Yes, this is a difficult hiring environment, but quick decisions to fill job openings will have major consequences on your time while dealing with employee issues like engagement, absenteeism, workman’s comp cases, turnover and more.  

Here are Five questions to answer BEFORE you make any hiring decision.

1. Will this candidate add talent to the team?
2. Will the candidate take ownership of their job responsibilities?
3. Will this candidate get along with the other team members?
4. Can I manage this candidate?
5. If hired, how can I help this candidate learn, grow, and succeed – quickly?

If you answer these questions honestly, your new hire will have a better chance of fitting your management style, being a productive member of the team, and embracing the company’s culture.  Additionally, you will have more time leading the team and less time trying to fix a poor hire.  Benefit: Less turnover and more employee engagement.

Note: You can improve your hiring skills by writing your answers down and reviewing your notes in the future.

Politicians are not the best role models. Often, they are self-serving individuals obsessed with their own job security.

Social media lets us watch them say one thing and do just the opposite. Rather than lead effectively, politicians simply call each other names. The world would be a better place if politicians remembered these 10 leadership principles.

1. Tunnel vision – do not surround yourself with people who only think like you. Add diversity to broaden your scope.
2. Likeability – you cannot always be the nicest person in the room.
3. Decisions – don’t let your ego get in the way of a good decision.
4. Trust – if your team does not trust you, then you are just a bully.
5. Followers – 20-30% of the people will follow anyone.
6. Communication – talk is cheap – action pays the bills.
7. Respect – it is earned over many years but can be lost in seconds.
8. Leadership – lying and creating fear is not leadership. It is chaos.
9. Courage – do the right thing. Make the tough decisions even if it means losing some of your status.
10. Integrity – stand up for what you believe. Be the role model you want your children to follow.

Let’s hope more politicians remember that they are role models for current and future generations.   

Does this sound familiar?…

• You have a “B” manager trying to hire “A” players.
• Managers make their hiring decision based on the first impression.
• Manager and candidate bond because of similar likes (i.e., sports, college football, etc.), rather than the candidate’s qualifications.
• The manager says: “Please sit down while I read your resume.”
• The manager hires based on “I’m a good judge of character.”

This happens every day — even in the best companies. Too often, well-intentioned managers are the weak link in your hiring process. And the cost is enormous, including lost sales, poor customer service, safety issues, lower employee engagement, etc.

Training, while important, may not be the solution because most managers resort back to their old habits. How to help hiring managers:

1. Job descriptions are sooo yesterday. They are essential, but not strategic. They provide only basic info — work history, education, and the job’s duties and responsibilities, etc. Have the manager complete a Job Outlook form. Prior to starting the hiring process, capture the hiring managers’ strategic thoughts about the open position in writing and with their signature.
2. Review your pre-hire assessments. Are you using yesterday’s tools for a vastly different business model (i.e., remote workers, Zoom meetings, work/life balance issues, etc.)?
3.  Understand that there are two types of onboarding. The formal one is where the candidate learns about the company’s vision, mission, procedures, benefits, and products. The informal onboarding is where the current employees teach the new person “the ropes.” If not aligned, it will directly affect the new employee’s success with the company.

Does this sound familiar?

• You have a “B” manager trying to hire “A” players.
• Managers make their hiring decision based on the first impression.
• Manager and candidate bond because of similar likes (i.e., sports, college football, etc.), rather than the candidate’s qualifications.
• Manager says: “Please sit down while I read your resume.”
• Manager hires based on “I’m a good judge of character.”

This happens every day – even in the best companies. Too often, well intentioned managers are the weak link in your hiring process. And the cost is enormous – lost sales, poor customer service, safety issues, lower employee engagement, etc.

Training, while important, may not be the solution because most managers resort back to their old habits.  How to help hiring managers:

1. Job descriptions are sooo yesterday! Essential, but not strategic. They provide only basic info – work history, education and the job’s duties and responsibilities, etc. Have the manager complete a Job Outlook form. Prior to starting the hiring process, capture the hiring managers’ strategic thoughts about the open position in writing and with their signature.
2. Review your pre-hire assessments. Are you using yesterday’s tools for a vastly different business model (i.e., remote workers, Zoom meetings, work/life balance issues, etc)
3. There are two types of onboarding. The formal one is where the candidate learns about the company’s’ vision, mission, procedures, benefits, and products. The informal onboarding is where the current employees teach the new person “the ropes.” If not aligned, it will directly affect the new employee’s success with the company.

If you started your company today, would you hire everyone currently on your payroll?

Your hiring managers and supervisors are the gatekeepers to your company’s future. So, how can you give them the “keys” to be successful  — focus, ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement?

One way to help is getting everyone on the same page.   

For example: developing a list of three to five overall employee characteristics you need to fulfill your Mission Statement. Then, those characteristics are in front of every hiring manager for every interview and are included on the interview evaluation form.  Do your candidates match the characteristics you need to reach your goals?

21 Sample employee characteristics (choose 3 – 5)

The idea above came from the CEO of a remarkably successful construction company. Once the company had established its five characteristics, he had the list laminated and carries it in his pocket every day.  When visiting the company’s branches around the US, he talks with the managers about this list, which is always at hand.

I’m old enough to remember when resumes were virtually 100% accurate and gave the hiring manager valuable insight on a person’s qualifications. Not anymore. Consider these facts:

• Fake college diploma and transcript is a $1 Billion industry. (Source: the FBI)

• 41% of all interviews are decided on appearance alone. (Source: Investor’s Business Daily)

• 71% of all resumes contain fictitious information. (Source: SHRM)  

• Candidate can search – “Best answers to interview questions.”  (Results: Amazon – 96 books…. Google – 13.2 million hits)

• Candidates have multiple resumes – each targeted to a specific job, company, or industry.
• Resumes can be written by professionals who excel in making the person look like a sure fit to the open position.

Right now, the hiring process favors the candidate, and the pressure is on the hiring managers to upgrade their skills. Make hiring your competitive advantage.