you.Jane Whitmore advises you to identify the competencies associated with success inthe job. For example, if you were hiring a salesperson, where initiative or sales abilityis required, you would ask questions based on the person’s capability in that area.One familiar tactic used when interviewing salespeople is to point out an item inthe room and have the person deliver a sales pitch for it. Because this is a frequentlyemployed interviewing technique in sales, many recruits are ready for the challenge.Yet some managers still believe that putting a candidate on the spot in this way isunfair. In that case, a better approach might be to ask an applicant to deliver a salespitch that worked well in the past.If the person has a time gap in her work history or is a recent college graduate,Whitmore suggests that you ask about other experiences—leadership positions in thecommunity or in school, for example—that would be relevant to the job.Attitude-related questionsHow someone relates to work, the workplace and co-workers is important. Yetuncovering those attitudes during a 20-minute interview may prove difficult. Askstraightforward questions, and you will receive straightforward answers. You knowthe kind:What did you like most about your last job?Why do you enjoy managing people?Any responses you receive may be honest enough, but will they provide anymeaningful information to help you make a sound hiring decision? Probably not.With a little rewording, however, the questions can elicit the answers you need.For example, suppose the applicant heard that your company values teamwork andso he says he is a great team player. You could ask one or more of the following questionsthat would further reveal his attitude:Can you tell me about a time you were part of a group that didn’t work well together? Tellme about the group and how you handled the situation.Can you recall a time when you had to resolve a conflict at work with either a colleague oran employee? Tell me how you did it.Tell me about a time when you had to take a position that went counter to a group. Howdid you manage?Tell me about a time when you were placed in a situation that posed an ethical dilemma.What did you do?Be prepared to ask follow-up questions and probe for more specifics. You mightmake a so-called mirror statement, repeating the applicant’s remarks to sum up histhoughts. “So you resolved the employee conflict by avoiding that particular employee.”Then pause and wait for the applicant to elaborate.

Great Hires—Every Time / 41Ask the Right QuestionYou will want to put a great deal of thought into the types of questions you will ask during theinterview. Decide what skills are most important for the position, and then fashion queriesaimed at assessing those skills in each person. The following questions are grouped accordingto skills. Keep in mind that these suggestions are merely a starting point from which to draw upyour own.Employment history1. If you had to evaluate the performance you have shownin your present job on a scale of 1 to 10, how would yougrade yourself and why?2. Which accomplishments in your present job are you proudof and why?3. What skills have you acquired in your present job thatmake you the right candidate for this job?4. What are your long-term goals?5. Describe a recent event in your job that really challengedyour capabilities.6. What extracurricular activities do you pursue and why?7. Name a business person you admire and explain why.8. Why do you want to leave your present job?9. How did you hear about this opening?10. What have you heard about our company that leads you tobelieve you would like to work here?Communications1. Are you more comfortable working on a team or on yourown?2. What types of people do you find difficult to work with?3. Do you prefer communicating with other employees inwriting or orally?4. How often do you like to meet with your supervisor?5. If you had a far-out idea for a new project, how would yougo about communicating it to your co-workers and supervisorsand getting it approved?6. Describe what you consider to be the perfect boss.7. How would you rate yourself as a public speaker?8. Are you comfortable communicating your ideas duringmeetings?9. How do you approach the writing process? Trace yourthought process through to the final product.10. If you had bad news to deliver to a customer or anemployee, would you deliver it through e-mail, a memo,a personal note, a voice mail, a phone call or in person?Why?Organization1. What hours do you prefer to work?2. At what time of the day do you feel you do your bestwork?3. How do you go about planning your schedule for the day?4. Do you manage your time effectively?5. If your boss came in to chat and you were under time pressureto finish a project, what would you do?6. How do you relieve stress on the job?7. Do you have any objections to putting in overtime?8. What tasks in your present job do you consider to be awaste of time?9. Do you consider yourself efficient? Why?10. If you were given a long-term project, how would youapproach the work?Motivation1. Tell me about a situation where you really blew it. How didyou handle it, and what did you learn?2. What motivates you to do your best?3. If you are having a slow day at work, what do you do tokeep busy?4. Think of a major accomplishment you had in your presentjob. What aspect did you find most satisfying?5. What makes you angry at work? How do you handle thosesituations?6. Would you consider yourself successful?7. Would you consider yourself underemployed if youaccepted this position?8. How do you measure up against your peers?9. If you could buy any skill that you don’t possess, whatwould it be?10. What tactics should a supervisor use to get the best outof you?Managerial1. What qualities do you possess that would make you agood manager?2. Tell me about the best manager you ever had and whatyou learned from this person.3. Tell me about the worst manager you ever had and whatyou learned from this person.4. How would you go about motivating a nonproductiveemployee?5. How do you create an environment that fosters teamwork?6. How do you orient new employees?7. How would you handle a conflict between your employees?8. How would you react if one of your employees went overyour head with a complaint?9. How do you reward your workers for a job well done?10. Tell me about an unpopular management decision youhad to make and how you handled it.

