First, screen resumes against a predetermined set of KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities). Consider having an administrative employee scrub information that might lead to biases from the resumes themselves. For example, a Carolina grad might have a negative opinion about a resume from a Duke grad. Another common bias is unintentionally rating a resume lower based on the candidate’s name (assumptions rooted in gender, age and ethnic stereotypes). If you cannot see the university name or the candidate’s name, you are more likely to evaluate the resume on the KSAs alone.
Second, develop good interview questions! Write questions that have a likelihood of predicting the behaviors that you want to see in an employee. Use an interview guide and ask each candidate the same questions. Practice interviewing your current stars and see how they answer those same questions for benchmarking purposes.
Third, use assessments! Utilize skills assessments, which allows a candidate to demonstrate skills they claim to have. This can range from taking a keyboarding test to taking them out in the warehouse and allowing them to demonstrate their ability to operate your forklift. Behavioral assessments will show if their personality style is ideal for the demands of the position. Motivator assessments will show if their motivators align with the rewards and demands of the position. Competencies assessments will show what types of core competencies the candidate brings to the team.
You may be thinking: “I’m not spending $50 or $100 on a test – I know how to hire!” However, you should consider the high cost of a poor hire. Science shows utilizing valid assessments increases the validity of the selection process exponentially. Failing to use these assessments sounds like a penny-wise, dollar-foolish commitment.
Fourth, check references! LinkedIn is a great resource to see referrals and endorsements on many of your candidates. It is also a venue to conduct “unofficial” reference checks. If the candidate is connected to someone you know, you might be able to gain valuable truthful insight. Many people dismiss the references the candidate submits. Remember that the best predictor of future success is past success!
Fifth, make sure your background screening criteria match your risk profile. Some organizations screen too tightly here and miss out on potentially good workers due to invalid criteria. If your company provides residential services and a candidate has a recent breaking-and-entering conviction, that candidate clearly does not fit your risk profile. But screening out a candidate who has a 12-year-old misdemeanor possession conviction might be an invalid selection criterion if you have an opening on a production line or on a commercial construction site.
If you are doing all these things but still losing people, it’s probably not your selection process. It is likely something else, like job design, compensation, benefits/perks or your supervision/management style. Contact the Davidson Group to build your business on the basis of hiring quality candidates.
