By John Featherstone, Start Hiring Winners
Hiring people is a task most managers face. In small businesses there is seldom the chance to develop good recruiting skills yet the success of the business is dependent on hiring the right people. As a result most of these managers, uncomfortable with the process, give it minimal time, and make a hiring decision before the job related facts are available. Hiring the wrong person can be a disaster for young businesses, yet, by following several simple and logical steps this risk of hiring the wrong person can be greatly reduced.
First, the nature of the job to be filled, the duties and responsibilities to be performed and the results expected, must be well understood. You want a clear profile of the person you will be looking for in terms of skills, industry experience, personality, educational requirements and other possible needs. Make a careful analysis of the job parameters to determine what the winning candidate will look like. Now you can start looking....
Scan your current employees for possible qualification. Ask them to recommend qualified friends. Use the profile to network among your business associates for recommended candidates. Look among people working for suppliers and competitors. Check in with internet sources like LinkedIn and Craigslist. Advertise in your local newspaper. Be sure to use your “winners profile” to qualify all potential candidates.
Ask each interested candidate to submit a resume’ and cover letter for consideration. Evaluate resumes using the “winners profile” as the basis for determining basic qualification, on paper. Call each candidate that looks good on paper. Spend 25-30 minutes reaffirming the qualifications. If you feel good about the person’s potential, book a time for the interview.
Allow 2-3 hours for each in-depth interview. Formulate questions that require the candidate to explain WHAT results were achieved and the exact methods used. Advise the candidates that you will be conducting background and business reference checks. Evaluate all candidates against the same criteria. Pick your best qualified candidate and move with an offer. Don’t lose a winner to a faster moving company.
Orient the new person the first week and introduce him/her to peers and subordinates. Set a time each week to review job details and progress. Recognize progress and caution as needed. Winners achieve needed results for your business. Give them time and attention. Winners will insist they be managed.
About the Author
John Featherstone, author of “Start Hiring Winners,” is a consultant to small business and a former five-year volunteer with SCORE, mentoring and training small-business owners and employees. His business consultations include an eight-year project with a distillery in El Salvador. As a division vice president/general manager for a privately held confectionery company, Featherstone managed a spectacular annual growth rate of 50 percent for seven consecutive years. Featherstone also has owned, operated and sold three small businesses. Over 25 years, he has field-tested and perfected his “Start Hiring Winners” system. Featherstone lives in San Pedro, Calif., near Los Angeles. The book “Start Hiring Winners” is available online through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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