by Beth | Jan 29, 2020 | Employee Hiring, Recruiting, Selecting Good Candidates
A few weeks ago, I attended the Indeed.com Academy to become a better recruiter, and boy, did I learn a ton!
First the basics – there are two different types of recruiting; inbound and outbound. Inbound is when an employer places an ad on Indeed.com and the applications start coming in. Outbound is when an internal recruiter sifts through resumes, picks up the phone and calls the candidate to invite them to interview for a position.
While this concept isn’t new, the research behind it is. If a recruiter calls a candidate who didn’t submit a resume for the job, it costs the employer significantly more money, more time and results in less success. A person who submits a resume of their own volition is infinitely better every time.
The question is why?
Here is the bottom line: there is a mental process that a candidate must go through in order to begin looking for a job. They must come to the realization that their current job isn’t going to work out, they must realize that things aren’t going to get any better, and, most importantly, that they must make a change to a different company. If your candidate hasn’t made that mental shift, your recruiting efforts cost more time, effort, and money.
Instead of focusing on outbound recruiting, focus your efforts on your inbound recruiting. Spend time to key word your ad properly, create your Ideal list and don’t forget to listen, listen, listen. In the long run, you’ll be glad that you did.
by Beth | Jan 15, 2020 | Company Culture, Employee Hiring, Firing Employees
Firing someone, even if it is the best thing for all parties is awful. It feels terrible. Even if you knew it was coming, and even if it wasn’t a surprise to your employee, it still feels totally horrendous. You have a pit in your stomach, and your overall feeling is enough to make you want to hire someone as fast as you possibly can to fill that hole.
Don’t.
Why not, you ask? “I need to fill this seat Beth!”, said a panicky client. Because that is when you make hiring mistakes, when you hire from a panic place rather than a place of reason and overall calm.
According to Robert Plotkin, who wrote How to Prevent Internal Bar Theft, “Hiring the wrong bartender can be staggering. It’s better to operate short-handed for a period of time and rely on your existing staff to cover the bar than hiring someone unqualified or inappropriate for the establishment. It will be more advantageous in the long-run to delay hiring another bartender until the right candidate can be found.”
In addition to Robert’s thoughts on the topic, Warren Buffet says “Money flows from the impatient to the patient.” I believe this to be true in any area of life. In any situation where big decisions must be made, we all operate and make decisions better from a place of measured calm than from panicked overthinking.
So, when you have the unfortunate experience of firing someone, I want you to pause. Take a big deep breath. Let the emotions settle down. Call a team meeting and rally the troops. Let everyone know that it will be okay, and that you are committed to hiring the very best candidate you possibly can. And, then wait at least two weeks before you do anything.
Our instinct as humans is to replace a person in our lives as fast as we possibly can. In the end, learning why that person no longer serves you and your organization is the better path, and proceeding from a place of calm will serve you best in the end.
by Beth | Dec 26, 2019 | Attitude, Employee Hiring, Firing Employees
Right before the holidays, I had a potential client call me frustrated with an employee. “I just gave out bonuses, and she wants more money…I don’t know what to do!”
Having seemingly entitled employees is a hot topic of conversation these days. Here are my thoughts:
An entitled employee is in the wrong job.
Think about it.
When an employee is in a job that they love, they are happy. They think about the work that they “get to do”, not what they “have to do”. They may ask for a raise or for more vacation time, but rarely are these on the forefront of their minds. They are excited to work every day because they are passionate about their objectives. They feel confident and are thriving.
But when they are not happy in their jobs? They will do anything to keep themselves engaged. They think that money will make them happy. They think that more time off will make them happy. Or free movie tickets, a gift certificate for a massage or getting to work from home. But in the end, if they are not enjoying their jobs anymore, have a conversation with these employees about doing
something else or let them go.
Nothing can make up for doing work that they do not enjoy, and I do mean nothing!
So, when you have an entitled employee, don’t talk about more money, benefits, working from home, etc. It won’t help and only increases frustration for both you and your employee. Instead, talk about the job duties, and ask if this is really the work they love. If it’s not? Either move them to a position that is right for them or help them transition out gracefully.
And remember: you as the employer are entitled to an employee who wants to do the job you are offering.
by Beth | Oct 16, 2019 | Employee Hiring, Hiring Managers, Interview Process, Interview Techniques, Interviewing Questions
I have a client who asks candidates this question: “If you were a type of cheese, which would it be?” The question makes people laugh and we have had some pretty clever responses. “Pepper Jack: I’m spicy!” and “Any one of them except blue cheese, because that one stinks!” are among a few of the responses I’ve heard so far.
For a cheese maker, a chef and perhaps a dairy farmer, this question might be appropriate. Perhaps even a marketing position could warrant this question as you might be measuring a person’s creativity.
However for most industries and positions, the information you are getting by asking that question is like just like Swiss cheese – full of holes. How does a description of cheese really evaluate the candidate’s qualities, passion for their work and integrity? Would you eliminate them from your candidate pool if they described themselves as Velveeta?
Focus on asking measurable questions in your interview and truly listen to your candidates. It is really the best way to get the relevant information that you need. Anything else is, well… cheesy!
by Beth | Sep 11, 2019 | Employee Hiring, Leadership, Selecting Good Candidates, Uncategorized
One of the most common problems that my clients have when they are interviewing people for a job is that they “feel sorry” for the candidates. “I just want to offer the job to all of them!”
I often ask, “Do you know why you want to offer the job to all the people?”
Most people have no idea why they struggle, but the answer is simple: we are biologically wired to include others. We are biologically wired for connection. So, when someone comes in for an interview, and they are nervous, anxious, worried and scared, we want to make it better. We want to help them feel better, and help them succeed in the interview
Here is the disconnect. When you have 300 applicants and 1 job, you will reject at least 299 of your candidates. You may reject all 300, re-post the ad, and keep going. And it is difficult, because we aren’t wired to reject people. You have to be exclusionary when you are hiring, which goes against our humanity and our most basic instincts as humans.
So next time that you are hiring someone, remind yourself of this: instead of “rejecting” someone, you are releasing them into the universe so that they can find their dream job and you can find your dream candidate. It’s a win/win.
Everyone deserves to be happy, especially you. Don’t forget that next time you endeavor to hire someone.
by Beth | Aug 28, 2019 | Employee Hiring, Selecting Good Candidates
Last week I had a client call me in a panic. He was about to lose a large government contract, because he hadn’t hired a much-needed engineer. We were in the process of filling the position, but we weren’t moving fast enough for the government. Now I have heard it all!
If you know me and my hiring philosophy at ALL, you know that I am not an advocate for fast hires. I believe very strongly that hiring fast means you will hire wrong. It is so easy to make mistakes when you move too quickly, and as Robert Plotkin states in his book Preventing Internal Theft, “It’s better to operate short-staffed for a period of time and rely on your existing staff than hiring someone unqualified or inappropriate for the establishment.”
However, no rule is correct or applicable 100% of the time. When you are in the situation my client found himself in, and you are faced with losing a few million dollars in government contracts, you need to hire fast. My advice for this situation was hire someone quickly, get the position filled, AND continue to look for the right fit. If the quick-hire person works out, (and it does about 1/3 of the time) then wonderful. Everyone is happy. If they don’t work out, remember this was a short-term solution, and be grateful for that.
Hire fast when absolutely necessary. Hire right for long-term success.
