Strategies for Hiring Key Employee Talent

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Strategies for Hiring Key Employee Talent

• Hire Power

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Strategies for Hiring Key Employee Talent

• Strategic
• Thinking

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Objectives

• Identify strategic hiring processes
• Identify critical success competencies and
  related behaviors
  
• Understand behavior-based interviewing
• Practice developing behavior-based interview
  questions
  
• Use scoring system to document search results
• Avoid common interview mistakes
• Obtain resource book

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Why worry?
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Why worry?

• Turnover costs
• Effect on People
• Lower morale
• Affects customer service
• Energy spent on turnover versus coaching
• 30 of all business failures due to poor hiring
  practices (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
  

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Plan Your Approach

• Stage One
• Think Strategically
• Gain Approvals
• Announce the Position
• Stage Two
• Form a Search Committee
• Prepare for the Interview
• Conduct the Interview
• Stage Three
• Check References
• Hire the right person

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Think Strategically

• What to do
• Align with strategic plan/business needs
• Vary strategy depending on position nonexempt,
  entry-level exempt, senior level exempt or
  management
  
• Identify jobs that are
• Hard to fill
• Represent special skills to the college/admin
  unit
  
• Have high turnover
• Consider succession planning where appropriate
• Balance filling vacancies through internal
  promotions/diversity goals/ need for external
  expertise
  

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Think Strategically

• Questions to ask

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Think Strategically

• Standing or fixed term?
• Should you reassign current job responsibilities
• Do you need the position? Full-time or less -
  HR-88?
  
• Is it time to reorganize?
• Can the job be combined with another job?
• Can it be automated?

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The Secret to Thinking Strategically

• CHANGE your focus
• ______proactive
• ______your approach
• ______the whole organization
• (Activity Case Study on thinking strategically)

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Process

• Contact your Human Resources Rep
• Provide updated job description
• Ensure job is appropriately graded
• (Appendix Process Guidelines resource material)

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Identify Competencies Related Behaviors

• Review job description
• Interview highly successful employees in the
  position, if possible (will have different
  competencies)
  
• Interview supervisor of position
• Develop scorecard for candidates to be
  interviewed
  

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Penn State Competencies

• 1. Effective knowledge
• 2. Accountability and self-management
• 3. Teamwork and leadership
• 4. Communication
• Innovation and problem-solving
• Customer service
• Quality
• Support of diversity

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Obtain Approvals

• Obtain internal approvals to fill a vacancy or
  create a new job
  
• Budget Executive (Dean, VP, Chancellor or HR
  Rep)
  
• Verify funding with Financial Officer
• Coordinate with HR Rep
• Update job description
• If filling existing position, obtain written,
  signed letter of resignation from employee

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Announce the Position

• Draft the announcement based on current job
  description
  
• Market/sell your job/college/Penn State
• Include language appealing to diverse audiences,
  e.g. Demonstrated commitment to diversity
  required. suggested from EEOC/Affirmative
  Action-We encourage applications from
  individuals of diverse backgrounds to apply.
• Official SPEC/Competencies Job Title (industry
  title in parens)
  
• Key Duties and Responsibilities
• Knowledge and Experience minimum qualifications
• Work unit and location
• Required Certifications or Skills

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Announce the Position

• THE INTERNAL SEARCH
• Electronic Job Management System (EJMS)
• Vacancies are announced weekly for 1 or 2 weeks
• Coordinate with your HR Rep to ensure appropriate
  deadlines are met for announcements
  
• Vacancies close on Tuesday the following week,
  1159pm

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If the Internal Search Fails.
THE EXTERNAL SEARCH

• Announce the job externally
• Recruit
• Advertise
• NAS Recruitment Services (PSUs advertising
  agency) can help write ads to market Penn State
  and our job
  
• Remove PSU jargon

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Diversity Considerations

• Check the Diversity Talent Bank
• Applicant pool should reflect college/administrati
  ve unit diversity goals i.e. gender minorities
  
  
• Discuss with HR Rep the diversity of your
  applicant pool and your short list
  
• Finalize the short list of candidates to
  interview, to ensure they reflect diversity
  goals
  

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Announce the Position Externally

• After considering/interviewing/carrying
  over/closing-off internal applicants
  
• Notify internal candidates you decide to carry
  over (3-5)
  
• Notify HR Rep with decision to go external if no
  qualified internal candidates, no diversity, and
  or need for external expertise or just to test
  the waters
• Check with your HR Rep to ensure appropriate
  deadlines are met
  
