by Beth | Jul 24, 2019 | Employee Hiring, Hiring Managers, Selecting Good Candidates
Recently, I was chosen as a speaker for Vistage, an executive coaching organization that helps CEOs and executives of all levels become better leaders. All speakers receive ratings based on content, delivery and real-world applicability. I was honored and humbled to receive 5 out of 5 for content and real world applicability, and it definitely reaffirmed something that I find in my business each day – hiring good people for any size organization continues to be relevant, challenging and the defining cornerstone of any organization.
If you are continuing to find this challenge, remember that I’m here to help your organization personally, or to continue to spread the word through speaking engagements. This challenge is here to stay, and I’m here to help alleviate some of the stress of hiring.
by Beth | Jul 10, 2019 | Employee Hiring, Selecting Good Candidates
Let’s talk about the heavy bag…the bane of my existence. I am learning how to box, and last week, I had a particularly bad workout with the bleeping heavy bag. I was coming off a week with lots of physical activity, and I hadn’t slept well the night before. All in all, the stars aligned for a bad workout, and frustration took over. When things weren’t going the way I wanted, I broke down in tears over the $#%@! heavy bag.
My trainer, who is an accomplished boxer himself, pulled me aside and said “Everyone needs a Corner Man. Someone who is in your corner, pushing you when you need it, giving you water and a towel at the bell, and cheering you on in your hard moments.” These words really resonated with me, because I think everyone needs this reminder from time to time – both in business and in life.
I have often seen that level of frustration happen in hiring. A candidate that you thought would be amazing backs out at the last minute. The one applicant that you wanted to hire blows an interview. You have eight interviews scheduled in a day, and no one makes the cut. What most people do in this moment is give up and “just hire someone already’, when this is the time to keep pushing forward. After all, dealing with people is always unpredictable, and situations arise that you don’t expect. A Corner Man knows just when to step in and remind you that the time to stay strong is now, because to give up will only lead to more frustration and eventual regret that you gave up.
If you find yourself completely frustrated with the hiring process, and are ready to throw in the towel, I can help. I would be honored to be your Corner Man, to cheer you on and remind you that the right person is out there for you if you just keep pushing forward.
In the meantime, I am back on the (damn) heavy bag with my trainer in my corner.
Happy Hiring!
by Beth | May 23, 2019 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring
I was having a lovely conversation with a potential new vendor a few weeks back. I was telling her about how my bad hire so many years ago had made national news and launched my career as an interviewing coach. I told her that this was a club where no one wanted to be a member. She graciously laughed and then said to me, “You received a lifetime membership to the BHA: Bad Hires Anonymous”.
Boy did I ever.
All of the clients that I have worked with over the years have been and are currently a member of this club. It is almost like you have to be a member before you understand the true devastation of a bad hire.
Please note that you are not alone. Here is the criteria for club membership: Anyone who has been in business for any length of time who has ever hired an employee, and anyone who has been in charge of employees, has at some point made a bad hire.
What I want you to know is that it is not you. A bad hire isn’t something to be ashamed of or something that you need to hide. It is simply an indicator of a skill set that you need to learn and that you ensure that your employees learn.
In the meantime, welcome to the club.
by Beth | May 9, 2019 | Employee Hiring
I have been retained to work with a company to hire a Vice President for their organization. We developed an ideal candidate list, reviewed the job description, began recruiting and interviewed until we had narrowed down to a single promising candidate. We have interviewed the woman 3 times and sent her the job description. She successfully completed a skills assignment and wrote a 30/60/90- day plan to ensure success for her potential new position. I have called references of former bosses, peers and direct reports. To date, we have completed the entire interviewing process with this candidate. The only component left is the actual choice to hire or not and my client could not decide either way. We have an interview team of 9 people, who when asked for their insight, all had differing and conflicting thoughts. As another of my clients once described, “This is muddy data.”
So, what happens when you have completed your entire interviewing system with a candidate yet still do not feel confident in a choice? Well, let me make it clear.
If you are truly unable to make a confident hiring decision about an individual, they are not the right person for the position. Simply stated, do not hire them. The cost of training, development and retention of your employees is too large of a risk to take on an uncertain selection. If you are still “not sure” after an intensive and comprehensive interview process, consider the effects of a potential bad hire on your clients, other employees, vendors, and other business partners. The stakes are too high for you to decide on muddy data.
Hiring a new person is a big turning point for you and you company. If you have doubts, return to the beginning of your interviewing process: look at your ideal candidate list again, make sure that the vision for this role is still accurate. Check the job ad and ask yourself, “Did I articulate the vision for this position clearly?” Ultimately, my best advice is to keep looking.
You WILL clear up any questions that you have by holding out for the right fit. When the right person for your company comes along, you will feel as if you have won the lottery. If you do not feel that way, hold out until you do. It will be in everyone’s best interest.
by Beth | May 1, 2019 | Employee Hiring
Forbes – April 30, 2019 “5 Trends Women Business Owners Need To Know Right Now” by Julie Niehoff cites Beth in her article.
“Beth Smith, author of Why Can’t I Hire Good People? Lessons on How to Hire Better, talks about the importance of the interview process, methodology behind sourcing candidates and the shift away from just looking at education and experience.”
by Beth | Mar 28, 2019 | Employee Hiring, Employee Retention, Firing Employees, Good Management
I received a call from a potential client who had recently fired an under-performing employee. This employee was wreaking havoc on the work culture, missing deadlines, throwing others under the bus in meetings and not taking responsibility for their actions. Firing this employee was exactly the right move to make.
“So, why don’t I feel better?” he asked.
First, if you ever feel good after you have fired someone, you have lost your humanity and must take a long vacation, effective immediately. In other words, I would worry deeply if you DIDN’T feel bad after firing someone. After all, these are people not cogs.
Second, the relationship is over, along with your hopes and dreams for an outstanding performance from the individual. You would not have hired someone that you did not believe could do the job and do it well. When it does not work out as expected, it can feel awful and be perceived as a failure.
Third, you may now be concerned that you have poor judgement and are not skilled at hiring. You begin to think about the time and energy it takes to search for candidates and to wonder if you will ever find the right fit.
There is a way to feel better and restore your confidence.
Ask yourself:
- Did you observe something during the interview process that you knew could have been an issue, but you ignored it?
- Did you give this person an appropriate level of training to be successful in their position?
- Did you give them coaching and council to improve performance with time for course correction?
- Did you let them know, in no uncertain terms, that without improvement they would be fired?
Only through a thorough review process of a poorly performing employee post-employment, from search to departure, can you identify places to improve hiring and retention.
Then after you debrief, I want you to breathe and cut yourself some slack. Everyone has a bad hire occasionally. You did the best you could in that moment. You will do better next time. I believe in you!