42 / Business Management DailyShould you attempt “stress questions”? This line of inquiry usually involves pepperingthe candidate with a string of difficult, tricky and negative questions aimed atkeeping her off guard. Unless you are looking for an army drill sergeant, chances arethis type of questioning will not serve you well. You may learn how far you can pushsomeone, but then the candidate may become totally turned off to you and yourcompany. Also, if you are interviewing someone who is a member of a protectedgroup, such tactics may leave you open to a lawsuit.Yet there are some approaches you can use to uncover how the applicant mighthandle a problem. Let’s take a few examples:1. Giving an “either/or” question. “If you had to downsize your department andhad to fire two people or reduce salaries, what would you do?” An independentthinker would not allow himself to become trapped with only two choices. The personwould suggest another alternative: “Before I resorted to either of those, I wouldattempt to increase production in my department.”2. Asking a “No. 1 priority” question. This query will give you insight into a candidate’spreferences. “What is your No. 1 priority with regard to your career?” Thebest response would begin with “I have many goals . . .”3. Presenting a multiple choice. Again, the savvy applicant will refrain fromselecting one of your choices and instead present one or several of her own. “Ofcourse, my goals include many of the same things you mentioned, but in addition, Iwould like to . . .”4. Posing a question that can be answered “yes” or “no.” Although interviewersare told to avoid this type of question because it may result in a one-word response,posing such a query may speak volumes about your candidate. Anyone who can besatisfied with a simple “yes” or “no” response is probably not very creative. The onewordanswer can always be embellished.5. Presenting a misconception to see if (and how) the interviewee corrects you.“When your department was downsized, nonessential personnel were let go.” If theperson lets the statement go by unchecked, he is giving tacit agreement. If he protestsvehemently, perhaps the candidate “doth protest too much.” However, if the personoffers to explain in more detail what actually happened (“The company recently losta major piece of business, which affected those with engineering degrees, includingmyself”), he will show his ability to put things into perspective.Beyond the actual questions, there are other ways to gauge attitude. One clue isto study past behavior. At Development Dimensions International the emphasis ison “motivational fit,” defined as “the extent to which a job’s activities and responsibilities,the organization’s mode of operation and values, and the community inwhich the individual will live and work are consistent with the type of environmentthat provides personal satisfaction; the degree to which the work itself is personallysatisfying.”Development Dimensions markets a software package designed to gauge motivationalfit. “The program measures the motivational facets of people who are successfulin the position and enjoy it,” Whitmore says. “Then you compare what yourapplicants find satisfying.” The purpose of the program, Whitmore stresses, is not toscreen people out but to provide interview questions.There are certain elements inherent in any job. A position may require somesacrifices on the worker’s part. “The job might not be 9-to-5,” Whitmore says. “Theworker has to work until the job is done.” By determining a person’s attitude aboutthe structure of the position and the operation, it’s possible to determine whether thematch would be a good one.

Great Hires—Every Time / 43Avoid These MistakesTo maximize the amount and quality of information you obtain from a candidateduring a job interview, keep these points in mind:Talking too much. Did you know that the candidate should be doing most of thetalking? If the candidate isn’t talking 80 to 90% of the time, you are talking too much.Learn to talk less, listen more.Telegraphing your opinion. You ask a question with too many details in it, or yousmile or frown while listening to the candidate’s answer. In doing so, you may indicatehow you want the question answered and thus pollute the purity of the response.Making snap judgments. The candidate hasn’t even sat down, but you’ve alreadydecided (by the way he shakes your hand or the way she smiles) that you don’t likethis person. Moving beyond that point to conduct a good interview can be difficult.You need to put aside your personal prejudices.Neglecting to do your research. It’s like going into an exam unprepared if youconduct an interview without doing the preliminary research. Unless you know whatskills the candidate has, you might as well cancel the appointment.Being disorganized. You may be thinking the candidate is the one out to impress,but you are on display, too. If you take a scattershot approach to the interview, thecandidate may decide to look elsewhere.Caution: Trouble Ahead?Be on the lookout for some warning signs during a candidate’s interview. Althoughthese signs may not knock someone out of contention, they should alert you to theneed to tread cautiously. For example:◗ Candidate uses “they” or “them” when talking about former employer andco-workers. The use of these plural pronouns may signify that the person feltdetached from her former co-workers. This may mean that the person could fail tobuild rapport with your team.◗ Candidate once left a job without giving his employer sufficient notice. In someprofessions, as soon as someone announces he’s taking another job, he is asked toleave immediately. This usually happens in creative-type companies (advertisingagencies, for example) where confidentiality is an issue. In other cases, employerswould expect an employee to give adequate notice, which is normally two weeks.Someone who leaves abruptly may have something to hide.◗ Candidate arrived late for the interview and didn’t explain why. Even a lameexcuse (“I had car/bus/train trouble”) is better than no excuse. It may indicatethat being late is a habit.◗ Candidate seemed overly focused on money. Salary is, of course, a primary issuein any job interview. But most candidates wait until the interviewer raises the subject,and they do not place all their emphasis on that topic. Other aspects of the position(responsibilities, quality of assignments, chance for promotion) should be on the person’smind as well.◗ Candidate gave references reluctantly and asked for a day’s lead time to warnthem of your phone call. The person may want to brief the references on what to say.In any case, you probably won’t get the honest responses you were hoping for.◗ Candidate has job-hopped. Many companies would view a candidate who hasaveraged more than one job every two years as a poor employment risk. However,(Continued on page 46)

44 / Business Management DailyEvaluation SheetSkillsThe applicant displayed the following skills:YesNoManaging time _________________ _________________Planning _________________ _________________Organizing _________________ _________________Prospecting _________________ _________________Interviewing techniques _________________ _________________Handling objections _________________ _________________Persistence _________________ _________________Initiative _________________ _________________Adaptability to our company _________________ _________________Empathy (establishing rapport) _________________ _________________Notes: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________AttitudeThe applicant displayed the following qualities:YesNoAmbition _________________ _________________Confidence _________________ _________________Emotional stability _________________ _________________Independence _________________ _________________Loyalty _________________ _________________Enthusiasm _________________ _________________Sincerity _________________ _________________Humor _________________ _________________Honesty _________________ _________________Discipline _________________ _________________Flexibility _________________ _________________Aggressiveness _________________ _________________Responsibility _________________ _________________Articulateness _________________ _________________Persuasiveness _________________ _________________Intelligence _________________ _________________Other _________________ _________________Notes: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Great Hires—Every Time / 45The Attitude MeterIt’s important to evaluate each candidate’s skills and qualifications for the position,but don’t forget attitude. The following checklist can help you size up each applicant’sattitude. Keep it handy and fill it out during or immediately after the interview.During the introduction:Candidate stood up or stepped forward to greet me. Yes___ No___Candidate smiled. Yes___ No___Candidate’s handshake was firm and confident. Yes___ No___During my opening remarks:Candidate was attentive. Yes___ No___Candidate maintained eye contact. Yes___ No___Candidate’s body language signaled he was comfortable. Yes___ No___During candidate’s responses:Candidate’s body language and speech were consistent. Yes___ No___Candidate maintained eye contact and answered articulately. Yes___ No___Candidate smiled and appeared relaxed. Yes___ No___Candidate asked questions and seemed comfortable doing so. Yes___ No___During my closing:Candidate seemed relaxed and confident. Yes___ No___Candidate’s parting handshake was firm and confident. Yes___ No___➢ Observation: Even if the candidate’s responses were adequate, her demeanor may havesignaled too many “no” answers. In that case, you need to be wary. It may be that her answersare rote and do not reveal her feelings the way her actions do.

