by Beth | Jun 30, 2014 | Employee Hiring, Firing Employees, Interview Process, Selecting Good Candidates
I always find the hiring process fascinating, especially when I begin working with people who have had employees on staff for an extended period of time that are not a good fit. They almost always report to me “I knew it was not going to work out” after we get to a place where we are going to let go of an employee and begin searching for the perfect candidate to hire.
As many of my conversations with new clients go, I met with a potential new client who began the conversation with “You have to know that I am BAD at hiring.”
I said, “How do you know?”
He said, “Because I just fired the worst hire EVER.”
I asked, “When did you know that this employee was the worst hire ever?”
He said, “I knew the first day. I just KNEW it was not going to work out. And I have known that for 2 years.”
Now two years may be somewhat extreme, but I hear many of my clients report that they hired someone, knew they were not going to work out almost immediately, then left the person in the position for months if not years just to avoid having to interview again. Instead I challenge you fellow business owner to hire differently by really listening to the candidates during the interviews. They will tell you if they will not work out. You just have to listen.
For example, last week, I interviewed a candidate that my client really wanted to hire until we started talking about the language that this person used in the interview. It was always someone else’s fault, they didn’t get enough training, and the traffic was always terrible. The client looked at me with this hang dog look, like I had just burst his balloon. I commented “Do you know this one is a no?” He said “Yes. But I don’t want to know that it’s a no. I want a new employee!” This is the absolute most difficult part of the interview process. You are tired, you need help and you want this person to work out SO bad! But as another client of mine said, “When you shorten this process, you pay the piper.’ And he’s right. The price is an employee who you knew from the start would not work out. Then you have to go through the pain of firing and hiring all over again.
I encourage you to listen to yourself and the language of your potential new hires. You know when it’s a no. Wait until you know it’s a yes.
by Beth | Jun 12, 2014 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring, Interview Process, Selecting Good Candidates
Rejection is commonplace for business owners. We are often told that people are not interested in our products and services. Typically we shrug it off and begin the pursuit of someone else who may really need our offerings. Yet, when we are in a position to offer a new employment opportunity, we are shocked when we receive a no thank you from a candidate.
For example, I was so excited for one of my clients last week when we extended an offer to a candidate. I was equally excited for another client when we invited a different candidate back for a third interview! Both candidates declined which tossed both of my clients into a bit of depression. Imagine how disheartening it was for them both to be so excited about a potential new hire only to have the candidate demonstrate that they are not excited about the position.
Many of my business clients are stressed out, overworked, tired and sometimes completely panicked as they are hiring for a new or vacant position. My best advice is that Rejection is Protection and actually something to be very excited about. If someone does not want to work for you and they tell you that BEFORE you hire them, you win! You are protected from poor quality work, absenteeism, and unsatisfied clients, because when someone LOVES their job, they perform. They give it their all, and both of you are happy.
So, when you feel like you have been punched in the gut after a candidate rejects your position, learn to be grateful. Turn that negative into a positive. Turn lemons into lemonade and get ready to serve that lemonade to your new A-list candidate who is walking your way right this minute.
by Beth | May 2, 2014 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring, Interview Techniques, Selecting Good Candidates
Last week, I placed a great employee in the right job with a great company, and everyone is really excited. We all remember those moments in the interview process when we wanted to pull our hair out. You have candidates that just don’t show up. You have the candidate that looks right at you and says “WOW! I don’t like doing that type of work.” (True story) You have the potential employee who shows up late with no apology or excuse and then proceeds to interrupt you for the entire interview. UGH! I have had days where I just wanted to bang my head against the interview table over and over… and over again.
And then? When you least expect it, when you think that you will NEVER find the right person EVER…Your dream candidate walks through the door. They are on time, bring extra copies of resumes, references, and homework. They’ve done their research. They ask great questions and bring solutions, and then they end the interview by telling you that this is their dream job. They make it through the entire process and they love the offer.
And the kicker? They can start on Monday.
Every single time I begin an interview process I know that I am in for a roller coaster ride. I am going to laugh, cry, pull my hair out, bang my head on the table, but then… I am going laugh, because I’m so happy for my clients and the candidate that they have found. I feel proud, because we got through the process and it is the right fit for all. Then, I am going to shed a little tear, because the job is over. It is time for me to leave and go work with others, and the process starts all over again. Sniff!
by Beth | Feb 12, 2014 | Employee Hiring, Employee Retention, Selecting Good Candidates
Last Friday I came home to a fish in a plastic cup on my kitchen counter. My daughter named him Harley. She promptly went out and bought him a really nice bowl with beautiful blue rocks then filled the bowl with fresh water. I thought the fish was dead… really. He laid on the bottom for awhile and then he floated to the top. I tried to tell her that Harley was not going to make it – that he was dead in the water. She did not believe me and kept at it. She kept watching this half dead fish, trying to keep it living through pure will. We watched this fish for hours before he really began to swim around and attack the way-too-may- food pellets that we dropped in his new home. Two days later he is thriving – he looks like he is a brand new fish with a new lease on life.
