human resources

Recruiting : job interview questions | HHRR tips !

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Interview Questions to Ask

For any business, interviews are an important part of the hiring process. Small business owners can make the most of interview opportunities by considering good interview questions to ask far in advance of the actual meeting. In addition, it’s necessary to consider what types of responses to look for and think about how you will evaluate candidates’ answers.

Five Good Interview Questions to Ask

The following are five good interview questions to ask of prospective employees:

“What interests you about this job, and what skills and strengths can you bring to it?” Nothing tricky here, but it’s a good interview question to ask all the same. Note that the question is not “What are your skills and strengths?” but “What skills and strengths can you bring to the job?” The answer is yet another way to gauge how much interest applicants have in the job and how well prepared they are for the interview. Stronger candidates should be able to correlate their skills with specific job requirements. (E.g., “I think my experience as a foreign correspondent will be of great help in marketing products to overseas customers.”) They will answer the question in the context of contributions they can make to the company.

“In a way that anyone could understand, can you describe a professional achievement that you are proud of?” This is an especially good interview question to ask when you’re hiring for a technical position, such as an IT manager or tax accountant. The answer shows the applicants’ ability to explain what they did so that anyone can understand. Do they avoid jargon in their description? Do they get their points across clearly? Failure to do so may be a sign that the individuals can’t step out of their “world” sufficiently to work with people in other departments, which is a growing necessity in many organizations today.

“How have you changed the nature of your current job?” A convincing answer here shows adaptability and a willingness to take the bull by the horns, if necessary. An individual who chose to do a job differently from other people also shows creativity and resourcefulness. The question gives candidates a chance to talk about such contributions as efficiencies they brought about or cost savings they achieved. If candidates say they didn’t change the nature of the job, that response can tell you something as well.

“What sort of work environment do you prefer? What brings out your best performance?” Probe for specifics. You want to find out whether this person is going to fit into your company. If your corporate culture is collegial and team-centered, you don’t want someone who answers, “I like to be left alone to do my work.” You also may uncover unrealistic expectations or potential future clashes. (“My plan is to spend a couple of months in the mailroom and then apply for the presidency of the company.”) People rarely, if ever, work at their best in all situations. Candidates who say otherwise aren’t being honest with themselves or you.

“I see that you’ve been unemployed for the past months. Why did you leave your last job, and what have you been doing since then?” This question is important, but don’t let it seem accusatory. Especially in challenging economic times, it isn’t unusual for highly competent people to find themselves unemployed through no fault of their own and unable to prevent gaps in their employment history. Pursuing the issue in a neutral, diplomatic way is important. Try to get specific, factual answers that you can verify later. Candidates with a spotty employment history, at the very least, ought to be able to account for all extended periods of unemployment and to demonstrate whether they used that time productively – getting an advanced degree, for example.

Reviewing these five good interview questions to ask will help you prepare for the interview process. Brainstorm others and browse our other tips on interviewing to conduct a successful meeting.

Recruiting: interviewing & hiring | HHRR tips !

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Bad Interview, Good Hire?

It’s not unusual for hiring managers to meet job seekers who present interview challenges. But just because someone is a bad interview doesn’t mean the meeting is a waste of time. Following are examples of hard-to-interview personality types and advice to help small business owners elicit the information they need to evaluate candidates effectively. Use the tips below to turn bad interviews around – and potentially uncover a diamond in the rough.

The Clam.

As you might assume, this type of candidate isn’t much of a conversationalist. Yes, her resume is impressive, but you feel like you have to pry information out of the applicant. Although you may be tempted to fill the void with more questions, asked in ever-faster succession, try slowing the pace of the interview instead. The candidate may simply be shy and need more time to warm up to speak at length. Don’t worry, it’s possible to get past this bad interview and actually get to know the candidate. Just be sure that the questions you’re asking are sufficiently open-ended and designed to prompt more than one-sentence replies.

The Motormouth.