• Follow process of screening

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Plan Your Approach

• Stage One
• Think Strategically
• Gain Approvals
• Announce the Position
• Stage Two
• Form a Search Committee
• Prepare for the Interview
• Conduct the Interview
• Stage Three
• Check References
• Hire the right person

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• Search
• Committee
• Responsibilities

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Form a Search Committee

• Select a committee ______
• Select ______ based on ..
• ______commitment to the search process
• Set up _____ ______to include training
• _______timeframe and guidelines

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Search Committee Chair Responsibilities

• (May) select the appropriate
• members, representative of stakeholders
• Ensure diverse representation
• Have at least three members (odd number)
• Charge committee
• Do you want pros and cons ranking,
  recommendation, etc.
  
• Establish ground rules for committee participation

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Search Committee Chair Responsibilities, continued

• Obtain access to resumes from the HR Rep.
• Ensure
• Planned hire date is met
• Time commitment
• Members are trained
• Confidentiality, now and forever
• There is documentation maintain it for 4 years
• There are no improper personal notes or illegal
  comments on documentation

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SearchCommittee Member Responsibilities

• Identify competencies critical to success for the
  job
  
• Develop/select behavior-based questions that
  revolve around critical success competencies
  
• Understand and ensure units diversity goals are
  considered
  
• Determine what appropriate responses to
  questions should address/include

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Search Committee Member Responsibilities,
continued

• Maintain confidentiality forever

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SearchCommittee Member Responsibilities,
continued

• Develop use scorecard for screening applicants
  resumes
  
• Develop use scorecard for candidates
  interviewed
  
• (Handout Scorecard -Activity Screen resumes -
  what would you do?)
  

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Search Committee Member Responsibilities,
continued

• Screening Internal Resumes
• Review resumes online on EJMS
• Must meet minimum qualifications
• 21 ratio work-related experience formal
  education
  
• Option to consider experience in identified
  competencies
  
• Close off candidates who are clearly not
  qualified
  
• Selects short list of applicants to consider
• Complete the resume scorecard for every applicant
  considered

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Behavior Based Interviewing
INTUITIVE

Conversational Interviews
Gut-Feel Interviews
JOB SKILLS
PERSON
Trait Interviews
Behavioral- Based Interviews
STRUCTURED
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Prepare for the Interview

• Past-behavior predicts future performance!!!
• Behavior based questions require examples of a
  time when he/she demonstrated a specific
  competency/behavior
  
• Should be based on competencies/behaviors
  critical for success in the job
  
• Provide consistency and structure
• Ask a diversity-related question, such as, Give
  me an example of how you have demonstrated your
  commitment to diversity.

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A behavior-based answer should address 3 things
Think P-A-R for the course in learning what to
listen for during the interview
(Problem- Action- Result).
P Problem What was the problem the candidate
was faced with or what did he or she need t
o accomplish?
What were the circumstances?
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Think P-A-R for the course in learning what
to listen for during the interview.
A Action What specifically did the candidate
do to solve the problem? Ask follow-up que
stions to discern the candidates involveme
nt.
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Think P-A-R for the course in learning what
to listen for during the interview.
R Result What was the outcome? Were the tas
ks accomplished? Did the actions solve the p
roblem with which the candidate was faced?
What did the candidate learn from the experience?
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Sample Question
Job Title Program Manager

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Sample Question
Job Title Counselor

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Sample Question
Job Title Counselor

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Additional Competencies
Job Title Counselor

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Conduct the Interview

• Structure the interview for control and
  consistency
  
• Ask the same behavior-based questions
• Techniques to use to get information
• Ask probing follow-up questions
• Pause or silence
• Restatement or reflection

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Interview Tips

• Balance negative information
• Use active listening
• Look for auditory and visual clues
• Benchmark against appropriate response

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Interview Dos

• Make candidate feel comfortable
• Explain agenda
• Advise youll take notes
• Ask same behavior-based questions of every
  candidate
  
• Ask probing follow-up questions
• Keep an open mind
• Take notes (legal)
• Ask legal questions
• Avoid interruptions
• Let candidate do the talking
• Listen and observe

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Interview Donts

• Talk too much (the 80/20 rule)
• Telegraph answers
• Make premature decisions
• Ask questions requiring yes or no answers
• End the interview before asking every question
• Restate what the resume already states
• Ask illegal questions

