Recruiting and selecting employees II iinterviewing

Part II: Recruiting & Selecting The
Best Employees
“The Fine Art of Interviewing”
for Small Business
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Hiring the Right Employees means:
• Taking the Time to DO it Right the First
Time.
• What seems a nuisance and is costly
can actually save you money in the long
run.
• Plan Ahead and following a step-bystep approach.
• Make sure you are following federal &
state laws.
• Hiring an employee can cost $1,000
now or over $17,000 later…
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Bad Hires, can Poison your
business and..
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Cost the business recruiting money,
training money, and possibly legal fines.
A Bad Hire has the possiblity of
destroying the business through
creating..
--an unfriendly work environment and
reducing other employees’ morale.

--poor customer service that negatively
impact sales.
-- tarnishing of the IMAGE and good will
you’ve worked hard for.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Ready Set Hire: Steps to
Recruitment & Hiring
1. Job Analysis- determine the
duties and nature of the job to
be filled & the experience
required by the applicants.
2. Job Description- a written
statement of duties &
responsibilities including
reporting relationships,
working conditions, methods &
techniques used and materials
and equipment on the job.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Steps to Hiring
3. Develop a recruiting plan:
-Where will you look for
your future employee?
- Will you advertise
4. Screening the applicants
5. Plan the Interview.
6. Conduct the Interview.
7. Check the references!
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Screening: The First Hurdle
• Determine if your person is indeed a job
applicant.
• Decide (before you start the process) how
you will respond to applicants.
• It is a good idea, and good for company PR,
to at least acknowledge when an applicant
applies, even if they are not suited.
• Decide on the type of information you will
initially receive. Application, Resume or
both?
• Determine if you are going to “test” your

applicants.
• Also, refer to the job description.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Planning an Effective Interview
• Narrow your selection to a
manageable number of
applicants.
• For most positions you should
interview 3-6 applicants.
• Decide WHERE you will hold the
interviews.
• Decide what Kind of interview
you will use.
• Formulate the questions.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Planning an Effective Interview
• Be sure to allow enough time
(without interruptions) for the
interview.
• Unplug the phone and minimize all

distractions.
• Study the job you are trying to fill.
Use the job description you have
carefully prepared.
• Practice asking questions until it
becomes natural.
• Have an outline or notes of key
issues you want to address
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Three Basic Forms of
Interviews
• Structured interview
– Planned and controlled by interviewer
– Good for gathering facts
– Used for screening large groups

• Open-ended interview

– Unstructured, relaxed format
– Used to evaluate individual candidates
– Can involve simulations

• Stress interview

– Designed to Reveal applicant’s reaction to

tough situations
– Hostile with pointed questions and critical
comments
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Conducting the Interview
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Establish a rapport. Smile and make the candidate feel at ease.
Gather information.
Give information about your business & SELL the position.
Close the interview and thank the candidate.
Evaluate your notes and compare your candidates.

SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Legal vs. Illegal Interviewing
Questions: THE TEST

Answer the questions true or false:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Are you currently using illegal drugs is a legal question.
Have you ever been arrested is a legal question.
Do you have or are you planning to have children is a legal
question
How much do you weigh is a legal question.
Are you HIV- positive is a legal question.
Have you ever filed a lawsuit or a worker’s compensation
claim against a former employee is a legal question.
Are you a U.S. citizen is a legal questions
What is your race is a legal question.
Do you drink alcohol is a legal question.
When and where were you born is a legal question.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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The Answers: Grade Yourself!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Are you currently using drugs is a legal question. TRUE
Have you ever been arrested is a legal question. FALSE, you can ask
about arrest, but not conviction.
Do you have or are you planning to have children is a legal question.
False- leads to discrimination
How much do you weigh is a legal question. False, unless necessary
for job duties
Are you HIV- positive is a legal question. FALSE, under ADA Act
Have you ever filed a lawsuit or a worker’s compensation claim against a
former employee is a legal question. False
Are you a U.S. citizen is a legal questions FALSE
What is your race is a legal question. FALSE
Do you drink alcohol is a legal question. True, but you cannot ask how
much alcohol you drink.
When and where were you born is a legal question. FALSE
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Use the OUCH Test
Small Business owners can use the Ouch Test as a
guideline for their interview questions

O

Does it Omit references to race,
religion, color, sex or national origin?
U
Does the question Unfairly screen out a
particular class of people?
C
Can you Consistently apply the
question to every applicant?
H
Does the question Have jobrelatedness and business necessity?
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Questions You Want to Ask
•