This job hopeful is the polar opposite of The Clam. His bad interview habit is to elaborate at length in response to questions. Like quiet applicants, those who are overly talkative may suffer from interview anxiety, only it manifests itself in a tsunami of words and possibly a nervous tic of some sort, such as foot tapping. Try not to accelerate your speech in response, as if you’re expecting to be cut off. Rather, be deliberate and calm when you speak. The candidate may pick up on your cue and downshift his delivery a bit. On the other hand, if the candidate seems incapable of engaging in conversational give-and-take, it could be a sign that he’s either not very perceptive or someone who is more interested in talking than listening.

The Sensitive Type.

This applicant seems to internalize her work to an extreme. In discussing her current position, you get the impression that she takes suggestions or procedural changes personally, as if they were a judgment against her competence. It could be that she’s simply a perfectionist who feels disappointed by any less-than-glowing feedback. On the other hand, she may be someone who has an overly fragile or inflated ego. When bad interviews like this come around, delve further to determine if difficulty taking direction is the issue.

The Smooth Talker.

On the surface, this person may seem like the dream candidate. He makes a strong first impression and goes on to answer every question just right – in fact, his answers sound like carefully scripted talking points. The best approach for dealing with this candidate type is to depart from more predictable interview questions and throw a few curveballs. For instance, you might ask, “Tell me about a challenge you faced at work that you weren’t able to overcome and why?” By challenging The Smooth Talker to veer from well-rehearsed answers, you should be able to gain a better sense of his personality and how he would fit in with your firm.

Bad Interviews Aren’t a Dead End

It’s not surprising that some job seekers find interviews highly stressful and have difficulty relaxing and letting their real personalities come through. They recognize that there’s a lot on the line during these brief meetings. When you find yourself in the midst of a bad interview, try to make the candidate feel comfortable enough to reveal what he or she would be like as an employee. Just as you wouldn’t want to hire someone on the basis of a single factor, you also don’t want to eliminate the person too hastily because of a less-than-ideal interview demeanor.

Recruiting : human resources function | HHRR tips !

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The Human Resources Function

As a business owner or member of a small business charged with managing the firm’s personnel, one of your jobs is to focus on the practices and policies that directly affect the welfare and morale of your organization’s most important asset: its employees. It’s up to you to help your firm strike the optimal balance between the strategic needs of your business and the basic needs of your staff.

The way you manage your employees can make all the difference in your ability

to differentiate your company from the competition.

But finding and keeping top talent can be a challenging task. As business has become more complex, so has the human resources function, now encompassing everything from assessing staffing needs more strategically to launching effective training initiatives, interpreting federal and state codes, and implementing policies and benefits that safeguard workers while protecting company interests. And the stakes are high. The legal and economic consequences of a major HR function misstep can be enormous.

Managers and business owners with teams that consistently delight customers and generate revenue for the firm aren’t difficult to spot. They are the ones who thoroughly understand the company’s most important needs, know how to attract the best people and are intent on improving their work environment so their employees feel free to draw on all of their competencies. In short, they’re good at managing the human resources function.

The HR Function: Traditional Vs. Today

Every company – regardless of size, location or purpose – must deal with HR issues in a way that’s best suited to its needs and situation. If you own a small business, you probably function as your own HR manager – that is, you personally oversee and conduct each classic HR function for your company: You recruit and hire, you set up compensation and benefits packages, and you write paychecks and keep appropriate records.

The chances are good, too, that you’re the person responsible for training and developing the people you hire. And although you may not need to publish a company newsletter to inform staff about what’s going on in the company, you probably make a point to keep them in the loop.

Larger companies have entire HR departments and typically employ specialists in areas such as benefits administration or 401(k) retirement plans. But smaller business owners who don’t have the resources for such specialization must ensure that they are solid generalists – that is, they possess skills in several areas of the human resources function rather than one particular specialty.

The HR function, in general, has undergone enormous changes in the past 20 years. Some companies still take a highly structured, largely centralized approach to HR management. The majority of companies today, however, take a far more decentralized approach, with HR practitioners and line managers working cooperatively to develop and implement policies and programs.

Recruiting: flexible staffing strategy | HHRR tips !