46 / Business Management Daily(Continued from page 43)because of the volatile nature of some professions, as well as the way some corporationsare still downsizing, there may be extenuating circumstances you need to lookat more carefully. If you feel the prospect is otherwise a possibility, probe moredeeply into the reasons behind his job track record.◗ Candidate seems reluctant to travel. If the job involves a lot of travel, say soupfront. If the applicant seems reluctant, tell the person there is nothing to be gainedfrom further talks. You will be able to sense this reluctance during the interview if theapplicant uses phrases such as “If the job involves travel, I guess I’ll do it” or “I don’twant to travel a lot, but if there are some trips involved, I guess that’s all right.”◗ Candidate is nostalgic about the past. This person wishes for nothing morethan to turn back the clock and return to ABC Company. He will keep talkingabout how things were done at ABC. You might not be able to bring this personinto the present, let alone the future.◗ Candidate talked in terms of her own needs. Did the candidate talk about thejob solely in terms of what it would do for her, rather than pointing out what shecould do for the company?◗ Candidate talks more about duties than results. You want a person who getsthings done. Someone who sees a job as a job per se, without looking for the highergood to the company, is probably not going to be very productive.◗ Candidate was rude to your staff. You should ask around after the interview tofind out how the candidate was perceived by the receptionist, the secretary and otherworkers. Someone who puts up a good front for you but presents another side tostaffers should be regarded with caution.After the InterviewAs soon as the applicant leaves, sit down and write your evaluation. Don’t put it offfor even a minute. The more time passes, the less you will remember. Particularlywhen you are attempting to assess someone’s attitude, you will need to get down onpaper the details of your impressions. At this stage, after all the candidates have beeninterviewed, you should divide them into three categories:❏ Definites. These are the cream of the crop, the people you would have hired onthe spot, but you will hold off until their references are checked. Once you do that,however, you will want to work on your strategy for winning them over.❏ Possibles. These are the applicants who are strong possibilities. A great deal willdepend on what you uncover during your reference checking and, of course, whetherany of the definites accepted your offer.❏ Out-of-the-running. If you have done a thorough job of résumé checking andtelephone prescreening, you shouldn’t have too many people ending up in this category.If you do, it’s an indication that you need to be more thorough in your prescreening.Otherwise, you will continue to waste valuable time conducting in-personinterviews with people you would never think of hiring.If the candidate is to be invited back for another round of interviews, begin thearrangements. You will probably want to have others sit in (as we will discuss in thenext section). Coordinating everyone’s schedule may take time, so the sooner youcontact your co-workers, the better.If the candidate is out of the running for the job, call him or write him a letterimmediately. He may have other positions to pursue, so he will need to know thatyour opening is no longer an option.

Step 4: Conductinga Second Interview8For some job openings in your department, it may suffice for youalone to conduct all the interviews. Increasingly, however, managersare seeking the advice and opinions of other managers whenmaking a hire. Does it help to get a second (or third or fourth) opinion?It may, particularly if you have thoroughly briefed the others who willbe interviewing the candidate.Begin by selecting co-workers whose opinions you trust. It isn’t necessary thattheir managerial or work styles match your own. In fact, it would help if your styleswere different. That way, each of you will look for different aspects when interviewingan applicant.Look around your organization for managers who have a good track record in hiring.Perhaps they have a method for zeroing in on the right people and can help youdo the same. Besides managers, consider selecting staff members who might end upworking on a team with the applicant.Be sure to give your co-workers ample notice so that they can get prepared for theinterview. Don’t just show up with your candidate at someone’s office door—thatwould be a waste of time for everyone involved. Without being briefed, your coworkerwould ask superficial questions and would not be able to provide any indepthevaluation.It’s up to you to prepare those who will meet the applicant. Share with them anymaterials you have received, as well as your impressions thus far. Also, provide themwith sample questions. If there are certain pieces of information you are seeking, tellyour co-workers what you would like them to ask.Can they spare the time? Make sure the people you ask have time to conduct aproper interview. It wouldn’t be productive if your co-workers had 10 minutes tospare and ended up shoehorning the interview in between phone calls and othermeetings.Explain the MechanicsInform your co-workers when the candidate will be available. Will you bring the personto their offices, or would you like them to join you in the conference room? Willyou sit in on the interview or leave? If you stay, will you take the lead in questioningor turn the meeting over to another manager?If you are using an interview evaluation sheet, give a copy to your co-workers. Tellthem when you would like to have the sheet completed, and arrange a time to reviewit with them.➢ Recommendation: Decide how you plan to use the opinions solicited from others.Have you already decided to hire the person and merely want others to rubber-stampyour decision? Or are you on the fence and hope that another opinion will steer youin one direction? In any case, plan to debrief the co-workers you’ve enlisted to help,47

