Strategies for Hiring Success

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Mar 5, 2007 - OI Partners

It has been well documented that employee turnover costs organizations significant amounts of money. Sources report that when an employee leaves, 1 to 10 times his or her annual compensation is lost in productivity, training and other associated costs. And now, with organizations competing more strongly for talent, the need to hire the right employee and retain that person is even more critical. And, bad hires drain more than just money from your organization.

Strategies for making successful hiring decisions are of interest to anyone who is charged with recruiting, screening and selecting candidates for their organizations. Given the multitude of factors that surround the employment process, it is helpful to focus on some key strategies that can guide the overall development and direction of hiring programs that will produce talent that will meet the organization's needs.

Some key hiring strategies that will have a positive impact on your hiring process are:

* Create a vision and mission for what you want your hiring process to accomplish. It is important that all members of management have a clear understanding as to the type of individual you want to hire, not only in terms of skills but also in terms of organizational fit.

This, of course, goes far beyond simply examining the abilities and experiences found on the resume. It includes how the new employee will contribute to the culture within the department and the larger organization. It is important that all of those involved in the hiring process are united around the qualities and characteristics that are critical to the goals of the organization.

* Take the recruitment, selection and hiring process seriously. Set up standards that must be met by all of those involved in the screening and interviewing processes. Training in interviewing techniques and in evaluating the information obtained from candidates is important if your organization is to make successful hires.

Too often, busy managers take a quick glance at a resume just a few minutes before meeting a candidate and then believe they can conduct a productive and worthwhile interview. The interview process should be planned and each interviewer should have a particular focus as a member of the interview team. For example, if several interviewers are to meet the candidate separately, each should have some specific areas to explore in addition to some common areas of inquiry. After the interview, evaluations should be completed based upon a system that allows for data interviewers to be compared and rank how well the candidate did against the key qualities and characteristics desired.

* Find a place for talent when it shows up. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" may be a good rule of thumb when it comes to acquiring talent in a competitive climate. Even if you don't have an "open requisition" when talent presents itself, find ways to make room for those people who can move you toward your organization's goals. This is a proactive rather than reactive approach to staffing and can be one of the considerations when you create your vision of the hiring process.

Strategic staffing implies that you capture opportunities when they arise because you are looking at the long-term results to be achieved. In order for this to happen, the management team needs to see staffing as a component of the strategic plan.

* Be open to, and create, multiple sources of candidates. Explore creative ways to mine the resources within your organization to make connections with candidates who will fit your culture. Employee referral programs, professional associations and industry groups are a few of the areas where you can extend the message of your organization.

* Treat all job applicants as customers. The way your organization receives and handles its applicants affects your image in the marketplace. Remember the adage, "a satisfied customer tells one person, while the dissatisfied customer tells ten people." The brand message that your organization uses to market its products or services should also be demonstrated in your hiring programs. Your hiring strategies and practices should include the messages that you want the market to receive about your organization from your candidates. Those candidates that you don't hire may still be customers, and the experience they have with your organization can affect your image for either better or worse.

Mark W. Leathers is the founding partner of OI Partners (Arizona). He has more than 25 years of experience as a coach and consultant to management across a wide range of industries. He can be reached at mleathers@oipartners.net or 602-274-0711.

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