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Interview Topics to Avoid

• Arrest record
• Less than honorable military discharge
• Gender and marital status
• Maiden name/mothers maiden name
• Number/ages of children
• Childcare arrangements
• Spouses name/education/income
• Family plans

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Interview Topics to Avoid

• Place of birth/citizenship
• Other languages spoken
• Proficiency in speaking/writing English, unless
  job related
  
• Disabilities/prior illnesses accidents
• Age/date of H. S. graduation/weight
• Religion/church affiliation
• Social organizations

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Conclude the Interview

• Ask for questions
• Thank candidate for coming
• Obtain reference list of former supervisors
• Tell candidate about next steps
• Time line
• Second interview
• Stay and fill out scorecard
• Give documentation to committee chair
• Remember that informal conversations are part of
  interview.
  

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Sample Interview Scorecard

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Lets test our knowledge!!

• What will you do if your children get sick?
• How do you get to work?
• Describe the most difficult person you ever
  worked with and what you did about it.
  
• Do you own your own home/car?
• Tell me about on-the-job stress you have
  encountered.
  

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Lets test our knowledge!!

• How would you feel about working for a woman?
• Hows your health?
• Describe a time you lost your cool at work and
  the result.
  
• In which organizations are you a member?
• Tell me about your attendance record.

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Plan Your Approach

• Stage One
• Think Strategically
• Gain Approvals
• Announce the Position
• Stage Two
• Form a Search Committee
• Plan and Prepare for the Interview
• Conduct the Interview
• Stage Three
• Check References
• Hire the right person

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Reference Checking

• Final candidates
• Review Penn State application online
• Conduct reference checks
• Obtain permission before contacting current
  employer if refused, ask for peers
  
• Always check references on top 2 or 3 candidates
• Check even on Penn State employees
• 80 of job applications contain false information
  regarding work history 30 false related to
  educational background. Small Business Report
  

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Reference Checking

• Ask only legal questions
• Good question - If you had the opportunity to
  re-hire this person, would you?
  
• Talk to former supervisors, not just references
  provided by applicant
  
• Review the jobs responsibilities, competencies
  culture with former supervisors and ask if
  candidate would be successful

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Verbal Offer

• Contact HR Representative
• Discuss obtain approved salary
• Discuss total compensation - HR Rep can help
• Make verbal offer
• Offer position, including salary
• Contingent upon a successful background check
• Negotiate starting date with current supervisor
  (internal hire) OR with applicant
  
• (2-4 weeks is customary notice)

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Written Offer

• The offer
• Confirm offer in writing
• Obtain acceptance in writing
• Contingent upon successful background check
• Schedule orientation for new employee
• Follow-up with the new employee
• Follow-up with interviewees not selected

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Hiring Process

• Stage One
• Think Strategically
• Gain Approvals
• Announce the Position
• Stage Two
• Form a Search Committee
• Prepare for the Interview
• Conduct the Interview
• Stage Three
• Check References
• Hire the right person

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Summary

• Think strategically
• Identify key competencies
• Use behavior-based questions
• Document using a scorecard

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Questions?
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Reference Materials
Employment Law for Business, Bennett-Alexander
Hartman, McGraw Hill Irwin, NY, NY, 2004.
Get Hired!, Paul C. Green, Ph.d., Bard Books,
Austin TX, 1996. Good to Great, Jim Collins, Harp
erCollins Publishers Inc., NY, 2001.
Hire Tough, Manage Easy, Mel Kleiman, Humetrics
Inc., Houston, Tx, 1999.
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Reference Materials
Interviewing Skills/Secrets of Recruiting, Lynda
Ford, The Ford Group, Rome NY 2004-5.
Recruiting Architect Handbook, Robert W.
Eichinger Michael M. Lombardo for Lominger
Limited, Inc., August, 1996. High-Impact Intervie
w Questions, Victoria A. Hoevemeyer, AMACOM, NY,
2005.
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Hire Power Development Committee
Kim Evancho Julie Hartley Crystal Switalski Cl
int Eury Robert Hannegan Ken Lehrman Carolyn Fi
sher David Piltz Chris Fivek Susan Morse Dor
othy Guy Cindy Campbell Esther Lauchle Marian
ne Karwacki Joe Mattivi Steve Hayes Bob Oakes
Kenesha Bentley Paul Peworchik Bobby Misher
Dale Punshon Chris Clermont Sharon Symanovich
Mike Zuckett Jolaine Teyssier Beth Trimble