7 Steps To Hire The Best

You can use this step-by-step method to hire applicants who are likely to be "superstar" employees:

- highly productive

- low-turnover

Important: Focus on hiring applicants you rate positively on all seven prediction methods.

1st Prediction Method = Brief Initial Screening Interview

If an applicant's application looks suitable, then conduct BISI, a customized 15-30 minute over-phone or in-person interview. BISI quickly reveals if an applicant has biographical data similar to your company's "superstar" employees.

For example, at one company, we discovered "superstar" Sales Reps had many similarities before working for this company:

* Work: (a) 1 or 2 previous sales jobs, (b) only 1 or 2 jobs before applying at the company, and (c) kept prior jobs 2 ? 5 years

* Education: (a) earned B.A. from state universities, (b) majored in business or liberal arts, (c) worked part-time throughout college, and (d) college jobs entailed a lot of people contact

* Pay: Earned less than likely first year compensation at this company

* Vocal Style: Exuded high energy

So, this company's BISI screened-in applicants with similar work, education, pay, and vocal style ? and screened-out other applicants.

2nd Prediction Method = Customized Pre-employment Tests

If the applicant did well on 1st Prediction Method ? BISI, then you can have applicant take customized pre-employment tests. Use tests specifically designed to screen applicants and predict:

A. Work Behavior ? e.g., interpersonal skills, personality, and motivations

B. Mental Abilities ? e.g., problem-solving, vocabulary, math, grammar, and small detail abilities

Importantly, the test must use customized "benchmark scores" based on scores of your "superstar" employees. With customized "benchmark scores," you quickly see if an applicant scored similar to your company's "superstar" employees.

3rd Prediction Method = In-Depth Interview Using Customized Interview Guide Form

If you decide the applicant did fine on 1st and 2nd Prediction Methods, then you may conduct an In-Depth Interview. Crucial: Create a customized Interview Guide document for each job, including (a) 6 ? 9 key "make-or-brake" job talents, (b) questions to ask, (b) note-taking, and (c) ratings.

Importantly, you must provide seminar training to teach managers how to use your customized Interview Guides to assess applicants. Without superb training, interviewers fail to hire the best.

4th Prediction Method = Role-Play

If the applicant did well on 3rd Prediction Method, then have applicant do Role-Play immediately after In-Depth Interview. The 15 ? 30 minute role-play lets you see if the applicant has critical job skills. For example, have a Sales Rep applicant role-play selling. Then, assess the applicant using a customized Role-Play Rating Checklist.

5th Prediction Method = Realistic Job Preview

If you decide applicant did well on 1st ? 4th Prediction Methods, then do Realistic Job Preview: For RJP, the applicant spends ½ - 1 day watching an employee doing the job. Benefit: Applicants who received RJP are less likely to (a) accept job offer ? but, if they accept, (b) turnover. Reason: The RJP assures they know what they are getting themselves into!

6th Prediction Method = 1 Executive Must Approve All Hiring

If the applicant did well on 1st ? 5th Prediction Methods, then one executive at your company reviews Applicant Rating Summary Form. Your company's quick Applicant Summary Rating Form

* summarizes ratings ? positive, average, or negative ? on 1st ? 5th Prediction Methods

* "forces" managers to actually use your structured hiring steps

Important: If the applicant's ratings on 1st ? 5th Prediction Methods include

+ all positive ratings, then executive may approve hiring applicant

- average or negative ratings, then the executive may not allow applicant to be hired

7th Prediction Method = Reference Checks

If your company decides the applicant did well on 1st ? 6th Prediction Methods ? plus accepts job offer ? then you conduct Reference Checks. If they prove

+ positive, then your company keeps applicant as an employee

- negative, then you take appropriate action

How Much Time Do You Need to Hire the Best?

Many managers moan they are time-crunched, and ask how much time these seven steps require. Two answers:

1. If an applicant does well on 1st ? 7th Prediction Methods, then you invested 2 ? 3 hours to hire the best

2. Ask yourself: How much time ? and money ? did you waste when you hired average or below-average applicants? You wasted many hours ? plus salary, benefits and low productivity ? because you failed to invest only 2 ? 3 hours to hire the best!

© Copyright 2005 Michael Mercer, Ph.D.

Michael Mercer, Ph.D., is America's Hire the Best Expert?. Dr. Mercer authored five books, including "Hire the Best -- & Avoid the Rest?". Many companies rely on his pre-employment test ? "Abilities & Behavior Forecaster? Test" ? to help hire the best. You can subscribe to his free e-Newsletter at http://www.DrMercer.com or call him at (847) 382-0690.

