| I. Find the right people | | | | educated and experienced potential employee but if |
| This is one of the most important things that a | | | | they don't have a nice personality they will not do |
| business owner or manager can do. The smaller the | | | | much for your business. And your other employees will |
| business the more important it is. It has been said that | | | | not enjoy working with them either, bringing down |
| most of us choose our spouse with great care, and | | | | morale and production drastically. A nice person can |
| rear our children with compassionate attention. Yet we | | | | learn anything; they are pleasant to be around and are |
| tend to select the people who will join our company on | | | | easy to teach. They learn quickly, so if they do not |
| the basis of an interview or two, and once they have | | | | have the exact skill set you are looking for, consider |
| joined, they often find they must fend for themselves. | | | | the possibility of some training. |
| Bad employees not only affect an employer by driving | | | | V. How do you find the right people? |
| down sales, costing a company expense by | | | | Consider the unconventional when interviewing a |
| negligence or simple lack of motivation, but they affect | | | | potential employee. The more often you can set a |
| the customer as well. | | | | scenario that a potential employee will not expect the |
| II. Should the Customer come first? | | | | better. It will give you a chance to see what the |
| If you want quality employees, and expect to be hiring | | | | person is really capable of, as a person. During the |
| someone who is as dedicated to the business as the | | | | interview process were they down to earth or were |
| owner or manager, without any consideration being | | | | they focused solely on success, and more success? |
| given to the employee's personal needs, thoughts and | | | | The success driven person may not be the best |
| aspirations, think again! When a business puts its | | | | choice. Why should the hiring interview be conducted in |
| employees first, many things happen. The employee is | | | | a formal, stuffy atmosphere? Let them meet other |
| happy and the service that the employee provides the | | | | staff, maybe on a social occasion, or as part of a |
| customer, whether an internal or external customer, is | | | | competitive sporting situation, or part of a team. |
| far superior, and the business will succeed. Treat | | | | Are they the sort of person who is bent on winning at |
| employees as people, not as robots. Treat them with | | | | all costs and become angry, are they the type who |
| respect, and their ideas, thoughts and suggestions with | | | | talks only of themselves and boasts of things they |
| respect. | | | | have done? |
| III. Work environment | | | | Do they converse at all? |
| An open friendly atmosphere, where employees are | | | | What is their attitude to honesty, safety, reliability, work |
| able to contribute and offer ideas and suggestions, | | | | ethics, workplace aggression, etc.? |
| without ridicule or negative response, sparks creativity | | | | Apart from the standard questions on hours or shifts |
| and empowers them to contribute more to the | | | | they prefer to work, or not work, find out their |
| business. If everyone feels as though they are part of | | | | response to questions such as: |
| the leadership process and not just an anonymous | | | | What's the hardest job you've had and how long were |
| face they will have a satisfying feeling that can go a | | | | you there? |
| long way. Have they been made part of creating a | | | | Have you ever been fired or asked to resign? Explain. |
| Vision for the business, or in contributing to the | | | | Tell me about the times you have been given extra |
| Strategic Business Plan? It makes them feel more as | | | | responsibilities, a promotion, an increase in pay or |
| though the business respects them and will put them | | | | salary. |
| first. If that consideration is instilled in an employee's | | | | Most business owners or managers do their hiring on |
| mind, they will put in the effort to show appreciation. | | | | knowledge and skill, but terminate on personality and |
| IV. Hiring people who will fit in | | | | attitude. Also very few managers have had interview |
| Experience and certificates are ways of measuring an | | | | skills training. Selecting the right person is not a gut feel |
| applicant's qualifications and potential, but are they | | | | process - approach it that way and you and your |
| good people? A person can be the most qualified, | | | | customers will pay the price. |