48 / Business Management DailyShould You ‘Do Lunch’?Should you take the applicant to lunch for a second interview? Some applicants will undoubtedlybe nervous eating in front of you. This may, however, be a great opportunity to observehow someone handles herself in a stressful situation.If you decide to do a lunchtime interview, select a quiet restaurant. Some executives whoregularly interview applicants will frequent the same restaurant, where they have their owntable and the staff is put on notice not to disturb them during the meal.What can you learn over lunch? Lots of tidbits. For example, one executive said he wasappalled when a candidate ordered two desserts, even though the executive declined to haveany himself. Needless to say, the candidate didn’t get the job offer. Here are some behaviors towatch for:❏ Does the candidate order a drink even though you do not? There’s nothing wrong withthat, per se. But it may indicate that this person is a risk taker. Is that a quality you want to seein your employee?❏ Does the candidate order the most expensive item on the menu? Even if he really wantsthe sirloin steak, he should order something less expensive. What will he do when he’s on acompany expense account? You may wonder.❏ Does the candidate order too much food? She may just be really nervous, or does shelack good judgment?particularly if your opinions differ. Also, make sure that in the future you will returnthe favor and make yourself available to interview their candidates.Interviewing as a GroupWhat happens when you and others from your organization interview a prospectiveemployee together? How do you handle the logistics—both physical and semantic—so that you won’t intimidate the interviewee and will gain a fuller understanding ofthis person’s capabilities?First, understand that whenever more than one interviewer is present, the situationis bound to be stressful for the person being interviewed. Simple numbers tell thestory. There is only one of him and two or more of you. It’s not an even matchup.Particularly if you are evaluating a candidate’s attitude, you should approach thesituation in a positive, forthright manner to put the person at ease and see him athis best. How do you manage that? Here are some ideas culled from experts in theinterviewing field:Write the scriptMake sure the other managers or co-workers who will participate in the interviewknow what role they will play. Don’t give vague instructions, such as: “I’ll ask thefirst question and then you follow up.” That’s bound to lead to chaos. It’s better tosay, “I will begin by asking the applicant about his work history. When I touch on thetechnical tasks he performed, I would like you to pay particular attention and focuson anything that needs to be explored more fully.”Set the sceneSeating will be important, particularly if there will be more than two people fromyour company there. Will you sit around a conference table, with the applicant on one

Great Hires—Every Time / 49side and your company’s representatives on the other? Although that arrangementmight be practical, it may make the candidate feel she’s being put on the defensive.But it would make sense if you were hiring for a position where the candidate willfrequently be placed in that type of physical set-up (a salesperson selling to a company’steam, for example). This arrangement might reveal the person’s ability towithstand such pressure.Present a united frontIf a co-worker is a reluctant participant, that person could sabotage what you are tryingto accomplish. How? If the person fails to keep focused, exits the room to takephone calls or asks questions that make the candidate defensive, the interview will bea disaster. Make sure all your company representatives are in sync.Stay focusedWhen many people are participating in the interview, it’s easy to get caught up in thelogistics and forget the primary purpose: to evaluate the candidate. If you plan to takenotes, don’t be distracted. Maintain eye contact with the interviewee, and take noteof any changes in her demeanor.Stay in commandRemember, you are the manager who is choreographing the meeting. Don’t allowanother manager or the candidate to take charge—unless, of course, you havealready agreed that another supervisor will oversee the interview.➢ Recommendation: One advantage of conducting a group interview is that you canconvene an immediate post-mortem with your managers and co-workers. Anydoubts, misconceptions or questions can cleared up, so the hiring process can movealong at a good pace.Hiring a Team PlayerA second, third or even fourth interview can be particularly helpful if you are evaluatingcandidates’ attitudes toward working in teams. What better way to assess thoseattitudes than by having the team itself do the appraisals? Following are some suggestionson how to set up the interview.◗ Meet with your team. During a staff meeting, say that you will be interviewingcandidates for so-and-so’s position and that you will probably ask one or more teammembers to be involved. Explain how you will select those who will sit in on theinterviews. “Because Harry and Jill will work most closely with this person, they willtalk with the candidates, but others may be asked to pitch in.” By outlining your plan,you make it clear why some team members are being brought into the hiring process.◗ Prepare those who will do the interview. Share with your team members yourthoughts on what skills and experience the new person will need. Solicit their opinions,and incorporate them into your set of questions.◗ Hand out evaluation forms. Make sure that anyone who interviews the candidateshas the form you will be using and knows that it should be filled out as soonas the interviews end.◗ Outline the decision-making process. Tell your team how the hiring decision willbe made. If one team member strongly objects to a particular candidate who endsup being the one you want to hire, you risk alienating your present worker. Havinganother team member back up your decision will help, but ultimately the decisionwill be yours—and your employees must accept that.

Step 5: Reference/Background Checking9When it comes to reference checking, employers are caught inthe classic Catch-22. Those listed as references may be reluctantto talk because they fear being sued for negativecomments. But if your company hires someone without an adequatebackground check and that person turns out to be Public Enemy No. 1,your company could be liable for damages.Reticent references make it harder to get the information you need to make anintelligent hiring decision. But if you do not properly screen employees—especiallythose who have a history of violence or who work in sensitive areas of your organization—yourfirm can be on the firing line for making a negligent-hiring decision.What can you do? In this section we provide some simple ground rules to help youcollect vital background data quickly and painlessly.Background: To Check or Not to CheckBefore you start calling references, you will need to conduct a thorough backgroundcheck. Unfortunately, many people exaggerate (even lie) about their credentials. Youwill need to verify all degrees, dates of employment, licenses, awards and otheraccomplishments listed on the applicant’s résumé. Make sure to zero in on specifics.Don’t ask whether the person attended Harvard. Ask whether he graduated andwhat degree was awarded. Sometimes a person may tell the truth about attending acertain college but lie about actually graduating. Or perhaps, knowing what qualificationsa company is seeking, a person may misrepresent his course of study, sayinghe majored in business when, in fact, he majored in art.Falsification of credentials is common. If you want to find out if an applicant isreasonably honest, this is the information to verify.Although Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 limits the questions you can askjob applicants, it is legal to check public records to verify a candidate’s credentials.Potential sources include educational institutions, academic records, driving records,criminal records, workers’ compensation claims and even credit histories.Even credit checks? Yes. Although many employers run credit checks on applicantswho will be handling money or conducting unsupervised financial transactionswith customers, experts say you should routinely include other types of workers.“Companies that hire lots of entry-level workers can incur a large expense inchecking applicants’ criminal records and past credit,” says Paula Lee, project managerat Transportation Information Services Inc., publisher of The Guide to BackgroundInvestigations. “But in these types of jobs, there’s lots of turnover and plenty of opportunitiesfor security problems.”The basic credit report—which contains data on outstanding debts—is easy toorder from a credit bureau and does not require you to obtain the applicant’s permission.If you need more detailed information on an applicant’s credit history, you51

