Carol A. Hacker

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How to Hire Top Performers
Carol A. Hacker Associates Human Resource
Consultant SpeakerTrainerAuthor
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Seminar Agenda
1. Prepare for the interview 2. Get off to a
good start 3. Tips for questioning 4. Team
interviewing 5. Close the interview 6. Check
references 7. Make the hiring decision
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Prepare for the interview
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• Update the job description
• Know what youre looking for

Ask yourself

• Could you promote from within?
• What about boomerang hires?

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Develop Selection Criteria

• Computer skills/other skills
• Type and level of work experience
• Educational background
• Certifications
• Physical requirements
• Language requirements
• Availability

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Sample Competencies

• Creativity
• Decision-making
• Initiative
• Problem-solving
• Results-orientation
• Teamwork

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Personality and Demeanor

• Outgoing, friendly
• Competitive, assertive
• Self-confident
• Articulate, persuasive
• High energy level, stamina
• Persistent, good follow-through
• Ambitious, self-starter
• Goal-oriented, results-focused
• Emotional intelligence, sensitive

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Develop a 90-day performance plan

• Expectations
• Authority

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Screen the Résumé and Application. Look for
1. A pattern of stability 2. Eagerness to
achieve 3. Gaps in dates of employment 4.
More space devoted to earlier jobs 5.
Overemphasis on education and non-
job activities
Keep in mind that whats in someones heart
cant be discovered by reading a résumé
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Applicants control whats on their résumés. They
emphasize their strengths and minimize their
weaknesses
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Get off to a good start
You gotta be careful about who you interview
because you might hire them

- Yogi Berra
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Pre-qualify by Telephone
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Create Excitement About Working for the State of
South Carolina!
A great place to work!
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Focus on Hiring for Attitude! Everything
else is secondary
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Get Off to a Good Start

• Make sure the receptionist knows the importance
  of whats about to take place
• Dont make applicants wait
• Create a red carpet welcome
• Offer a beverage
• Plan to conduct multiple interviews

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Get Off to a Good Start

• Put applicants at ease
• Share the purpose of the interview
• Explain the importance of open
• and honest communication
• Prohibit interruptions
• Ask permission to take notes

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Tips for questioning
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Once youve identified the values and behaviors
of people that are currently employed, use
this information to develop questions to
probe for these special attributes
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Types of Interview Questions

• Closed-ended
• Open-ended
• Hypothetical
• Behavior-based

???????
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Tips for Questioning

• Prepare questions in advance
• Be thoroughly familiar with the job
• description and the job
• Establish rapport by starting with easy
  questions
• Eliminate physical barriers
• Be attentive
• Follow the 80/20 Rule

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Tips for Questioning

• Encourage applicants to give specific
• examples in response to your questions
• Dont be afraid of silence
• Break eye contact
• Probe for clarification
• If personal information is volunteered
• Minimize the importance of shortcomings

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Tips for Questioning

• Your number one job as the hiring manager...
• Be respectful of the applicants time
• Promise only what you can deliver
• Have a goal in mind when gathering
• and clarifying information
• Avoid stress tactics

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Tips for Questioning

• Be flexible and willing to allow some free
• discussion in promising areas
• Be ready to re-word questions if it
• appears that you are misunderstood
• Focus on job-related issues only
• Consider interviewing during a meal
• Determine if applicants can do what
• they claim

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Tips for Questioning

• Allow sufficient time for the applicant
• to fully respond
• Reduce liability by avoiding
• inappropriate and illegal questions
• In addition to the traditional interview,
• consider written assessments, but...
• Dont hear only what you want to hear

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It takes a special kind of person to be an
outstanding employee and the people who are, tend
to spend time both personally and professionally
with people like themselves
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Team interviewing
One set of eyeballs on a job candidate isnt
enough. - Brett Shaw
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Team Interviews are Likely to be Successful if

• No one is forced to participate
• Everyone is trained
• You know what you want to evaluate
• The interview is structured and questions are
  prepared in advance
• Notes are recorded after the interview

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Responsibilities of the Lead Interviewer

• Consider the strengths of all team members
• Decide who will be responsible for what
• Assemble interviewers
• Escort the applicant to
• the interview area

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Responsibilities of the Lead Interviewer

• Introduce applicant to team members
• Maintain a non-threatening atmosphere
• Keep the interview moving

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Responsibilities of the Lead Interviewer

• Lead the evaluation discussion
• Solicit and record final evaluation
  information
• Make the final hiring decision
• if you are the manager to whom
• the new employee will report

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Ask for examples of success as a member of a
team. If the applicant cannot think of a
good answer or responds instead with a strong
individual statement, you might want to offer the
job to someone else
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Close the interview
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Close the Interview

• Sell the job opportunity
• Try the ten questions strategy
• Ask for and be prepared to answer questions
• Stand up
• Thank them
• Document the interview

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Check references
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Check References

• When you check references you are
• verifying facts
• soliciting opinions

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Check References

• Check references on finalists only
• Dont delegate the task
• Release references from liability
• Be prepared to handle resistance
• Know what to ask/not to ask
• Treat written references lightly
• Document and evaluate what you heard.

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Make the hiring decision
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Make the Hiring Decision

• Accurate measurement is the key to effective
  decision-making
• Be aware that the inexperienced interviewers
  personality can impact the outcome of the
  selection decision
• Gather feedback from all of the interviewers
• Focus on job-relatedness

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Make the Hiring Decision

• Consider current skills, not just potential for
  advancement
• Compare the applicants responses
• with the job requirements
• Consider the State of South Carolinas
• commitment to Affirmative Action
• Keep in mind that theres no
• such thing as a perfect 10

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Once you make a hiring decision, follow through
by giving the new employee the tools and
information needed to make an immediate impact!
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Thank You
Carol A. Hacker Associates 209 Cutty Sark
Way Alpharetta, GA 30005 (770)
410-0517 carol_at_carolahacker.com www.carolahacker.c
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