Would You Marry Someone If You Only Knew Them Thirty Minutes?

SUPPLY CHAINS BEGIN WITH EDUCATED RESOURCES

As we move into the techno-millennium, what is the portfolio of skills required from multi-functional human resources in both life and leadership skills that the industry (the customer) will be searching for?  How do we feed back into academia (the supplier) the types of curriculum that are needed today to insure the continued growth of any organisation, large or small, with well-educated future employees?  What are the (trans)portable skills that our own associates will need to continue a career path that keeps them focused on continuous improvement in the workplace for the benefit of global competition?

Would You Marry Someone If You Only Knew Them Thirty Minutes?

Most of us would say “no” and yet that is exactly what we do with the most critical part of our success.  When asked the average interview time for associates, the response, “an average of 30 minutes.”  When asked if the team that the person would be working with had the opportunity to interview the potential candidate, the response was “No.  Supervisors interview and hire the candidate and the rest of us have to live with their (the candidate) incompetence for the rest of our working lives.”  World class dictates stopping errors at the beginning of the chain to prevent waste through the balance of the process chain.  Hiring multi-functional human resources means defining the people skills required insuring that quality employees are hired at the outset.  Preparation of the job definition is the critical key to success in hiring multi-tasked resources ready to compete in the global marketplace.

§       Plan for the interview by reviewing applications thoroughly, review job specifications and descriptions and make notes of those areas to be discussed or write specific questions to be answered

§       Create a good climate for the interview.  Space should be comfortable and private.  Try to establish a good rapport with the interviewee unless there are specific reasons to do otherwise

§       Allow sufficient time.  Arrange not to be disturbed by telephone calls or visits.  Set aside an adequate block of time

§       Conduct an objective oriented interview.  Look for the information needed to assist in the employment decision

§       Seek answers to all questions and check for inconsistencies

§       Create position profiles that detail the skills and qualities needed on the job.  This gets down on paper the specific, most important characteristics of the person you should hire.  If you advertise the position, use some of those words from your profile in the ad

§       List six to nine “make or break” talents needed for the job.  Use an interview guide form for each job so candidates are compared on the same factor.  Have one person interview candidates and a second take notes

§       Determining that the candidate has the skills needed to perform the job, but failing to explore whether the person is motivated to do the job is one mistake often made when hiring employees.  Hiring personnel must ask probing questions, which will shed insight into the person’s attitude toward work as well as their level of initiative

§       Gain information about the applicant’s ability to interact with others and how they handle conflict.  Without the desire to be a contributor to the goals of the organisation, technical skills will not be much use.  Be sure to spend time asking situational questions in order to determine how that person will react in real situations

§       Do skills testing.  If the position calls for written communication skills, give the candidate a scenario to respond to in writing.  To test management abilities, give work and people situations to respond to: How would you pass on this information to your employees?  Your vendor didn’t meet a commitment and you’re late providing the end product.  How would you deal with it?  Use the scores of successful employees as a benchmark

§       Develop a skills inventory.  As each interview takes place, check mark the candidates’ strength and weaknesses so that you don’t forget later.  Businesses are looking for the following characteristics in their new hires:

Drive                                Quick learners  

Independent thinkers       Work well as part of a group

Enthusiastic                     Multiculturally aware

Open minded                   Have strong organisational skills

Innovative                        Respectful of other cultures

Know their way around a computer 

§       Structure interview questions to discover characteristics that cannot be bought or taught, such as certain set of ethics and values, or a level of energy and commitment.  

This management-by-prevention process will net well-educated, multi-functional human resources focused on the continuous improvement skills needed in your workplace for the benefit of global competition.


This is an excerpt from You Will Never Get To World Class Without ‘Edjeecated’ Folks I gave at a South African Conference.

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