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Building a Flexible Staffing Strategy

While most small businesses recognize the wisdom of long-range operational planning, they often fall short when it comes to adopting a staffing strategy that can serve them day in and day out. As a result, a cycle of layoffs, followed by more hiring, then additional layoffs is all too common in today’s business world.

Remember that every hire you make ultimately affects every other hire you’ve made or will make. No matter how urgent your need, no hiring decision should be made in a vacuum – that is, without considering the staff you already have, your short– and long-term business priorities, and your overall staffing strategy. In short, you’ll need a flexible approach to staff management – and preferably one that helps save you money in the process.

In times of rapid change, small businesses that cut or expand full-time staff without stepping back to consider the bigger picture are putting themselves at a disadvantage. Broadly implemented personnel reductions can cause you to lose talent you may need in the future. Likewise, a staffing strategy that has you hiring to quickly meet immediate needs can cause you to overlook how external and internal conditions may have changed since a position was last filled; this can significantly affect whether you should seek a replacement – or make alternative arrangements.

First look internally. Can you reprioritize projects and temporarily reassign some of your staff members to more pressing matters? If this is not feasible, consider filling positions for which you clearly expect to have a long-term need with additional full-time hires and augmenting this core staff with temporary professionals for shorter-term, project roles or expertise you may need only occasionally. A staffing strategy that includes a blend of full-time and interim professionals can give you the greatest flexibility both currently and when conditions again begin to change.

Following are the major advantages of a flexible staffing strategy for small businesses:

You save money. A mix of employee resources enables you to turn some of your fixed personnel costs into variable expenses by paying only for the talent you need when it’s truly needed. In addition, you’ll lower the high costs associated with hiring and training new staff, while reining in overtime expenses.
You improve your competitive position. Consistently having more flexible control over personnel costs gives you an advantage over your competitors whose rigid labor structure makes them more vulnerable to economic ups and downs.
You improve retention. A temporary/full-time mix reduces stress for core employees and protects their jobs by decreasing the likelihood of further full-time cutbacks. This can’t help but improve job security and satisfaction.
You free up full-time staff. Using temporary workers to assist with day-to-day responsibilities allows core staff to pursue more complex challenges and occasionally take time off to recharge as well.
You have a wide choice. If an initiative requires specialized, technical knowledge that doesn’t exist in-house, you can find project professionals with extensive backgrounds in these areas, many of whom now choose consulting because of the flexibility and variety of assignments it offers.
You can “try out” potential hires. You can observe and evaluate project professionals you’ve engaged and determine their potential fit with your core staff. Having the opportunity to assess a potential employee firsthand provides far more insight than reading a resume or conducting an interview.

Applying for a Job: writing 1-page effective resumes | Effective writing skills tips !

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RESUMES INCHING UP

Survey Shows Longer Resumes Now More Acceptable

MENLO PARK, CA — The “keep your resume to one page” rule may be on its way out, a new survey suggests. While more than half (52 percent) of executives polled believe a single page is the ideal length for a staff-level resume, 44 percent said they prefer two pages. That compares to 25 percent polled a decade earlier who cited two pages as the optimal resume length; 73 percent of respondents preferred a single page at that time. Respondents also seemed more receptive to three-page resumes for executive roles, with nearly one-third (31 percent) citing this as the ideal length, compared to only 7 percent 10 years ago.

Both national polls include responses from 150 senior executives — including those from human resources, finance and marketing departments — with the nation’s 1,000 largest companies. They were conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals.

Executives were asked, “What is the preferable length of a resume for staff-level employees?” Their responses:

 

Current

10 Years Earlier

One page

52%

73%

Two pages

44%

25%

Three page or more

3%

1%

Don’t know/not sure

   1%

   1%

 

100%

100%

They were also asked, “What is the preferable length of a resume for executives?” Their responses:

 

Current

10 Years Earlier

One page

7%

28%

Two pages

61%

64%

Three page or more

31%

7%

Don’t know/not sure

   1%

   1%

 

100%

100%

“Many employers are willing to spend a little more time reviewing application materials so they can more easily determine who is most qualified and act quickly to secure interviews with these candidates,” said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies® (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). Although employers may be willing to review longer resumes, job seekers shouldn’t go overboard, Messmer noted. “Employers want to see that applicants can prioritize information and concisely convey the depth of their experience,” he said.

