In yesterday’s Advisor, we began a training session on recruiting best practices, including how to make the best use of résumés and application forms. Today, we go over best practices for checking references, preemployment testing, and other company policies on hiring.
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To recap: Supervisors are instrumental in the hiring of their immediate subordinates; they need a broad view of how the various components of the information-gathering, screening, and decision-making process work together for the best and most balanced choice. Details on setting job criteria and rating or other comparison systems depend on the nature of your company. This lesson plan provides general legal and organizational guidelines that are sound for any business operation.
Best Practices for Using References
Note that former supervisors are the best sources of information, because they have been in the position to evaluate an applicant’s performance. This makes them better sources than friends, ministers, etc.
When contacting former supervisors, ask specific questions about performance. For example:
- Dates of employment, salary, reason for leaving, would you rehire?
- Strengths, weaknesses
- Major contributions, projects worked on, responsibilities
- Relations with superiors and subordinates, etc.
- Attendance, punctuality
If you check character references supplied by candidates, ask open questions without telling anything about the company or position. Expect positive comments, but they could provide insight.
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Finally, avoid potential legal troubles when checking references by following these precautions:
- Be consistent: If you check one candidate’s references, check all in the same way.
- Get the candidate’s agreement (via application form) that you may contact former employers, and let the contact person know that you have the candidate’s knowledge and agreement.
- If you eliminate a candidate because of a bad reference, document the business reasons for doing so, especially if any protected group suffers disproportionately.
Best Practices for Preemployment Testing
Modify this section to accord with company policy and the nature of the trainees’ area(s) of responsibility.
In general, regarding when to test and what kind of testing:
- Test early in the hiring process if it’s for an essential function.
- Test after narrowing the field if it’s not for an essential function.
- Some medical and other types of tests are posthire, preemployment tests. Inform job candidates about these tests.
Above all, know these legal factors about preemployment testing:
- Properly validated tests that predict job success are legal.
- All tests must be administered consistently (given under the same conditions, with the same written instructions, the same text to type for a typing test, the same recorded voice to transcribe, etc.).
- All tests must be evaluated as objectively as possible.
Best Practices for Using Other Sources of Information
Compare notes and impressions with everyone who makes contact with candidates when they come to interview.
- Check with others who interviewed formally.
- Check with people who had unscheduled, informal contact with the candidate for impressions.
If you use agency recruiters, ask them:
- How does this candidate compare to others you’ve sent?
- Why do you recommend this candidate?
If appropriate for the specific job, check with technical advisors whether this candidate is qualified to handle the job.
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Best Practices for Weighing All the Variables
If your company uses a rating form or other evaluation system, go over it with trainees. In general, instruct employees on the following points:
- It’s important to keep notes and use a consistent comparison system.
- Always keep job requirements uppermost in your mind.
- Verify that the candidate can meet all parameters, such as salary and starting date.
- Consider chemistry, e.g., does the candidate “feel” like a good match for the department or for the company?
- Avoid taking the first candidate who seems a reasonable choice. With a little more persistence, you might do better.
- Conversely, don’t drag the search on so long that you lose good candidates to other offers.
Final Discussion and Wrap-Up
If time permits, now that you’ve covered all the basic information, conduct a discussion by asking trainees about one or more of the following topics:
- What was the most difficult hiring decision you ever had to make? Why was it hard and how did you resolve it?
- What do you do if you and the other people involved in the hiring decision do not agree on the best candidate? How do you handle the situation? What choices and compromises do you have to make?
- What have you found to be your best and most reliable sources of information when making a hiring decision?
Wrap up the session by affirming that to make the best possible hiring selection, supervisors need to use all available sources of information in a consistent, legal, and rational system—along with their instincts.