Hiring Quality Employees - A 10-Step Program

Hiring the right people is one of the most important-and challenging-tasks you will face as you start and grow your business. While there is no guarantee that the person you hire today will be a perfect fit three months down the road, there are some proactive steps you can take to minimize your risk.

Here is an example of a successful recruiting and hiring system which can help you identify energized self-starters.

Step 1: Set up a dedicated phone line to use as your job line. This line is always answered by voice mail, never live.

Step 2: Record an outgoing voice-mail message for the job line, which:

a. States the position's requirements and company location
b. Briefly describes some benefits of working for the company
c. Asks the applicant to provide the top two reasons why you should consider the applicant for an interview
d. Thanks the applicant for calling and explains that due to the high volume of calls received, only suitable applicants will be contacted

Step 3: Place an ad in a newspaper or online job bank etc which details the requirements of the position and your job line's phone number.

Step 4: Review the messages on the job line and rate them from 1 to 10, based on quality of communication and message content. Its amazing how someone's shining personality (or lack thereof) can be conveyed over the phone. If the position requires clarity of communication and a friendly demeanor, these qualities can be easily identified via the voicemail message. Only return calls that score 8 or better.

Step 5: Call the short-listed applicants, and ask some questions to qualify a potential fit. If all goes well on this short call (no more than 4 minutes), schedule a 10 minute telephone interview.

Step 6: The goal of the 10 minute telephone interview is to get a sense of the person's ability to handle the duties of the job and further qualify their potential. To achieve this, you'll need to write out key questions in advance.

Step 7: If the applicant passes step 6, invite them to your office for a face-to-face interview. If you're still impressed after a face-to-face meeting, call the applicant the following day to arrange step 8.

Step 8: Give them an assignment they can do at home (related to the job position). If the assignment takes an hour to complete, pay them for the hour. For example, if you're hiring a telemarketer, give them your script and have them practice at home for 55 minutes followed by a scheduled 5 minute role-play over the phone. This provides you with 'proof in advance' of their abilities.

Whatever the assignment is, the people who go the extra mile will stand out. They are the kinds of self-starters you want to hire.

Step 9: Arrange a two-day work trial, for which the applicant receives two days' normal wages. The trial:

a. Shows you how well the applicant can do the required work
b. Gives the applicant a chance to see if the job is right for them
c. Gives your staff two days to get to know the applicant better

Step 10: After the trial, your team votes on whether or not to hire the applicant. This encourages a team-based culture where everyone feels involved. If the applicant is accepted, contact them the next day to them the position.

The bottom line is this: By taking the time to identify quality people who integrate well into the position and your company, you are minimizing the risk of hiring people who need to be replaced after a few weeks of training. To run a successful business you must ensure the people on your team will treat your customers like the royalty they are...and this process will help you do just that!