Small Business Training Center
Posted on Wed, Sep 14, 2011
Now that you’ve interviewed your job candidates, here comes the hard part: evaluating them.
You’ve put a face to each resume. Now, it’s time to put aside your feelings and rate each person based on their fit for the job. It’s not an easy task. You may not want to overlook a qualified candidate just because he was incredibly nervous in the interview, or give too much credence to a charming candidate who doesn't have enough experience. Here are a few guidelines to help you evaluate your candidates.
If you haven’t done so already, get organized. If you don’t use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), it's a good idea to keep track of your hiring tasks by making a checklist for each candidate. You may also want to create a master spreadsheet to compare each candidate side by side, based on how you've scored them. If you use an ATS application, you should be able to compare and evaluate your candidates within the system.
Evaluate candidate interviews. If you asked the same questions of each candidate, assign a number score for each answer to assess each candidate fairly. Or, devise a scoring system based on attributes such as work experience, skills, leadership abilities, motivation for the job, as well as specific requirements such as customer service experience.
Stick to the facts. Whatever evaluation method you choose, stay methodical and measure the candidates according to the requirements for the job. Rely on evidence, not the candidate’s personality, your intuition, or gut feelings (all which can betray in the end!) Revisit the candidate resumes as the need arises.
Decide what your next step will be. It could be:
- A second interview with a different interviewer or a group of interviewers.
- An assessment tool to give you a clearer picture of a candidate’s job-related qualities, skills, leadership abilities, and potential for success.
- A mini-project related to the type of work the candidate may do for your company if hired.
- A background check. (For more information, read our articles “Are Background Checks Really Necessary?” and “The Rules of Conducting Background Checks”.)
- A second look at your B-list candidates. You may decide that none of the A-list candidates that you interviewed are qualified for the job. At that point, it’s time to widen the pool, or start over completely by placing another ad, reevaluating your requirements in the process.
Make contact.
Let’s assume that you did find candidates of interest through your interview process, and you’ve decided who is moving to the next phase. You should now contact all candidates who interviewed for the position to notify them of their status. Although you may not look forward to writing “no thank you” letters, it’s an important courtesy. It helps candidates know where they stand with your company and with their overall job search.
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Posted on Thu, Aug 25, 2011
If you're a private employer with more than 100 employees or a federal contractor with at least 50 employees, you must file an annual EEO-1 Report with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The 2011 deadline is September 30.
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Posted on Fri, Aug 19, 2011
Looking for ways to inspire the people on your payroll? Open Forum shared some basic but fundamental tips to help improve employee morale -- and boost productivity.
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Posted on Mon, Aug 15, 2011
More and more employers are finding that background checks are a necessary hiring tool. In fact, 73 percent of organizations conduct background checks on job candidates, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
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Posted on Tue, Aug 02, 2011
What do you really know about the person you’re interviewing?
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Posted on Wed, Jul 06, 2011
Connecticut is now the first state to require paid sick leave for some businesses, according to the Wall Street Journal.Signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, the new law requires businesses in the service industry that have 50 or more hourly employees to offer one hour of sick time for every 40 hours worked. Workers can use this time for themselves or to care for an ill child or spouse, and for other matters including cases of family violence. The law caps the paid sick time at five days annually.Backers of the cause in Connecticut compare this legislation with the passage of other historic workplace measures such as occupational safety and health standards. The Connecticut governor campaigned on the idea, saying that paid sick leave is a matter of public health. The new law will affect between 200,000 and 300,000 service workers in businesses such as restaurants, nursing homes, and hair salons.Opponents of the bill say that paid sick leave will hurt Connecticut businesses, making them less competitive and forcing them to cut back other benefits. Some businesses also see government as encroaching on their right to decide what benefits they offer to employees on their payroll.Paid sick leave bills have been introduced in 20 states and cities, according to the article. San Francisco and Washington D.C. also mandate sick leave.What do you think of Connecticut’s new law? Should paid sick leave be required? Please share your thoughts!Read More
Posted on Mon, Jun 20, 2011
Texas is big in plenty of ways, especially in terms of job creation.
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Posted on Tue, Jun 07, 2011
U.S. employers worried about unprepared younger workers are putting pressure on schools to improve math and science scores, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The United States trails behind China, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Australia, Germany, and the U.K. when comparing average math and science scores for 15-year-olds in 2009.
Employers are also concerned about the number of experienced employees who are poised to retire from company payrolls. Approximately a quarter of U.S. manufacturing employees are 55 and older.
Some businesses and organizations hope to turn the tide. Here’s a look:
- The National Association of Manufacturers seeks to standardize curricula at community colleges, certifying students in industrial skills and moving toward competency-based education.
- More companies, such as BMW AG in South Carolina, are requesting customized training at technical colleges to train qualified workers for their payroll. In Ohio, the Lorain County Community College's Nord Advanced Technology Center offered 41 tailored courses for individual employers this year.
- The Math and Science Initiative, funded by companies such as Exxon Mobil, foundations, and the federal government, seeks to train teachers in science and math and extend college-level coursework to high school students.
- The Dyson vacuum cleaner company is sponsoring after-school engineering clubs at 20 Chicago public middle schools.
Jack Jennings, chief executive officer of the Center on Education Policy, said in the article that employers are right to worry that the U.S. is falling behind. However, employers should be patient with the political process, as U.S. education policy is mostly decided at the local level, compared to countries that can make quick nationwide changes. The problem doesn't lie entirely with educators either; students and parents should take school more seriously, he said.
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Posted on Fri, Jun 03, 2011
Effective June 1, 2011, the new minimum wage in Florida is $7.31 per hour. The previous minimum wage was $7.25 per hour, which is the current federal minimum wage.
Florida employers must now also pay tipped employees a direct wage of $4.29 (calculated as the minimum wage minus a tip credit of $3.02.)The state’s law requires the minimum wage for payroll to be calculated annually, based on the percentage change in the national Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers in the southern region.For more information on the minimum wage change for employees on your payroll, read the notice from the State of Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, which includes state and federal posting requirements. Read More
Posted on Fri, Apr 29, 2011
Do you have your paperwork all in order for the employees on your payroll?
The Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are cracking down more on illegal aliens, and auditing more American employers in the process. In 2010, the departments removed more than 390,000 illegal aliens and audited more businesses than ever before.
Since January 2009, the ICE has “audited more than 3,200 employers suspected of hiring illegal labor, debarred 225 companies and individuals, and imposed approximately $50 million in financial sanctions,” according to the Homeland Security Newswire.
All American businesses should be concerned, especially if they don’t have Employment Eligibility (I-9) paperwork on file for the people on their payroll. All employers, as well as agricultural recruiters and referrers-for-a-fee, are required by federal law to verify the identity and employment authorization of each person they hire for employment in the U.S. When you add new employees to your payroll, make sure to verify each new hire before they start working. They should complete the Form I-9 and show proper identification within the required three days. For more information on hiring paperwork, read the training article What is a Form I-9? You can also no longer accept expired documents from new hires as proof of citizenship. Other changes include the documents you can accept from new hires. For more information, read the final rule on Employment Eligibility Verification from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Read More