• Eight Recruiting and Selection Tips to Ensure Successful Hiring
• Steer Clear of These 10 Illegal Job Interview Questions
• How to Ensure That Your Working Environment is Comfortable

Hello everyone!  Spring is right around the corner—and the start of the second quarter is approaching fast!  I wanted to focus this month’s newsletter on interviewing for potential new hires.  For some of you, interviewing is something you do often, and for others almost never.  Regardless of the frequency, the same principles need to apply.  You need to attract the right candidates, get the right information out of them, make sure they are the right fit and then ultimately make sure that they think you are the right company.   Are you tired yet?...Seriously though, sometimes employers take shortcuts because they are pressed for time.  Sometimes a manager or employee that is not properly trained interviews and asks the wrong question.  Sometimes an interviewer is asking all the questions of the interviewee and doesn’t think to sell their own company and then they’re surprised when the candidate is not interested.  The recruiters here at Mack & Associates have had the opportunity to observe, watch and participate in the interviewing processes of companies all around the Chicagoland area; companies that have two employees all the way up to several thousand.  This access has provided a lot of insight into what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to interviewing for new employees.  We also receive very insightful feedback from our candidates.  Also, it is important to remember that the interviewing process is not only a time for you to learn about the candidate—they are also learning about you.  Be sure to conduct an interview that is equally informative for both parties, so that both can be confident that it is a match.  Prepare your questions ahead of time; make sure the questions will give you insight into the candidate’s personality, work ethic, and personal needs.  Give the candidate plenty of opportunity to talk and ask questions.  To help you with this process, this month’s newsletter features some great hiring tips. 

These eight tips will help you in recruiting and hiring a candidate who will become a successful, contributing superior employee.

Hire for Today’s Need and Tomorrow’s Vision

Remember that you’re hiring for the future. While a new employee has to make economic sense for today’s tasks, the best hires are people who position you to profit as your business moves into the future. New people should provide the skills you need in the future, not just match the job demands you see today. Be clear about your strategic direction for the future, and then hire the talent to help you achieve it.

Understand the Job

Finding the right people to hire is much easier when you first analyze the job you want to fill. Ask yourself what kinds of people do the best in this job? If you’re lucky enough to have a top performer already in the job, learn from them.
Observe their behavior, ask them questions and talk with their peers to get a clear understanding what characteristics make them effective in their job.

Be Legal

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency responsible for enforcing Title VII (Civil Rights Act), Title I, Title V (Americans with Disabilities), Equal Pay Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. If an interviewee feels he has been denied a job because of discrimination, he can file a lawsuit with the EEOC.
If the claimant ultimately wins the lawsuit, remedies may include, among other things, compensatory damages, back wages, reinstatement and possibly punitive damages. Make sure your hiring process is legal. (For more information see the EEOC web site.)

Build a Standardized Hiring Process and Use It

Don’t count on your conversational skills to choose between candidates. At a basic level, your standardized hiring process should include criteria-based screening of an adequate number of candidates, a background check, standardized assessments and structured interviews.
Many assessment and interview tools are available, all of which will provide much more reliable results than the traditional interview. The more important the position, the more rigorous the hiring process should be.

Hiring Top Talent Means More Profit

The right person will make contributions to your company’s productivity and profitability that far exceed salary cost. But the wrong person can cost you plenty.

A Bad Hire Is Worse Than You Think

According to the Harvard Business Review, 80 percent of turnover is caused by bad hiring decisions. These are costly mistakes. The U.S. Department of Labor calculates that it costs one-third of a new hire’s annual salary to replace him. These figures include money spent on recruitment, selection and training plus costs due to decreased productivity as other employees fill in to take up the slack.
But these numbers don’t reflect the intangible damages an exiting employee can have such as lost customers and low employee morale across the rest of the organization. And, turnover costs climb even higher as you move up the organization: mid- and upper–level managers can cost over twice their annual salary to replace.

The Most Neglected Aspect of Hiring

A job analysis is the most neglected aspect of hiring. Performed correctly, a job analysis provides a list of the personal attributes required to work effectively in the role. This list of attributes is identified first by breaking down a person's job into logical parts.
Next, each job task is analyzed according to the knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes required to perform the job correctly. Once a business knows what the position requires, the hiring process is faster and more effective because job candidates are evaluated on a common set of criteria. When you know exactly what talents are required—you know what to look for and what to test for.
“Most Human Resource departments know that a good job analysis is needed to get the best person but it’s surprising how many just aren’t doing it at a basic level,” says Stewart. “Turnover is reduced when the person fits the job. It’s just common sense: people love their jobs when the position matches their personality, attitudes, and skills.” Stewart says that an effective job analysis is critical in achieving this ‘fit.’

Matching People to Jobs

Once a business understands what the job demands, there are several tools that help identify the right people for the job. Candidate screening, personality and skill assessments, performance-based interviews and behavioral based interviews all help identify top candidates.
“No single technique on its own can predict on-the-job performance so companies need to use a blend of tools that reflect their needs." says Stewart. “The research on hiring is clear on one point: using multiple selection methods gives you the best employees.”
Stewart notes that a multi-faceted approach can both streamline the process and ensure much better, fit—increasing employee retention and productivity. She adds, “Hiring people does not need to cost a lot or take a long time. Once a business has a sensible hiring process in place, finding top talent is much easier.”

