subject: A Checklist For Successful Staff Selection In 21st Century Small-medium Business [print this page] Introduction Introduction
Selecting staff is a complicated business. Most managers arent naturally good at it. And staff selection is expensive. The cost of mistakes is huge and haunting. Poor staff selection erodes profitability and increases pressure on other staff.
An Unconventional Approach
Youll find that his checklist does not follow many of the conventional wisdoms about staff selection. But it results from my experience. At the very least, this approach will remove most of the costly mystique that shrouds so much selection. All staff selection involves risk. I'm trying to reduce the risk for you.
The Checklist
The prime purpose of staff selection is to get a job done. It is not to choose a person.
Keep your focus on the future when selecting staff. Whats most important is what theyll do for you and how well theyll do it when theyre working for you. Past performance is important. But its also history.
You can only achieve a satisfactory selection result if you specify, right at the start, the job results you want to achieve.
The purpose of the job advertisement in whatever form is to attract the person or persons, the fewer the better, wholl achieve the job results for you in your business.
Its in your best interests to include statements starting with Only apply if or Do not apply unless in your job advertisement. It's legitimate to use your ad to discourage unsuitable candidates.
If you receive lots of applications youve either * failed to specify the job results you want * written a poor advertisement.
The perfect job advertisement attracts only one applicant: the right one.
Never, ever, ever ask for written applications. Theyre an open invitation to misrepresentation, conscious or unconscious. They can also create a self-fulfilling prophecy. This results in the best application writer getting the job.
Always conduct a phone screening interview before committing to a personal interview. Only grant a personal interview after youre satisfied that a candidate has the background you regard as essential.
The personal interview is a privilege to be granted to as few people as possible. You cannot tell what a person can do merely by talking to them.
If an applicant claims he or she is competent at something, dont believe them or anyone else. Let them demonstrate that they can actually do what they say they can.
The personal interview is to assess whether a candidate whos reached that stage in the process will fit your culture. You should have decided whether they can do the job long before the personal interview. Thats why you use the telephone screen and tests.
Always ask for proof of qualifications
Never ask for written references. Ive never seen a candidate present a poor reference.
If you must do reference checks, treat the information you receive with healthy scepticism.
Be absolutely upfront with applicants about your overall selection process, the salary and benefits, working conditions and any other constraints or rewards. If you try to be tricky, evasive and secretive expect candidates to be the same. Youll be the loser.
Always use a mutually agreed probationary period, even for managers and professionals. An agreed probation gives both parties the opportunity to terminate agreeably and legally a situation that isnt working out. But make sure you meet local legal requirements.
The selection process is complete and successful only when the new employee is achieving the job results you specified before you commenced the process.
Conclusion
A lot of what Ive written flies in the face of accepted practice and conventional wisdom. Im sorry if that offends you. But staff selection is a very expensive exercise. Its a net profit eroder. One of the major costs is the time you spend in the process. If you make an unsatisfactory appointment, you have to terminate the new employee and repeat the exercise. Thats more net profit down the drain. Think about it.
by: Leon Noone
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