---

Organize your Office- Seven Solutions

1. Create a filing system with broad categories such as "Insurance" and then break those categories down further into sub-categories (i.e., car, life, medical), alphabetizing them along... Read More

Quality Standards with ISO 9001

Standardizing Quality SystemsThe ISO, or International Organization for Standardization, was established in 1947 to develop international standards for everything from electronics to management systems. Having over 13,000... Read More

Knowledge Management - Keys to Successful Communities of Practice (Networks)

How can I make my community of practice truly effective?How can I prevent my network becoming a "notwork"?Communities of practice (networks) lie at the heart of successful... Read More

How To Rebuild Trust

Here are some quick thoughts on ways to turn things around.Determine the real reasons why trust has diminished. Is it a problem in your industry? Something that... Read More

Boost Your Leadership Skills Simply By Answering The Question, What Does Our Organization Really...

The difference between leaders is ears. Good leaders not only ask good questions, but they actually listen to the answers.Ask people in your organization: "What does our... Read More

Accountability Equals Meeting Success

Leslie was the new manager of the group. She was replacing Tom, a well respected manager who was retiring. Once she arrived, she made it one of... Read More

Leading Bad Actors To Be Good Performers

A successful leader told me, "The biggest challenge I've had in my career is dealing with bad actors. Brent, do you have tips on how to do... Read More

You Didnt Use Brainstorming to Select Your Measures, Did You?

IntroductionWhen Alex Osborn invented the creativity technique called brainstorming, I wonder if he had any idea just how extensively business would apply it. Almost every meeting employs... Read More

Get Over Yourself

Let me tell you a secret.Things don't always go the way we want them to.Let me tell you another secret.We don't always hear what we want to... Read More

Firing Someone Without Resentment

Firing, sacking, letting go or terminating people is unpleasant. There are ways to minimise resentment, but why bother? Because most legal action and unpleasantness stems from dissatisfaction/resentment... Read More

Setting Clearer Performance Expectations

The annual performance review.Stating this phrase guarantees some reaction for anyone who has ever had one, or had to give one as a supervisor or manager. In... Read More

How to Deal With Salespeople

If you are an executive, you may sometimes feel like a open jelly sandwich at a picnic. Every crazy critter in the world wants to bite into... Read More

Recruitment - What Youre Really, Really Looking For

Imagine that you're a sports coach and you need a new player on the team. Would you walk up to someone in the street and say -... Read More

Competion or Cooperation?

It has been said, there is no better way to hone your skills and improve your performance, than competition. Competing with others, or even with your self,... Read More

On the Road to Assertiveness

Learning to be assertive takes time, courage and the ability to recognize the situation for what is really is.You want to get something done, and you need... Read More

Dont Sweat the Small Stuff with Your Credit Policy

Do you know how many customers you have that are past due right now? How many bad checks are sitting on your desk that you don't know... Read More

How to Hold Effective Staff Meetings

Many people believe that they conduct effective meetings, when all they really do is host a party. Or worse, they deliver a monologue. In either case, their... Read More

One Bad Apple

One Bad Apple I know what you are thinking but no, I am not doing a tribute to Michael Jackson and... Read More

Business Fails When We Do Not Talk

You may remember being told as a child, "Keep quiet!" "Children should be seen, not heard," and "You talk too much." You were a "good" kid if... Read More

Using, Choosing, and Using an educational consultant

IntroductionThe aim of this document is to provide advice and guidance in choosing a consultant in the field of education. You may be the headteacher or principal... Read More

Hiring and Retaining Good Employees

Hiring good employees is not only important to business, it's essential. Employees are the heart and soul of a business; they are the mechanism that makes a... Read More

Steps to Build ISO 9001 Compliant Program

Implementing an ISO 9001 system represents a major effort. However, all of that effort can represent a significant shift for a business - from quantity to quality.... Read More

Building the Trust in Your Employees - 12 Easy Tips

In Stephen Covey's great book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", he talks about the 'emotional bank account', where you have to build a credit in... Read More

Creating Advisory Boards

There is no substitute for soliciting the opinions of the executive team, the people who will be most affected by change or its absence. However, often the... Read More

Outsourced Learning: Are You Ready for Learning BPO?

As the business world enters a period of hyper-competitiveness, every business process will be subjected to examination and possible restructuring. We have already seen outsourcing and offshoring... Read More

What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate

Today's successful organizations are the ones which carry on open and honest communications with their employees. If employees know and understand the mission, they will help communicate... Read More