September 17th, 2007
Suzanne Thornberry

#1: Where were you born?

This question might seem like small talk as you get to know a person, but it could also be used to gather information illegally about the candidate’s national origin. Although it may seem more relevant, you should also avoid asking, “Are you a U.S. citizen?” You can ask whether a candidate is authorized to work in the United States, but avoid asking about citizenship.

#2: What is your native language?

Again, the problem is that this question could be used to determine national origin. You can ask whether the person knows a language if it is required for the job. For example, if job responsibilities include supporting Spanish-speaking customers, it’s fair to ask whether the candidate speaks Spanish.

#3: Are you married?

Here’s another question that would seem innocent in most settings, but definitely not in a job interview. Because you can’t discriminate on the basis of marital status, this question is off limits.

#4: Do you have children?

This might sound like small talk, too — an innocent question in most settings — but not in a job interview. It’s covered by a general prohibition about discrimination over parental status.

#5: Do you plan to get pregnant?

In the past, employers sometimes asked this question to weed out women who might take a maternity leave. It has always been rude coming from a casual acquaintance, and now it’s illegal as well.

#6: How old are you?

Some companies used to avoid hiring older workers for a variety of reasons, ranging from a fear of higher healthcare costs and absences to a social bias in favor of youth. But age discrimination is clearly illegal, and you should avoid this question. Don’t try to get the information by asking when the person graduated from college, either.

#7: Do you observe Yom Kippur?

You can’t discriminate on the basis of religion, so this question is illegal, as would be asking about Good Friday, Ramadan, or the Solstice. If you’re concerned about the candidate’s availability, you could ask whether he or she can work on holidays and weekends, but not about the observance of particular religious holidays.

#8: Do you have a disability or chronic illness?

This information is not supposed to be used as a factor in hiring, so the questions are illegal. If the job will require some specific physical tasks, such as installing cables in walls and ceilings, you may ask whether the person could perform those tasks with reasonable accommodation.

#9: Are you in the National Guard?

Although some managers may find it disruptive when employees leave for duty, it’s illegal to discriminate against someone because he or she belongs to the National Guard or a reserve unit.

#10: Do you smoke or use alcohol?

In general, you can’t discriminate on the basis of the use of a legal product when the employee is not on the premises and not on the job.
Tip: To avoid asking the wrong questions, develop an interview form and use a copy of it for each candidate. It will document that you asked each interviewee the same questions. Failing to do so may establish a pattern that could seem discriminatory. For example, if you ask only women about their willingness to travel, thinking that the responsibilities of childcare would make them balk at business trips, you could establish a pattern of discrimination.

By: Darren Williger
Being stuck in your office cubicle for a huge amount of time every day doesn’t really mean that you have to experience discomfort, stand prone to risk or suffer from injuries. You can create an ergonomic working environment quite easily and avoid any work related injuries or discomfiture.
If you’re trying to create that proper working environment, you should take note of these three issues:

The Chair.

Because you sit on a chair while you work, it is easily the most important part of your office environment. You should always make sure that you use a chair that has supports for your back and allows you to adjust it to meet your height and weight requirements. If it has stability balls then it also makes a perfect option for those looking for a chair with complete flexibility and maneuverability options.

The Lighting.

Unnecessary eyestrain can result in office-related stress symptoms. The area that you work in should be properly lit and your computer screen should be glare-free. If you have to place a separate light in your cubicle then you can take time out and do that as well.

The Posture.

Your sitting position can have a direct relation with the way that you feel when each day ends. You should always endeavor to sit up and with your elbows and knees bent at an angle of 90 degrees. Your feet in turn should always rest flatly on the floor and if they happen to be bent at more than 90 degrees, your desk height will need adjusting. If your desk height is too high then you may have to consider making use of a footrest to get the proper posture you need.

People who aren’t really bothered by any risks of workplace injury can still make their days a whole lot more comfortable by doing the right thing and placing designs that are ergonomic in their office spaces. You can try any of the following to succeed in having a day that is not stressful and uncomfortable.

The Proper Computer Monitor.

Flickering or glaring computer screens are an annoying piece of equipment to get stuck with for an entire day. You can reduce the amount of eyestrain that you suffer from by using a substantially larger monitor that is at least 17 inches in height and has a glare filter as well as a flicker-less screen.

You can also go the extra mile and get a good copy holder to better see any reference materials that you use whenever you’re working on the computer. These devices also help you maintain a better body posture when you’re typing.

Ergonomic Keyboards.

You should make sure that any keyboards that you use are ergonomic so you can avoid any sort of neck or back related pain. This also includes any problems that may be related to your hands as well as your wrists, joints and fingers as well.

Telephone Stands

You can make use of a simple phone stand that clears your desk and remains in an accessible position as well. Stands of this type usually consist of any arm that is collapsible and yet can be pulled closer to the individual in question. They also have a pan tilt which gives you the ability to reach your handset and see your keypad without straining your neck.

About the Author:

Darren Williger writes for InsidePlanning.com, ErgoWebsite.com, and ParentingProcedures.com.