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  Selecting and Hiring Is Your Job

  A good employee is hard to find even with the help of the now popular social media. The difficulty is generally proportional to the position to be filled; i.e., the higher the position the more difficult the search and the vetting of candidates. Small businesses are not exempt from this and thus managers must be well prepared for the entire process of hiring; interviewing candidates is a key part of the process.

  Small and midsize businesses suffer from conflicting syndromes when it comes to hiring employees. One is defined as “too quick to hire, too slow to fire”, and the other is the reluctance to “get into the mess of looking for, hiring and training new employees”.

  The first one results from the thinking that when a business is in need of additional help, managers don’t have the patience or time to look for the ideal candidate and are willing to settle for whoever is least objectionable. However, when someone is not performing to expectations, managers are reluctant to release the person because of the “who is going to do the work?” excuse.

  The second syndrome happens because managers are not skilled or confident in the processes of selecting and hiring employees or don’t want to invest the time and energy that is required. In some cases it is because they don’t want the expense related to the selection, hiring and training, not realizing that it can be much more costly not hiring needed help or—worst yet—keeping wrong employees on the payroll.

  It is understandable that these processes may not be enjoyable and, in fact, most hiring managers hate them; however, the entire process doesn’t have to be painful and it can even be enjoyable once the hiring manager becomes proficient at it. The truth is that with hiring, like with most things in life, you only get out as much as you put in, so if you are not willing to invest the time, effort and interest in doing the best job you can to select the best person(s) for the job, you will not be fair to your organization or to yourself and thus you will not enjoy the process.

  Haste makes waste and rushing the process so you can get back to “your job” would cause much waste to your organization, in the form of non-qualified employees. As a manager you must understand that selecting and hiring employees is part of your job and thus you must perform it as best as you can. Hiring wrong typically results in poor performance, training and retraining, poor customer relations, lost profits, and even the threat of lawsuits from bias in hiring.

  According to Dr. Ira Wolf of Success Performance Solutions 42% of employee turnover could be eliminated with effective interviewing and hiring process. This statistics is sufficient to motivate managers to take the process seriously and become experts at it.
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  Before you start interviewing

  Carefully analyze your needs and answer the question do I need to hire someone at this time? Keep in mind the first part of the first syndrome explained above: “Too quick to hire….”. So, unless your analysis clearly indicates that you have a need, don’t be in a rush to hire (be careful of the second syndrome) but keep in mind that the best people likely are not looking through the classified ads but working at a competitor; thus, if you have an opportunity to recruit a great prospect, don’t lose it if you can afford it. If you decide to hire someone, try to hire from within first as this has many advantages such as:

  • You already know the person, capabilities, behavior and performance.
  • person already knows the company and its employees so the adaptation is much easier.
  • As an established employee he/she (presumably) fits the culture of the company.
  • You save the expense and energy necessary to select and hire a new employee.
  • You set a motivating precedent in the organization by rewarding good employees.

  If the open position represents a promotion, start by interviewing your best employees that you consider qualified for the position. Evaluate their fit in the job and in the organization and make sure their interest is not just about a promotion or money, but a real interest in the opportunity to perform the job. Be careful too of not creating resentment among other employees.

  Be mindful of the expense of hiring employees; it isn’t just the added salary that would impact the bottom line of the company, but many other expenses associated with the search and hiring of new employees, as shown below. Make sure these expenses are budgeted and allocated and form part of the hiring plan.

  Recruiting, hiring, training and firing are all very expensive processes, so if you decide to hire someone, make sure this hire is needed and make sure it is done right.
• About the Author
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  Oswald R. Viva is the founder and President of V&A Management, LLC; a consulting company founded in 1985, now dedicated to helping small and midsize businesses. He has over 20 years of top corporate management in large and small companies, including multiple "C" Level positions, 15 years as consultant in high-tech and manufacturing industries worldwide, and eleven years as CEO and executive coach for small and midsize businesses.

  Oswald participated in eight startups either as a Principal and Founder or as a consultant in an acting leadership position, including multiple CEO positions. He was also the owner of one of the most successful franchises of The Alternative Board (TAB). He has served in the Board of Directors of eight entrepreneurial companies in various fields.

  His education includes degrees in Mechanical Engineering and extensive training in Business Administration, Finance and Management. He is a Certified Management Consultant, Coach and Facilitator, a member of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and a member of the Fortune Business Leaders council. He is the inventor of record in several patents and has received several awards in the management and entrepreneurial field.

  Born in Argentina, he migrated to the US fifty-four years ago. He has been married to the love of his life for fifty-four years and resides in Acworth, GA. He is the father of four and grandfather of twelve.

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