Accountemps offers the following do’s and don’ts for determining what information to include in a resume:

Do

Don’t

Describe key contributions you made at prior roles and how they impacted the bottom line.

Use exact dates of employment. Months and years are sufficient.

Summarize software expertise and other specialized skills.

Include irrelevant details about your personal life or list your hobbies.

Devote extra space to describing work experience that is most relevant to the job description.

Misrepresent your education or career experience.

Use terms referenced in the job description if they apply. Firms often scan resumes for key words included in the job description.

 

Use professional jargon and abbreviations.

Reference your activities with professional civic associations, community involvement and knowledge of a second language — if they relate to the job opportunity.

List references or include a lengthy objective. Use complete sentences; short bulleted statements are better.

Accountemps has more than 350 offices throughout North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and offers online job search services.

 

Applying for a Job: writing effective resumes | Effective writing skills tips !

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Resume Tips

Hiring managers look for resumes that are straightforward and easy to read. So don’t use resume formats that are heavy on formatting, fancy fonts and graphics. In fact, such flourishes may work against you by distracting from your skills and experience. Here are some resume tips that give insight into what you should focus on and what things – such as resume keywords – you should include:

Resume Formats

Job seekers typically use reverse chronological resumes, which list the most recent jobs first, followed by previous positions. However, if you are a recent graduate or lack extensive work experience, you may want to explore other resume formats. One of the most common is the functional resume. With this format, you begin your resume with a summary of your skills and education and then list your work history.

Some applicants use a combination of the two resume formats, presenting an overview of their most important qualifications and accomplishments along with a shortened work history.

Resume Keywords

Many employers use resume-filtering software that scans for resume keywords and evaluates how closely resumes match the preferred skills and experience. To minimize the chances of your resume getting filtered out, incorporate terminology and resume keywords from the job posting – if, of course, the terms honestly describe your abilities.

Other Resume Tips

One of our most important resume tips is this: Give hiring managers a sense of why you would be a stellar employee by highlighting specific examples of past successes. Don’t undervalue achievements outside of your main career path. For instance, the fact that you improved a procedure while volunteering as a treasurer for a local community organization shows initiative and creativity, which are valued qualities in any job candidate.

Current Resume Trends

If you’re starting a job search, familiarize yourself with current resume trends and resume styles. The main principles remain the same: Be honest, succinct and avoid errors. But the following current resume trends and newer developments may be worthy of your consideration:

The summary.

More job seekers are replacing the objective statement with a summary. A well-crafted overview of your most impressive qualifications at the top of the page can better convey why you’re an attractive candidate.

Resume Styles

Different delivery formats.

HTML or Internet-friendly resumes have been used for a number of years and usually include links to work samples or more detailed information about a candidate’s experience. Another format to consider is the video resume, although some companies are reluctant to accept them because of concerns about potential discrimination claims. In general, it’s wise to check with an employer before submitting a video resume. In addition to e-formats you may want to consider also mailing a hard copy to hiring managers to further distinguish yourself.

Avoid potential for overexposure.

While technology enables a far wider distribution of your resume than was possible before, you don’t want to invite excessive spam or other unwanted email by posting your resume too freely. Instead focus on making sure your materials are posted where your target audience is most likely to see them. A too-wide distribution also makes it more likely your employer will learn of your search for a new position.

Resume Length

How long should your resume be? Senior executives interviewed for a survey commissioned by our company expressed a greater receptiveness to two–page resumes for staff positions. While most (52 percent) still preferred a one–page resume, a full 44 percent gave the nod to two-page documents.

This is a substantial change from the same poll conducted a decade ago. At that time, 73 percent of employers favored a single page. Executives’ growing acceptance of longer resumes suggests that, although conciseness remains paramount, hiring managers also want to receive enough information to make good assessments of candidates’ qualifications.

The best rule of thumb is to allow the breadth and depth of your experience to dictate resume length. On the other hand, don’t make your resume longer than necessary simply to appear more experienced. Hiring managers can easily spot filler.