52 / Business Management Dailycan obtain an “investigative credit report” from a credit agency. These reports delveinto a subject’s character and include interviews with friends and business associates.The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires employers that request investigativecredit reports to inform applicants in writing within three days. The applicant alsocan get a copy of the report.Secure a job applicationHave the candidate fill out a job application before you interview him. Even if youhave a résumé and reference letters, do not bypass the job application. Why?Applications are legal documents. In some states, information on an application isadmissible in court.Result: When candidates complete and sign an application, they authorize youto check every fact. If you discover that an applicant has lied on an application,you have a legally solid reason to refuse to hire him.Have a candidate list past supervisors’ names and phone numbers. Knowingthe applicant’s current boss is not enough. Ask the candidate to list each supervisorhe had over the past three to five years, and make sure the candidate providescurrent phone numbers for each. Explain that you intend to contact each supervisor.Getting Beyond ‘No’Here’s how tough it can be to perform reference checks: A whopping 95% of employers ask forthe reason why an applicant left a previous job, but only 30% get an answer from the applicant’sformer employers, according to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management.Moreover, 80% of employers ask about performance appraisals, but only 6% actually get informationon candidates’ performance reviews.One solution: Have job applicants sign a special release statement for former employers. Thatshould make references more comfortable and help you get the information you need. (For asample release form, see the box on page 55.)Finding the Best ReferencesOnce you have verified what is included on a person’s résumé, you are ready to talkwith his references to obtain more in-depth information about his work history. Thisis a daunting task. Most (if not all) of the people listed as references on the person’srésumé were selected because they are sure to give only positive recommendations.They should still be contacted, nevertheless. Your line of questioning could still elicitsome useful information. “It’s amazing what some people will say, thinking they arehelping a friend,” commented one manager.Smart managers do not rely solely on the “safe” references most applicants provide.Instead, they identify and gather the names of at least five additional referencesduring the job interview.How can you do that? Listen carefully when applicants relate anecdotes or workexperiences. At every opportunity, ask for the full names of the individuals mentioned.By using this method, you can collect a cast of references that extends beyondthe candidate’s boss. Other key players may include:◗ The supervisor of the candidate’s boss.◗ A co-worker.

Great Hires—Every Time / 53◗ A team leader.◗ A vendor or supplier who worked closely with the candidate.◗ A consultant or part-time employee who got to know the candidate.◗ A manager in another part of the firm who collaborated on a project.◗ Subordinates who reported to the candidate.Be upfront with the applicant about your intentions to check references. Tell heryou will be calling those she worked with. Ask for home phone numbers so that youmay call former supervisors, co-workers, subordinates and customers away from theoffice. This tactic may help prevent having your call rerouted to the human resourcesdepartment, where you will receive just basic information (title, length of employmentand so forth). You should obtain permission from the applicant to conduct thesereference checks by having her sign an authorization form.➢ Observation: If the applicant refuses to comply with your request, she may havesomething to hide. Make it clear that without reference checks the employmentprocess can go no further.Streamlining the ProcessHaving trouble reaching a reference? You can cut down on the time it takes to reachreferences by using a few tricks:Have the candidate do the legwork for you. Rather than play telephone tag witha candidate’s references, let the candidate schedule appointments on your behalf.Have the individual contact each reference you have chosen and set a time for you totelephone.Ed Andler, president of Certified Reference Checking Co. in Bridgeton, Mo., suggeststhat you also have candidates send their résumés to all the references so thatyou can ask them if they are accurate.Leave your home phone number. If you have trouble reaching a reference, leavea message with your home number. Voice mail is usually a better bet than talking toan assistant. Ask references to call you at home.Interviewing ReferencesHow do you approach a reference so that the person feels comfortable opening up?“We are in such a litigious time, you are not going to get good information from areference check,” Jane Whitmore says. “Most of the time, people will just confirmfacts.” However, you can attempt to get more. Here are some tips:❏ Link yourself to the candidate. Introduce yourself, and immediately explainwhy you’re calling. Here is how to begin the conversation: “I’m Chris Smith, directorof marketing with ABC Co. We are considering hiring Bill Jones as a marketing manager,and he asked that we contact you as his personal reference. He has given usapproval to speak with you.” Before pressing ahead, ask if this is a convenient timeto talk for a few minutes.❏ Set a friendly, informal tone. Start by explaining that you are calling for a “personalreference,” as suggested by the candidate. This low-key approach will establisha less guarded tone than if you say, “I’m calling to confirm some information on X,who used to work for you” or “I have a few questions about X.”❏ Promise confidentiality. Say something like this: “Your company probablyrestricts reference calls. Mine does, too. Rest assured that your comments will be kepttotally confidential.”

54 / Business Management Daily❏ Send him the release form signed by the applicant. Sometimes knowing thatthe applicant has approved your calling his references will prove to be all you needto move the stone of resistance.❏ Start by verifying the facts. Check the person’s title, responsibilities, length ofemployment, reason for leaving.❏ Ask roundabout questions. This can be particularly useful if a reference isreluctant to give information. In such a case, shift gears and try “talking shop” byasking questions such as:◗ Do you hire many people who have X’s background?◗ Are you generally pleased with your hires?◗ Is it hard to find candidates like X?◗ How successful have you been in your recruiting efforts?◗ Would someone like X get hired again at your company today?These indirect questions can put the other person at ease and help you build a rapport.Once you earn some trust, you may be able to ask more direct queries about thecandidate’s performance.❏ Follow the 80/20 rule. Listen for 80% of the conversation, talk for no more than20%. This allows references a chance to think through what they want to say. If yourepeatedly interrupt or ask long-winded questions, the other person may losepatience and provide less substantive, thoughtful answers. Example: If a referencesighs and says, “Let me think about how I can put this,” keep silent, and give him achance to think it through. Don’t put words in his mouth.❏ Appeal to his professionalism. “I would be managing this person, just as youdid, and I was hoping I could gain some insight as to how I could make his transitionhere as easy as possible.” Although you haven’t actually said so, you have impliedthat the person will be hired and are seeking advice on her strong and weak points.Chances are the manager will share some observations.❏ Pay attention to what is left unsaid. Suppose you ask the reference whether theperson was able to manage her time well. The response might be: “Well, she alwaysgot the job done.” That cursory answer should provoke additional questions. Was thejob done on time? Done well? Did she do it alone, or was she forced to ask for help?Top Reference-Checking QuestionsHaving a list of references won’t do you any good if you can’t get them to open up to you. Don’t knowwhere to start? Try these questions, for starters:◗ Is X eligible to be rehired? If not, is this because your company has a general policy on rehiringemployees, or is there another reason?◗ Would you enthusiastically recommend X?◗ How would you compare X’s work habits with those of her co-workers?◗ What do you think would be the ideal job for X?◗ Did X function better at your company working alone or as part of a team?◗ What, if anything, distinguishes X from others who do the same type of job?◗ What can we expect from X if she works for us?◗ What were X’s primary job responsibilities?◗ During the course of X’s employment at your company, were you her direct supervisor the entiretime? If not, who were the other supervisors?