A client called last week frustrated with his employee of almost 3 years… things were not getting done, balls were dropping and clients were not happy. I coached my client to sit down with his beloved employee and explain how he was feeling. Explain to your best employee ever that balls are getting dropped. Turns out, this really great employee needed fresh water and some attention. Remember, our employees are not us. They do not learn the job through osmosis; they learn it from their boss. And they continue to perform and perfect as a result of that leadership.
So, if you are feeling like your staff is half floating through their work, it is time for some attention. Show them that you are committed to their success by asking them how they are feeling about their work. Simply ask what you can do to help them enjoy their job better. And you know what? It is shocking to me how easy it is to keep your employees engaged and happy with a committed boss who cares enough to ask “Do you need some fresh water?”
And Harley? Well it turns out that he was the subject of a science experiment in my daughter’s science class. She “fish-napped” him because she said he looked dead. I said “Won’t your teacher be mad that you stole the fish from the experiment?”
“Mom,” she said with an eye roll. “The class is called ‘Life Science’, emphasis on LIFE!”
Well said, kiddo.
by Beth | Jan 6, 2014 | Employee Hiring, Employee Retention, Firing Employees, Interview Process, Selecting Good Candidates, Uncategorized
Last week, I met with a new client who suffers from what I call “the Hiring Hangover”. He had just fired a long time employee and had to hire someone else quickly. The whole experience left a really bad taste in his mouth and he was having a hard time getting over it. He kept trying to change his policies and procedures to make sure that he did not get into the same position with a new employee that he had experienced in the past. In other words, he wanted to punish the new employee for the sins of the old employee. While it is completely understandable, it will not work. When you hire a person while “hungover”, you will make a bad hiring decision. You have to feel good about bringing a new person onboard. You have to be excited.
So, how do you recover from a bad hire?
- You take a deep breath. Do not hire too quickly. If you need immediate help, hire a temp. Jumping in to a situation with a new hire when you are not ready sets you both up for failure.
- Create your ideal candidate list. Put your head in the clouds and dream BIG. And I mean really big, like roses and rainbows and unicorns. You cannot have what you want unless you know what it is and how to identify it. So until you are ready to write a list of what you want, then you are not ready for a new hire.
- Be patient. Do not start the interview process until you feel excited again.
Every manager has had a bad hire. It feels awful and firing someone should never feel good. So give yourself time to recover and breathe. Things will look better tomorrow. And your next amazing employee is right around the corner. I promise.
by Beth | Dec 19, 2013 | Employee Hiring, Employee Retention, Selecting Good Candidates, Uncategorized
The end of the year is always a time of reflection for me. I like to look back and see the difference I have made in the lives of others and plan for how I will continue to bring value in the coming year. 2014 should be an exciting year, as my plan to publish a book about interviewing in a new era has taken shape and well on its way to being realized. During this process of publishing a book, I was given the rare opportunity to interview my clients to learn more about how I have assisted them with better hiring practices. Below is one such testimonial I received that brought tears of joy to my eyes. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I….
One of my clients, The Doss Heritage and Culture Center, hired me 2 years ago to find them an Executive Director. “Our Board had a very poor hiring record,” said James May, the Board President at the time of the hire. ”We floundered for a number of years. We would hire folks because they were local, and we’d sit down with them for a chat. This is not the best way to do business.”
“The whole experience with A-list Interviews was so different for us, in that we sat back and observed, and let the expert keep us on track. We made decisions very quickly. We now have a successful operation that runs seamlessly, and we are reaching goals that we never dreamed possible. “
Heather Castagna, the Executive Director, said “How has A-list changed our organization? I now have a cohesive team of people, and our budget has increased by $300,000 in the two years since I got here. Our attendance has doubled, our events have doubled. I now understand the importance of looking past experience and skills- I need to find the right fit and develop them. It has worked out fabulously!”
What a great way to end 2013!
Happy Holidays to all of our clients and here’s to a prosperous 2014!
Yours in success,
Beth
