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Locating Qualified Personnel
by: Ken Bidgood
Taking out an ad in the paper or calling up an employment
agency are hardly guarantees that you will be interviewing
the best applicant for your open position any time soon.
Placing ads might bring a deluge of people wanting to apply
for the job, leaving you feeling overwhelmed. You are
going to need to take the necessary time to separate the
best candidates from those that would never make it a day
in your business.
The interview is the key to locating the qualified
associates. Looking through piles of resumes will not
yield you a qualified employee. You will have to dedicate
up to an hour talking with people about their expectations,
the requirements of the job, and the goals of the company.
Resume Selection
A good resume will include a cover letter and references.
Some job seekers find professional resume writers to create
a target resume that addresses all of the qualifications
you're searching for in an employee. Others choose to
create their own and often fall short of grabbing your
interest. But that doesn't mean that you should judge an
applicant by "who" creates the resume.
Look closely at their job history. Have they moved from job
to job? Has the person stayed at a job longer then 5-years?
Did they leave previous employers contact information as a
job reference? What skills outside of your requirements do
the individual posses?
As an example, imagine you need a receptionist who can type
40 words per minute and answer a multi-line phone system.
So, you want a resume with prior front office experience
with emphasis on customer service. But, you at least want
to believe that the person will want to stay on with the
company and grow into new positions. So, if the candidate
has had a couple of years of accounting experience or is
taking night classes for business, this person has the
potential to grow with the company. A good choice, really.
Don't dismiss the inexperienced. It is very possible that
the better employee with be the one with less experience
in your actual field. How? If the employee can be easily
trained in your specific techniques, they may work out far
better than an associate with the qualifications who may
be set in their ways.
Conducting an Interview
Let's assume that you choose the resume of Joe Blow. He
has 10 years of administrative experience and 5 years of
waiting tables down at a local restaurant. You need
someone to answer phones, conduct themselves in a
professional manner, and handle customer service. Is
Joe the person you want? Joe definitely has the office
skills you seek but he seems light on the customer service
side of things. After talking with Joe in the interview,
you learn that this guy has handled more customer complaints
and issues in one week than most customer service associates
handle in a month. It is not as easy as you might think
working with the public in the food industry. Associates
with restaurant experience can be great candidates for
customer service positions.
Evaluation
The entire screening process can be quite lengthy so do not
plan on getting it finished in a day or even a week. Take
time to thoroughly evaluate the candidate. What was their
body language like and did they look into your eyes when
talking? If they didn't, they may be lying to you. Body
language can be quite telling and should be considered
carefully when deciding upon a candidate. Having the
qualifications is important, but it is also important that
they be able to get along with the rest of your workers.
If you can't make up your mind, call them in for a second
interview. This time have them complete a questionnaire.
You may decide to have them perform a small task that shows
their skill. For instance, ask Jennifer to type you a
letter using a typewriter verses a computer keyboard.
Analysis her reaction to this request and don't be afraid to
explain why you are asking this of her.
Finding personnel really isn't all that difficult as long as
you know exactly what type of person fits your
qualifications. Keep tabs on the resumes you've acquired
for future use and be straightforward, yet considerate when
interviewing. In the end, you'll obtain a new hirer that is
appreciative and willing to satisfy you.
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About The Author
Ken Bidgood is the proprietor of
Advertising XP,
the best place on the internet when you're after
fresh up to date advice and comment to do with Business.
For questions or comments about any of our articles visit:
http://www.advertisingxp.com/articles
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This article was posted on October 8, 2005
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