by Ruby Curran
It was my very first business. What did I know about hiring?
I placed an ad, "Seamstresses wanted, work from home."
I met with everyone who applied and asked them questions
about their sewing skills. Some were very confident and told me they could sew
anything. Others were more modest. I hired everyone. Over the next few weeks
and months I ended up with some excellent garments I was proud to retail in my
shop. Others garments were disasters. I had paid top dollar for the fabrics and
top wages for the sewing---and ended up giving the garments to charity because
I knew none of my clients would pay for them.
Needless to say, the seamstresses who had produced the
disasters did not work for me again. Unfortunately, it was not a cost effective
weeding out process. That experience was the beginning of an interest in hiring
and managing employees that has lasted over 12 years. During that time, I've
had the opportunity to do some more hiring myself for other businesses. I've
studied the hiring process of companies I've coached and I've studied
everything I could get my hands on regarding this subject.
So am I a hiring expert now? Not quite. What I've learned is
that every employer in every industry has different requirements. There are
some constants, however, some procedures that will definitely help to ensure
you are getting not just adequate, but great employees.
Get very clear about what you want your new employee to do. Specify
roles and duties.
Find the best person you know, who had held that position
and fulfilled those duties.
It may be you; it may be a current employee; it may be a
former employee, it may be someone you've observed in another company.
Study that person and figure out what made them the BEST.
What skills, talents, or abilities did they have that made them stand out from
the crowd?
What kinds of activities would someone with the skills and
talents you're looking for engage in? What will give you the clues that a
prospective employee also has those skills, talents and abilities?
Here's a hint: the demonstrated skills or talents may come
from experiences not at all related to the position you're hiring for. They may
come from hobbies, volunteer experience or unrelated former employment.
Determine the behavioral style of this ideal person, this
model of perfection for your job.
Are they people or task oriented? Are they outgoing or
quiet? Are they quick decision makers or do they gather lots of information
first? What type of employee will suit this position best? There are several
assessment tools that can make this process simple and quick.
Find a way to see a demonstration of the required skills or
talents.
How can you test for the necessary talents or skills? In my
case, I started giving prospective seamstresses packages of samples where they
were required to demonstrate the various sewing skills I needed. Brainstorm
ways to do something similar with your coach, other employees, managers or
partners.
Study your mistakes.
Looking back at people you've hired in the past (who didn't
work out) what common problems did you encounter? What traits or qualities are
you SURE you NEVER want again? What will clue you into the presence of those
qualities or traits? One business owner I've worked with has noticed a specific
attitude common among his hiring mistakes. He's now very alert to that attitude
during the interview process.
Always ask for, and check references.
A very small percentage of employers do this. Look over the
list of desirable talents and skills you've identified as well as the ones you
know you want to steer clear of. Develop a list of four to five specific
questions you'll ask those references. If you don't get acceptable answers from
the referees, it may be a clue that this applicant is not someone you want to
hire. Don't hesitate to dig, but make yourself aware of the types of questions
you may not, by law, ask.
Once you've made your decision about who to hire, provide a
distinct and specific orientation and training period to help your new employee
gain a sense of belonging.
Provide continued guidance to let your new employee know
what standards you expect, when they are or are not meeting your expectations,
and make yourself available for their concerns and questions.
Ruby Curran) Love owning a business? Hate hiring and
managing staff? Coach Ruby helps put systems in place to find the right
employees, train them, and keep them motivated to perform to your expectations!
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