Great Hires—Every Time / 55If the supervisor had felt more positively about the applicant, he might have said:“Kristin managed to complete all her work on time, even if that meant working overtime.And the final product was always superior.”A good closing question would be: “If you had to hire this person again, wouldyou?” You can tell not only by the person’s choice of words but by the inflection ofhis voice how enthusiastic he is. Compare: “I guess I would” versus “Absolutely!”❏ Describe the job and the competencies you are seeking. Ask whether the personbelieves she had demonstrated those skills in the past. Why or why not?Reference-Checking ResourcesIf you would like additional information on how to perform top-notch referencechecks, you may want to check out these books:The Only Complete Reference Checking Handbook by Edward C. Andler, published byCertified Reference Checking Co. This book is a must for managers who want informationon all aspects of reference checking. It includes handy reference checklists,sample interview questions and a phone script to guide you through reference calls.The Guide to Background Investigations, published by Transportation Services Inc.This publication offers tips on obtaining records to verify a candidate’s backgroundinformation. The book can help you obtain information on educational degrees, filingswith state licensing boards and federal bankruptcy filings.Sample Release Form: An Employment StatementIf you want to minimize your legal risks and increase the odds of getting accurate informationfrom a job applicant, ask the candidate to read and sign a copy of this form:Employment Statement1. The background information supplied by an applicant for a positionopening will be checked by ABC Company or an outside referencecheckingservice to ensure the accuracy of the data furnished and thepast performance record of the candidate.2. I authorize ABC Company to make such investigations and inquiriesas may be necessary in arriving at its employment decision. I herebyrelease employers, schools or persons from all liability in responding toinquiries in connection with my application for employment.3. I should not resign from my current employment until I have receiveda formal offer of employment, in writing, signed by an ABC Companyemployment representative.4. ABC Company retains the right to hire the person who appears tobest fit its needs at this time. There will not be an explanation (unlessspecifically required by law) as to what factors went into this decision.5. The answers given to ABC Company representatives are true andcomplete to the best of my knowledge. In the event of employment,any significant misstatements or omissions later discovered in my backgroundmay be cause for my dismissal from ABC Company.Source: Certified Reference Checking Co. Adapted with permission.

56 / Business Management DailyIf you would rather have someone else do your investigative work for you, considerthese reference-checking services:Certified Reference Checking Co. conducts reference checks and offers seminarson how to improve hiring results by using more effective background-investigationtechniques. Phone: (636) 561-4477.Pinkerton Services Group, based in Charlotte, N.C., performs routine backgroundinvestigations for about $100. More detailed investigative reports are available butcan cost as much as $3,000: www.psg-pinkerton.com.Informus Corp. lets subscribers run their own background checks via its web site,www.informus.com. The company offers reference-checking services as well.Industrial Foundation of America, a nonprofit group, provides data on applicants’safety records, driving records, criminal records and other background information:www.ifa-america.com.Allison & Taylor offers reference-checking services for a range of corporate clients:www.allisontaylor.com.Are They Valuable?What is the value of reference checks? Some experts maintain there is none, and thatreference checking merely confirms the opinion you already have of the candidate.In any event, you need all the reinforcement you can get to make a sound hiringdecision. Hearing from ex-employers, who not only confirm your opinions of the person’sskills and attitudes but also point to areas that need improvement, will bolsterthe entire process.And, in a small number of cases, where a candidate has exaggerated or lied, thereference check might give you the ammunition you need to stop the hire.

Step 6: NegotiatingSalary and Benefits10Sometimes, landing a great hire comes down to salary and benefitsissues. Especially if the person you decide on is eminently qualified,he may be sought after by other companies and you may findyourself in a bidding war for the person’s services. How do you win inthat situation? Here’s where a thorough understanding of the applicantcan give you the edge. During the interview process, you should havedetermined what motivates the candidate. It’s possible that the personwould be willing to accept a few thousand dollars less for more independence,a prime sales territory, a generous expense account, access totop execs, professional development courses or challenging assignments.Making an Offer❏ Begin by knowing what your limits are. If management has decreed that you cannotpay the person more than x number of dollars, you will never be able to offer y.Also, leave yourself room to negotiate because the candidate oftentimes will make acounteroffer.❏ Before you commit to the candidate, raise the subject of salary. You probablyalready advertised or stated the salary range. But don’t assume that everyone you areinterviewing would settle for that sum. Some candidates might be secretly hopingthat somehow, somewhere you will find the extra dollars. If that’s not feasible, say soearly on.“I talk about money upfront,” Jane Whitmore says. “If someone is way out of theballpark, I want to know that before I spend a lot of time interviewing.” Whitmorehas, in fact, canceled interviews after 15 minutes when she found out the personwanted much more than she could pay.❏ Know the candidate’s salary history so that you will be able to counter anyclaims she is making. It’s reasonable for a new employee to expect to better hersalary, but unless the person has markedly added to her credentials, a large hikein pay may be asking too much.❏ During the interview process introduce other perks that might come alongwith the job, such as a trip to an annual conference in a popular resort area. Youdon’t need to be too specific, but you should mention any nonmonetary perks,which may win over the candidate.❏ Consider offering an employment contract, but watch out for the implicationshere. With job security being such an unknown quantity in the workplace these days,your candidate might be won over with the idea that your company would promisehim a job for several years. But remember: If you sign an employment contract, youmay be giving away more than you bargained for (see box on next page).57