•

•
•
•

Develop a series of core questions and ask
them of every candidate. Many of these
questions are “character” questions assessing
the candidate’s personality.
Ask open-ended questions instead of yes or no
questions. These may include on-the-job
scenarios. Try to get them to talk about their
experiences.
As questions to describe a recent success and
failure and how they dealt with it.
As hypothetical-situation questions on how they
might respond to an encounter on the job.
Probe for specific example in the candidate’s
work experience by asking follow-up questions
on their experience.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Final Step: Checking References
• Succumbing to the pressure to hire
fast is a common error for small
business owners.
• Managers need to take the time to

do the follow-up reference check on
all possible candidates.
• Checking references can help
employers uncover false or
exaggerated information and also
verify what the candidate stated in
the interview.
• Experienced employers talk to the
past immediate supervisor of the
candidate to get a clear picture of
their job performance, character &
work habits.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

According to the
Society for Human
Resource
Management, more
than half of all
candidates
exaggerate or falsify
information about
their previous
employment.
(Source: “Of Resumes and
Rap Sheets”, Maxwell, 27,
2000)
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What Employers Want
• Suitability and qualifications for the job
– Right functional skills
– Right technical skills

• Good fit with organization
– Right personality and style
– Appropriate level of maturity
– Common interests

Test Your EQ

• High emotional intelligence
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Do You Have a High EQ?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

•
•
•

Think clearly and stay focused while under pressure
Admit to your own mistakes
Meet commitments and keep promises
Hold yourself accountable for meeting your goals
Seek new ideas from a variety of sources
Handle multiple demands and changing priorities
Make sacrifices to meet important organizational goals
Cut through red tape and bend outdated rules
Seek fresh perspectives
Take on projects to seek success rather than avoid failure
Set challenging goals and take calculated risks
Sense of humor 
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Building the Best “Culture” for Your
Business Environment
• When you are hiring you are taking a
BIG step, for the employer and for
your business.
• It is just as important to consider how
the candidate will “fit” into your
business culture, as their skills to do

the job.
• Creating a culture is defined by
“leadership” of the company…Culture
arises from your consistent and
relentless pursuit of a set of core
values that everyone in your company
can believe in.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

“ People are
NOT your
greatest
asset! The
“right”
people are
your greatest
asset!”
From, First
Break All the
Rules
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Why have an Employee Policy
Manual
• In order for an organization to function
properly it needs to have rules to
follow and policies to help proceed.
• An Employee Policy Manual is the

guide for the employee and the owner.
• Your Employee Policies & Procedure
Manual should describe the basic
attributes of employment at your
company that need to be known in
advance before an employee agrees
to accept your position.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Outline of Major Points that Should Be
Addressed in An Employee Manual
•
•
•
•

Employee Compensation
Employee Benefits
Employee Travel Policy
Reimbursement of
Expenses
• Hours of Work, Work
Schedules
• Key Policy
• Trade Secrets and
Confidentiality

• Employee Performance
Evaluation Procedures
• Employee Suggestion
Policy
• Employee Termination
Policy
• Non-discrimination &
Sexual Harassment
Policy
• Employee’s Use of
Equipment Policy
• Employee Privacy

SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Hire the best person you can.
• Make sure the new employee knows, all of
your employees have a probationary time.
– 90 days - minimum
– 180 days - Best
– 1 year – good

• When to give the first review and raise.
– 3 months - Best
– 6 months - good

– 1 year – long time
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Discipline Your Employees
If you have any workplace rules or policies there’s a good
chance that eventually they will be broken. Enforcing those
rules and policies is disciplining.
Discipline DOES NOT mean terminating. (In fact, it is important
to show this step if you do terminate later).
Follow your employee policy manual and don’t make rash
decisions. Use the “D” guide.
Dig…. for information on what has occurred
Discuss…the issues with the employee and listen to their side
r
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yo
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po loy
Em emp

Deal…with the employee and make a Decision on whether to
penalize the employee
Document.. All disciplinary actions to protect yourself.
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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Firing and Termination: Avoiding the
Lawsuit
Terminating an employee is at best unpleasant.
To make it worse there is a growing number of
lawsuits against former employees due to
unfair termination practices.
The best way to “win” a lawsuit is to avoid it in
the long run.
Set up a situation that has a clear step-by-step
procedure in your Employee Policy Manual.
Make sure you follow the procedures and
document EVERYTHING!
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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What NOT to DO when Terminating
an Employee
• The very worst thing you can
do is FIRE on the spot. This
opens you up to a bounty of
legal issues.
• Do not “terminate” anyone in a
fit of rage or emotions- cool
down and wait.
• Don’t get caught trying to
reconstruct documentation
(like changing performance
reviews)
• If you DON”T PLAY FAIR, the
courts will see that and side
with the employee
SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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How You Can Be a Great Boss: Become a
Leader not just a Manager or Employer
--- Leadership is the process of influencing and
inspiring others to work to achieve a common
goal and then giving the power and the freedom

to achieve it!

SCC Business 207,
Recruiting and Selecting,

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