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At Express Employment Professionals we want to help you manage your company
to the best of your ability. So we have put
together some information and resources to help you do
just that. If you would like more information on
any of the topics presented here or if you would like to
talk about how Express Employment Professionals can be of service to your company -
please contact us or call us at 1-888-224-0744.
Employment Resources
Good Hiring Practices
Re-Evaluate
The Job Before Hiring A Replacement
It's a lot
easier to hire a strong performer in the first place
than it is to grow an average performer into a strong
performer. In order to do that you must fully
understand what you need from the person you are hiring.
Most business environments are constantly changing and
your staffing needs may have changed since the last time
you filled your current opening. Re-evaluate the
job responsibilities of the position you need to fill.
Does it meet your current needs? Do you need to
shift responsibilities to other positions in order for
the current position to meet your expectations?
Does that shift result in the need for new expertise in
your replacement candidate? Invest time on the
front end in deciding what you need from your next
employee.
Finding the Candidates
Be creative in
your search:
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Consider if
current employees may fill your new opening
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Prioritize the
"must have" qualifications for the job; then the
"important" qualifications; and finally the "helpful,
but not required " qualifications
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Advertise in
areas with a high concentration of workers with the
necessary knowledge, expertise and/or skill set
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Advertise in publications that target workers with the
necessary knowledge, expertise and/or skill set
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Consider using the services of a staffing firm like Express Employment Professionals to fill your key positions
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Encourage current employees to mention the opening to friends.
Consider offering, like many other companies do, a referral
bonus.
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Put
up a sign on your building--this is especially effective for
positions that require a lower skilled workforce
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Advertise
on the Internet - especially for professional and technical
positions
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Use the
Internet to access résumé databases - Although résumés on the
Internet tend to be skewed toward technical people the variety of
résumés being posted is gradually increasing
Categorize
All Applicants and Use the Initial Interview to Narrow the Field
Screening applicants can be extremely time consuming. Here are some
techniques for streamlining the process:
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Immediately sort all candidate résumés into five categories based on
qualifications, i.e. the very best to the completely unqualified,
and keep every résumé sorted this way during the entire hiring.
Résumés may move from one pile to another as you glean more
information about the candidates.
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Spend as
little time as possible in the early stages of the hiring process.
Eliminate the weaker candidates from consideration early on but spend as
much time as possible in the final stages of the hiring process sorting
through the more subtle differences between the very strongest
candidates.
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Use phone
interviews as the initial interview. It saves time, is easily scheduled and
the best part about phone interviews is that there is no established
protocol for minimum length. If you don't like the candidate's first few
responses, you can simply say, "That's all I have for today," and move on to
the next candidate.
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Use the initial
interview to quickly answer the most important questions about a candidates
qualifications such as availability, willingness to relocate or travel and
salary requirements.
Making the Final Decision
Choosing among your
top candidates can be difficult. You must use a variety of techniques to really
get at your candidates' qualifications and suitability for the job. References
are a starting point, but take them with a grain of salt. Companies today are
concerned about legal liability and may refuse to give references altogether.
Try to seek out references on your own - those from former co-workers, customers
or peers can be less guarded and more useful.
Depending on the position you are filling you may be able to create tests that
simulate the actual work to be performed. Typing tests, math tests, and
accounting tests are examples of such tests. Role-playing is a more useful tool
to measure the sales, management and/or decision-making skills of a particular
candidate.
Get outside insight. Ask your HR Department and managers of other departments to
interview your final candidates. It may give you insight into your candidate's
peripheral knowledge, ability to interact with related departments and, let's
face it - two heads are always better than one.
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You already know that the hiring
process is a lengthy one. However, the time and resources you invest in
hiring new employees pales in comparison to the investment you have in them once
they are fully trained and productive. Taking steps to keep your workforce
happy and motivated saves the time of hiring new employees and the heartache of
painful separations.
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Fear is not a motivator - The
use of threats and intimidation to motivate your workforce will almost
always result in low morale and high turnover. When employees feel respected
and valued they are more likely to be punctual, cooperative, enthusiastic,
and committed to organizational goals.
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Be a good role model - Modeling
the behavior you want from your employees is the most effective way to modify
bad behavior. If you want your employees to arrive on time then so should you.
If you want your workforce to be excited about your products and services then
you must display enthusiasm for the company's business plan as well.
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Make work fun! - Employees who
have fun at work are more likely to enjoy their jobs and be committed long-term
to the company. Appoint an committee of employees and have them brainstorm ideas
to bring enjoyment to the workforce and show company appreciation for hard work.
Be advised that such a committee needs a management staff willing to "play
along" as appropriate and a budget to make it happen.
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Call Attention to Great Employees
- Use company communications to brag about the good work of individual
employees. Employee recognition programs do a lot for individual morale as long
as they are sincere acts of appreciation for work that supports company or
community welfare.
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Put Your Money Where Your Mouth
Is - Not all companies have the funds to give monetary rewards. However, if you
can afford it - give such rewards for outstanding performance. Even tokens like
gift certificates or small gifts are appreciated by your committed staff.
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Stay With It - Don't start an
employee recognition program and then let it die. Maintain your company's
commitment to motivating your staff. Be creative and constantly seek out
opportunities to reward and/or thank your staff.
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The unpleasant reality of having
a workforce is that occasionally you must let someone go. No one with an
ounce of compassion looks forward to such a task but you can take steps to
ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible. Believe it or not - a
successful termination begins before you even hire someone!
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Get into the habit early of
documentation.
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Make sure new employees
understand the job requirements and have the skill set or get the training
necessary to meet your expectations.
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Give employees struggling with
performance every opportunity to "turn it around"
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Have employment policies and
procedures in place so that employees know the rules of employment ahead of
time.
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Apply those rules fairly and
equally across your workforce.
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Follow your own procedures to the
letter and document each step of the disciplinary process.
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Don't hesitate to consult with
legal counsel to make sure you have covered your bases.
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Know ahead of time what you are
going to say
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Be professional, stay calm and
stick to the topic - do not allow yourself to get baited into an argument
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Be as kind as possible without
conveying a willingness to relent
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In most cases you should escort
the terminated employee out of the building and make sure you get all company
property or keys from them before they leave. Take steps to safeguard your
company by changing locks, passwords, security codes, etc.
Express can
provide Human Resources Consultation Services that help you create and
administer Human Resources-related policies and procedures.
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Contact
Express Employment Professionals today to see how we can help your
business thrive! Or call us toll free at
1-888-224-0744.
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