Before putting anything on your resume, ask, “Does this add value to my candidacy?” If it doesn’t, eliminate the information or recast it in more meaningful terms.

Recruiting: writing effective job descriptions | HHRR tips !

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Recruiting: Effective Job Descriptions

In addition to the job title, what elements should small business owners include to create effective job descriptions? The following elements of a job description are critical.

Elements of a Job Description

Direct report. Along with the person’s supervisor, list other colleagues he or she is likely to work with on key projects, such as coworkers in the IT or purchasing departments, and any positions that will report to him or her.

Key responsibilities. Effective job descriptions should detail the day-to-day tasks and big-picture initiatives with which the individual will be involved.

Qualifications. Describe the experience and education, as well as any certifications, needed. Also list the skills required, including the necessary software expertise and interpersonal abilities.

Expectations. One of the most important job description elements is an overview of expectations for the person who fills the role. Be sure to detail both the immediate and long-term objectives for the position and define what constitutes exceptional performance. Be as specific as possible to provide a clear overview of your standards.

Compensation. If possible, list the salary range for the opening. Also highlight the benefits that will be offered, particularly those such as an outstanding retirement plan or innovative work/life balance program that will distinguish your small business.

Questions About Job Description Elements?

As you strive to create effective job descriptions, remember that they are generally considered legal documents. Avoid references to such characteristics as ethnicity, age, religion and sex. If you have any questions about the elements of a job description, consult your legal counsel.

Recruiting Strategy: evaluation methods | HHRR tips !

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The Candidate Evaluation Process

If your candidate outreach has been successful, you’ll soon start to receive resumes. As you begin the evaluation process, keep in mind that the most skilled candidates are those most likely to be in the running for positions with other companies. An inefficient or unnecessarily long hiring process can result in the loss of your top choice to another opportunity.

Your goal shouldn’t be to simply reduce the time you spend on the evaluation process but to also make sure that its most time-consuming aspects, such as interviews, are expended only on the best candidates. The more quickly you can reach the strongest professionals for the job, the greater your ability to add productive members to your team.

No set rules exist for the evaluation process other than common sense. The important thing for small businesses is to have some kind of system or protocol in place before resumes begin to arrive.

The evaluation process should include a set of hard criteria to use as the basis of your decisions. Otherwise, there’s a good chance you’ll end up making choices based on factors that may have no bearing on desired work performance. You need to keep in mind the following three key questions at all times:

What are the prerequisites for the position? These should track with the qualifications listed in the job description, assuming the description is targeted and carefully thought out.
What are the special requirements in your organization, such as certifications or special education? If you own a public accounting firm, for example, you would most likely consider only applicants with a valid CPA credential.

What qualifications and attributes are critical to high performance in this particular position? If your business depends on telemarketing, for instance, some people will be better than others at engaging the interest of the people they call. What attributes make them more effective? One is certainly their ability to not let repeated rejections wear down their spirits. Identify those attributes that you feel will produce superior performance in functions critical to your small business’s competitive strength and look for these attributes in prospective employees.
If you haven’t answered these three questions, you’re not ready to start the applicant evaluation process.

Here’s a basic overview of the evaluation process when reviewing resumes:

Scan resumes first for basic qualifications. If you do a good job of communicating the job’s qualifications to your recruiter or in your posting, you shouldn’t get too many responses from unqualified candidates. Keep in mind, however, that some applicants apply to virtually any job opening, whether they have the requisite skills or not. For example, if you’re seeking to hire a medical technician who will be working on equipment that requires a license, eliminate applicants without this license.

Look for more specific criteria. After you eliminate unqualified candidates, focus on more specific hiring criteria, such as strong organizational skills, supervisory experience or a good driving record.


Set up a process to identify top candidates. At this point, you probably want to separate the wheat from the chaff, which means establishing a separate file for each of the applicants who pass the initial evaluation.

Narrow your list further. Your next move depends on how many applicants remain. If you have only a few, you may want to invite them all to come in for an interview. If you have more applicants than you can handle, consider adding yet another level. Many hiring managers find that a phone conversation is very helpful.