58 / Business Management DailyEmployment ContractsSome employers and employees choose to enter into an employment contract. Usually theworker is seeking job security, while the company wants to protect its trade secrets andsales territories. However, if you sign an employment contract, you may not come out awinner.For one thing, you compromise your at-will relationship with the employee. Most workersare considered to serve at the employer’s discretion—which means the worker can bedismissed by the employer at will, or without cause. (This varies by state.) Once you signcertain contracts, however, the employee can be fired only for cause. Another risk: Manyemployers wind up giving away far too many rights and preserving far too few. This can bea costly mistake if the employee does not work out. Unexpected obligations and commitmentscan make the separation extremely expensive.No contract should be entered without legal advice on its merits and judicial soundness.Many personnel offices assume that an employment contract must be a written document,and that if a promise is not in writing, there’s no obligation. However, verbal promises,conditions or modifications to written agreements, made either at the beginning of orsometime during the term of employment, may be found to constitute an implied andbinding commitment.How long you may be bound by an oral agreement depends, in part, on what theemployee gave up to accept your job offer. One employee, for example, left a position afternine years with one company. He moved his family from Missouri to Colorado after an oraloffer of employment for two years’ duration. He was fired after 13 months and sued theemployer for the remaining 11 months’ pay. The court found in his favor. It ruled that the oralpromise had caused the employee to make serious changes in his life, and the employercould not renege. Another employee moved his family across the country after his newemployer promised him “lifetime employment.” When it didn’t work out and he was fired,he sued the company for out-of-pocket expenses of $15,000 and won his case.Don’t let this happen to your company. Make sure your company has taken these steps tomake it difficult for anyone you hire to charge that she had an implied contract:◗ Review your company’s recruitment ads, policy statements and other company literaturefor language that could imply a contractual relationship. Include a statement in your handbookasserting management’s right to discharge at its own discretion. Also, include a disclaimer inthe company handbook stating that it does not constitute a contract, formal or informal.◗ Inform those responsible for recruiting not to oversell the company. Give them preciseinstructions on the promises they should avoid during an interview.◗ Eliminate all references to dismissing “for cause only” from your employee handbook.◗ Have all applicants sign a statement saying they understand that their potential employmentis strictly at-will. You may want to insert annual reminders of the at-will status ofemployees in their paycheck envelopes.◗ Delegate hiring authority to a few managers. An employment offer should include at-will provisions.It should also specify that it supersedes any verbal promises that have been made.➢ Observation: It’s easy to see how employers can forget about verbal commitments or notrealize that they are binding. But it is surprising how many employers assume they cannotbe held to written agreements. Too often, employers believe that unless the word “contract”appears, or unless the agreement is drawn up by an attorney, a signed document is notbinding. Even an informal letter of agreement can constitute a contract if it spells out termsand contains the necessary signatures.

See if the company will reimburse the candidate for moving expenses or help withbuying a house. Particularly if your candidate is relocating from far away, this assistancewould have obvious appeal.❏ Create a family-friendly offer. Besides helping finance the move, your companymight assist the person in finding schools, doctors, dentists and any other servicessomeone new to a community would need. Some companies have welcome packagesthat contain all this information to give to their employees, and some even assignanother employee as a mentor to answer a new hire’s questions.❏ Offer child care or elder care assistance. Many businesses have found it too difficultand expensive to set up child care facilities for their employees. However, lesscumbersome but just as attractive to a prospect might be help paying for child care inthe form of a subsidy.One method, a dependent care assistance plan, allows an employer to withhold aset amount from an employee’s pretax wages each pay period. Employees presentreceipts for their child care expenses, and the employer will reimburse them from thewages withheld. The reimbursement is in nontaxable dollars, up to a set limit allowedby law. The company benefits because the amount set aside is not subject to SocialSecurity tax.As with child care, finding help to care for an aging or ailing parent might be thecandidate’s biggest concern. Some companies report that 20 to 30% of their employeesare involved with caring for an elderly parent. Offering to help find elder carecan be a major incentive for someone you are trying to hire. You can provide thenames and numbers of agencies that do referrals, such as Work/Family Directions(www.wfd.com), Eldercare Locator (www.eldercare.gov) and local agencies suggestedby your HR staff.❏ Create a work/life-friendly offer. Today, single people and couples withoutchildren represent one of the fastest-growing workforce groups.Job applicants without spouses and children are seeking benefits that are bettersuited to their lifestyle. You may discover that extra vacation, club memberships,large expense accounts or whatever will be the perk that seals the deal.One com pany, for example, offers employees the option of working four-dayweeks with longer hours so that employees can take longer weekends. If your businessis one that does not require employees to be on the scene five days a week (aslong as the work gets done), applicants may find this especially appealing.❏ Don’t make promises you can’t keep. You don’t want to have someone accepta position under false pretenses. Don’t promise a candidate, for example, that youwill give him a raise in six months. Offer, instead, to review his performance aftersix months on the job.❏ Don’t push too hard. If you have to beg someone to take a position, chances areboth of you will be disappointed. “Sometimes people will take a job for less money ifit offers them the experience they [need],” Whitmore says. “But as a hiring manager,I will think, ‘How long is that person going to stay here?’” She notes that in her companya person must be on board from 12 to 18 months before he is fully trained.Having someone accept a job and leave before that training is complete would be awaste of the company’s money.➢ Observation: If the rest of the hiring process has gone smoothly, chances arenegotiating salary and benefits will also be clear-cut. You should have been learningmore about the candidate with each step of the interview process. By the timeyou start talking seriously about salary, there should be no surprises—on eitherside.Great Hires—Every Time / 59

