HR Best Practices : Employee Selection
“Isn’t it as easy as posting the job on the Web ?”
Dear Friends,
In exploring the title and the relevant quest, I found it very accurate, impressive and well said – “Policies and procedures for employee selection sets the tone for the interactions that follow throughout an individual’s time with the organization”
Hiring is of course easy but hiring the best candidate is certainly not easy. It requires planning and a logical process. It doesn’t matter how many openings we have, one or many, the procedure and processes you use for employee selection will directly reflect the results you achieve.
Now the question is – “Isn’t it as easy as posting the job on the Web”
The answer is “No”, before you go to that level you must answer 5 questions.
Because, posting the job on the web is an effective strategy for recruitment, but if you do not know the steps involved prior to do this then this is not going to be effective. Jumping right in without planning and preparation can bog down the process.
Before identifying the best recruiting sources, you must clearly identify the parameters of the job. A job description is helpful but it may not be available and does not always include all the information you need. Answering following questions will help you define the job parameters.
If you are hiring manager ? Fine. If you are not hiring manager then Hiring manager will be a good starting point.
Prepare answers for these questions before you post a job online –
- Was someone promoted or fired? Where did the last person come from?
- What are the skills/education needed for this position? What is the work experience required for this position?
- What is the job title and who does the job reports to?
- When does the position have to be filled, and how much does it pay?
- Who needs to meet or interview this person, and who will made the job offer?
Was someone promoted or fired? Where did the last person come from?
If the vacancy was created by a promotion
Gather information about the position from the person who last held the job. Check with the hiring manager to ensure that the job content is not changing.
If the vacancy was created because someone was fired
Find out if the termination was due to poor job performance or a lack of specific knowledge or sills.
If the last person in the job had been hired within the past year or so
Check for a file of resumes of other candidates who applied for the position. Find out whether the person came from a search firm, internet posting, networking, or other source, then make it a priority to return to this source if it had previously generated strong candidates. Maintaining applicant flow logs in a spreadsheet or database will facilitate the process, particularly when resumes are filed electronically.
What are the skills/education needed for this position? What is the work experience required for this position?
Do the job analysis; create a list of the core skills, education and experience needed to get the job done. You can add additional skills and experience that would be helpful and designate these elements as optional for successful performance of the job.
What is the job title and who does the job reports to?
In your company, a particular job title or level may have certain benefits or perks attached to it. Does your company allow flexibility or creativity with job titles? The practicality is like this – One candidate may only accept a job with a “Director” title, while another may be satisfied with a lesser title if you add the word “Senior”. Employers often add words like “senior” or “junior” with the intention of upgrading an individual or adding an entry level spot in a department.
Now, you need to be very careful in creating these new titles. The reason is, while the title of “Senior sales associate” will add status, a title such as “Junior sales associate” can be a detriment.
Think of the customers or other employees or any stake holder who will interact with this person. Does dealing with a “Junior” inspire confidence? So be creative in creating a title. It’s a terrific idea as long as they are appropriate for your culture both internally and externally. People’s Director, Head of People, Brand Champion and many more titles are just creative titles. They may be a nice ring, but may not translate into an understandable role in every business to business situation.
You must speak to the person to whom the job reports to determine this individual’s needs and expectations. In a larger department, the position may report to a level below the hiring manager. In this situation, you should speak with both persons.
When does the position have to be filled, and how much does it pay?
A manager may demand a quick hire. Before you rush to offer the job to the first available candidate, remember that the cost of hiring the wrong person is potentially higher than leaving the position vacant. The wrong person can make expensive mistakes or cause dissatisfaction and turnover among other employees. Set realistic hiring timelines that also take into account the availability of necessary resources such as space, equipment, training, and supervision.
If you are filling an existing position, find out what the pay range has been in the past. If it is a new position, ensure that the pay rate is appropriate. If your company paid sign-on bonuses, relocation expenses, or other incentives or special benefits in the past, determine if they are available for this position and, if so, how much money is available. Extra perks are far less common when candidates are plentiful but may be necessary in industries or environments where skills shortages exist.
Who needs to meet or interview this person, and who will made the job offer?
Identify everyone who needs to be part of the hiring decision and determine their general availability to conduct interviews. Also, think about people who will be helpful in attracting candidates. These people may include employees from a promising candidate’s hometown or alma mater, as well as those with exceptional personalities who might be effective salespeople for the organization.
It is often helpful to obtain many different perspectives on an applicant, from both prospective superiors and peers. Consider having an employee who is at the same job level as the open position either conduct an interview, give a tour of the facility., or take a coffee break with candidates. Not only is employee involvement in the selection process good for morale, it will provide valuable feedback – and a peer can help to “sell” the company.
The job offer should be made by the person with the authority to make decisions and respond to demands. This can be the hiring manager, a senior manager or executive, a member of the HR staff, or a search firm, if one is used.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article.
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