|
Pre-Employment
Checklist
Employment research
has clearly shown that a combination of hiring techniques used together
as a "system" and applied consistently produce accurate employee
selection results. No single technique can cover all the important areas
so well that it alone should be relied upon to forecast a candidate's
prospects for performance success. We use a selection system and method
of weighting which we call "The 30/30/30/10 Rule". Using our approach
allows you to evaluate your interview results in relationship to other
key elements of a good system. "The 30/30/30/10 Rule" involves four
selection techniques with each one is geared toward gathering the kind
of information most suitable for its type, and each is weighted: 30% -
interview, 30% - background check, 30% - predictive assessment and 10% -
manager gut feel.
Develop Your Job
Description
The job description
provides the organization with documentation of the major
responsibilities and duties (natural and level of work), job
specifications (knowledge, skills and abilities) and working conditions.
The description should describe the job as it is today, not as it will
exist some time in the future. If you expect dramatic changes in the
job, it is wise to postpone preparation of a new job description until
the changes can be clearly defined. We offer a job description
template and critical success skills to assist you with preparing a job
description.
Determine the Critical Skills for the Job
For over 25 years
our research, sponsored by Fortune 500 companies, has focused on
determining statistically valid predictors of effective on-the-job
performance. All of our job specific skills identify distinguished top
performers in different jobs from weaker or less successful people. Our
selection assessment scales have been developed to accurately measure
the important skills from our research database, which includes over
300,000 managers, executive and salespeople. Many skills that seem
logical or intuitive did not stand up to the scrutiny of large-scale,
quantitative research. Only those skills that are true distinguishers or
predictors of effective performance are included. Wise organizations
will be careful to review our tools before setting criteria that “sound
logical” but may be less than specific or substantial.
Understand the Legal
Considerations
In the late 1960's
and through the 1970's, many employers used employee selection as a
means to ensure work force diversity, reducing de facto discrimination.
As a result, employers placed an emphasis away from selecting the best
qualified people to acquiring the right "mix" of employees. In the
1990's and into the new millennium it is estimated that 80% to 90% of
companies used pre-employment testing. Typically, employers are free to
establish any criteria for employment practices they choose, as long as
they:
- Do not conflict with any negotiated commitment, such as a union or
employee contract;
- Do not have a discriminatory impact on any protected class without
demonstrating a valid reason consistent with business necessity.
In the latter case, if there is a non-discriminatory alternative with an
equally valid business justification, then the alternative should be
used. This is a critical point since testing can often be shown to be
non-discriminatory but most interviews can not.
Avoid Common Hiring
Mistakes
To err in hiring is
human and can be very expensive. Many "standard" hiring practices are
actually common mistakes; our tools help you revise your hiring methods
to choose more talented and skilled candidates. The following are the
nine most common hiring mistakes. (1) Relying only on interviews to
evaluate a candidate, (2) Using successful people as a model for the
rest, (3) Using too many evaluation factors, (4) Evaluating
"personality" instead of talent and job skills, (5) Evaluate candidates
by using yourself as an example, (6) Not using statistically validated
testing to predict job skills most critical to success, (7) Not
understanding why people have failed in a job, (8) Using "good guy/gal"
criteria, (9) By passing the reference check.
Interview Candidates
Employment research
consistently demonstrates that selection interviewing is one of the most
widely used but least effective techniques for identifying future
employees. Many employers who have paid for their hiring mistakes the
hard way would readily admit that an interview is only one of the tools
needed for new employee selection, and often not the most reliable tool.
We recognize that interviews are an important step in the selection
process, as are other techniques, such as background checking and our
assessments. We offer a structured interview guide to help you develop
an interview approach that is effective in distinguishing better from
weaker candidates.
|