60 / Business Management Daily‘It’s a Great Place to Work!’Many managers do all the work of recruiting and getting qualified people in the door, thenblow it by failing to make the close and bring the best people on board. You want to conveyto the prospective employee that “this is a great place to work!” Here are some tips tohelp you do that:◗ Exude enthusiasm for your job. No one wants to work for a company where people areunhappy. Make sure you convey to interviewees that you love your job and think your companyis the best.◗ Smile a lot. No one will believe you love your job if you are always frowning. Say youenjoy your work—and show it!◗ Bring in other satisfied workers. Introduce your prospect to workers who are contentand genuinely love their work. Select those who are warm, friendly and able to generatethe same enthusiasm in others.◗ Get specific. Tell what you like about working for ABC Company. Do you have a flexiblebenefits package? A great location? Attractive offices? Are the people friendly and easy towork with? Does the company sponsor educational assistance? What sets your companyapart from its competitors?◗ Explain advancement possibilities. Candidates will be interested to learn their chances ofmoving up in title, prestige, responsibility and salary. If your company is one that promotespeople faster than its competitors, mention that fact. Use examples (yourself included) tomake your point more forcefully. But don’t make promises you cannot keep.◗ Discuss access to mentors and top execs. Does your company have a formal mentoringprogram? If not, is it easy for new employees to interact with top-level managers, who canshow them the ropes?◗ Don’t wait. Begin to sell your company to a prospect the minute he walks in the door.This way, you can parcel out the company’s selling points over time and reinforce them asthe interview proceeds.◗ Supply publicity material. Has your company been covered by the media recently? Sharenews articles or other favorable publicity with the would-be new hire. Or, have you receivedtestimonials from customers lauding your service, products and employees? Show these tothe prospect as well to lend proof to your claims.◗ Outline the company’s civic projects. Perhaps your company is involved in saving theenvironment, cleaning up rivers and streams, adopting highways or feeding the homeless.Share these and any personal experiences you might have had working on thoseprojects.➢ Recommendation: Product testimonials are one of the most effective means of selling.If someone is pleased with your company, talking about it with candor and enthusiasm is avery persuasive sales tool. You have a great company to sell—do it with grace and style.

Save Time—Don’tReinvent the Wheel11No doubt about it, the hiring process is time consuming and takesup days that you would prefer to spend on other pressing projects.But you can’t avoid it: You have to hire—and hire well. Tosave yourself valuable minutes, here are some ideas for making the hiringprocess more efficient.Develop a system. Don’t reinvent the wheel every time you set out to hire someone.Create a good system for attracting and evaluating good candidates, andimprove on it each time a new position opens up.Learn to delegate. Particularly when you must interview several candidates, enlistco-workers and other managers to help. It might not be necessary, for example, foryou to meet every candidate during the early interview stage. Human resources personnelcan do the screening for you and then present you with the best people. Justmake sure you have clearly spelled out your job requirements to the HR staff.Issue a schedule. If you have asked a number of co-workers to help you conductthe interviews, prepare a schedule and make sure everyone can meet the deadlines.You don’t want to waste precious time trying to locate a co-worker who was supposedto interview a candidate after you did.Team up on telephone screening. Almost anyone can look good on paper. Buttelephone screening can reveal much more. If you don’t have time to make the callsyourself, ask others to do it for you. Just don’t skip this important step.Set a time limit for in-person interviews. State at the beginning how much timeyou will spend with each candidate, and stick to the schedule. Not only will you savetime, but such a policy will be fair to all the job applicants.Take notes. This may seem like an onerous task, but later you will appreciate howmuch time it will save when you’re writing up a candidate’s evaluation.Write an appraisal after each interview. Whether you have just interviewed someoneover the phone or in person, write your appraisal immediately. Otherwise, youmay forget some of your impressions and will lose momentum.Set up a good filing system. The hiring process produces a mountain of paperwork.Don’t drown in it. Set up a filing system for handling résumés, applications,appraisals forms or whatever, and make sure you use it. One of the biggest timewasters in business today is looking for lost papers. Don’t let that happen to you.Time your calls. Whether you are calling candidates or references, place your callsat a time when you think they can probably be reached. Time spent playing phonetag is time you don’t have.Don’t procrastinate. Stringing out the hiring process won’t get the job done andmay mean you will lose a valuable candidate. Once the job opening materializes, getmoving—fast. Set up a schedule (“Place ads by Monday, review résumés by Friday,set up interviews by Tuesday”), and adhere to it.Cluster the interviews. Once you’ve put on your interview hat, you might find itmore efficient to schedule several interviews in a row. That way, you will have the61

62 / Business Management Dailyright mind-set, but beyond that, dealing with the interviews all at once means youwill have all the paperwork laid out and can make comparisons more easily. Thisworks for both telephone and in-person interviews.Investigate software programs. There are several computer programs on the marketthat can help you sort and evaluate résumés. Software would be particularlyhelpful if you expect to be receiving hundreds of résumés.➢ Observation: While it may seem like an awesome task upfront—setting up asystem, devising a filing method, printing up evaluation sheets—in the end you willrecognize a big payoff. Accept the fact that hiring is part of your managerial responsibilities,and work to accomplish the task in the most efficient way possible.

Conclusion:Not Hit-or-MissRecruiting is but one aspect of managing well, but it’s the mostimportant task you will do. If you don’t select the right employees,no amount of good management will turn them into valuablemembers of your team.Keep in mind that the initial interviewing process can be more than a recruitingtool. After all, during the process, you will have spent a lot of time with the candidate,learning her strong and weak points. After this person is on board, you can use thisknowledge to devise a training/development program that is tailor-made for her.The hiring game can be won with hard work and attention to detail. At each stepin the process—from advertising for candidates to negotiating salary—you cannotafford to take a casual attitude. Do your homework on each candidate, and preparefor every encounter. In the end, you will gain not only loyal and high-performingemployees but a reputation for attracting the best.63

ISBN 1-880024-28-490000>9 781880 024287BGHE1001