You’ve been through a shortlisting process, interviewed the top candidates and identified a great potential new employee. You’re keen to make the appointment and lock them in…. You think – “Reference Checks are a waste of time – besides…. Who provides a referee that has negative comments?!” For 15-30 minutes of your time, are you willing to take that risk??!

Here’s an example of WHY it’s important to conduct reference checks!!! A short while back…. I was trying to fill a fairly junior Administration Assistant/ Receptionist role….

My client asked me to complete the reference checks on the candidate selected for the role. The candidate had identified that her last two roles were temporary jobs (each being six months long). Now, this candidate had successfully made it through a structured shortlisting process…. The whole nine yards, from the initial resume review, telephone screen, video interview, through to the face to face interview with my client and didn’t raise any red flags. However, the reference checks revealed a different story.

The supervisor from her most recent role gave a very staunch and defensive response – asking whether I had the candidate’s permission (now this is important and we will touch on it a little later in this blog). Furthermore, she made it very clear that the job was in fact a full-time permanent role and that the reasons for terminating the candidate’s employment was given to her in writing. The supervisor simply would not divulge any information other than stating that it was after the candidate’s probation period.

Giving the benefit of the doubt and following a best practice approach, I went on to contact the supervisor from her previous role. Unfortunately, that referee was not in the office that day and I did not have a mobile phone number available.

Being a Friday afternoon, I was keen on resolving this for my client. So, I decided to contact the candidate in order to gain further details. I let the candidate know that her most recent supervisor was VERY reluctant to provide details and confirmed that it was a full-time permanent position. The candidate handled my query quite well saying that she had documentation saying it was a temporary role and admitted to having some personal issues. However, she didn’t feel that it had a significant impact on her performance, and added that those issues were now resolved. When asked if I would have any issues with the next referee – she said “no, I did a good job while I was there”.

On Monday morning, I persisted and contacted the second referee.… low and behold…. I had almost exactly the same response…. it had been a permanent role and the supervisor would not elaborate on the reasons for “letting her go”.

I can tell you that this certainly isn’t the first time a candidate hasn’t been offered a role after I completed reference checks…… and I am certain that it won’t be the last.

Here are my 3 tips for Reference Checking:

1. Ask for RELEVANT Referees from the candidate – Don’t just go off their resume!!! Ask them to provide you with the contact details (Name, Position, Company, Phone, Email) of 3 Managers/ Supervisors from their most recent positions. (This way, you are likely to have valid useful referees…. and you have their permission to contact them – This is important under the Privacy Act). If they cannot (or will not) provide their Manager’s details, then push for a valid reason and pass the responsibility back onto them to chase up their new contact details or to provide an alternate Manager.
2. Put together a templated Reference Check Document and record the information (If you ever have the Fair Work Ombudsmen come knocking and asking “Please Explain” – this could save your bacon).
3. As with Interviews – Make sure you DO NOT ask discriminatory questions – including asking about their family commitments or extra-curricular activities (you can frame questions around their reliability, punctuality and work ethic).

What benefits can you gain from completing Reference Checks on your Potential New Employee?

1. You can Gain a sense of Confidence in your decision.
2. If you have a difficult decision with more than one great candidate, the information you elicit from the referees can assist you in making a decision.
3. You can identify if there are any Skeletons in the Closet –or rather…. check if they have accurately represented themselves.
4. You can Clarify Particular Skills, Traits and Attributes that apply to your workplace and the role (Strengths can be quickly utilised – Weaknesses can be worked on or around).

Employing the wrong person in a role is a very costly exercise – and potentially damaging to your business. Whilst conducting Reference Checking is not fool proof, it has the potential to value-add and can “save your bacon”.

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Acworth-Recruitment-185674054963527) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.

Are you planning on putting on a new employee to start within your business by the end of January???

Well DON’T WAIT until after Xmas and New Year to advertise the role. The wait might result in you not having anyone available to start till late February or March!!!

FACTS to Consider:

• Employees that are planning on changing jobs for a Fresh Start in 2017, have already made that decision now….!!! They’re just holding off so that they can take their annual leave over Xmas/ New Year.
• The number of Roles being advertised in Mid-January demonstrates a peak in the market…. You’ll be competing against a high volume of similar vacancies.
• Many candidates with jobs need to provide at least 2-4 weeks’ notice once they resign.
• There is a significant increase in professionals relocating over the Xmas/New Year period, especially since it’s holiday season at Schools and Universities. Again, they have already made that decision now!!!

ADVERTISE NOW!!!

With a well-structured recruitment campaign and advertisement targeting job seekers wanting a fresh start in 2017 – you will be able to appoint that perfect employee before Xmas and have them locked in to start by the end of January…. You and your new employee will then be able to enjoy the holidays and festive season knowing that you have the Fresh Start for 2017 locked in and ready to go!!!

For assistance to source great staff without outrageous fees, please contact me to see how RecruitLoop’s recruitment model can be tailored to your individual needs. I provide a genuine professional outsource option that won’t break the bank (average cost for my placements in 2016 has been $1,500 – $2,000)!!!

Managers need to enter the interview process with a clear PURPOSE and OUTCOME in mind…. You want to employ a great new employee who is capable and fits in with the organization culture and with the existing team…. Therefore, it is essential for PROCESS to support this!!!

An Interview gives you the opportunity to meet your potential new employee and assess their suitability for the role…… and vice versa…. That is, the potential new employee needs to determine whether the role and the company will be a fit for them.

To make decisions on suitability, information needs to be gathered and exchanged between both the interviewing manager and the potential new employee……. and this needs to be repeated at each interview…… In most cases, a Manager will interview 3-5 candidates for a role.

It is important to have an INTERVIEW PROCESS in place to ensure that you:

• Are Gathering and exchanging information that is relevant and pertinent to the role you want to fill.
• Have sufficient details at the end of the interview to assess the potential employee/s’ specific capabilities and fit for the role.
• Can review particular details for each candidate again once all interviews have been completed! It is rare to find an “Ideal” candidate that ticks all the boxes…. Rather you are likely to be making a decision between 2 candidates that tick different boxes…… And you need to clearly recall and consider who ticks which boxes…… And which boxes are more important and critical to the role.

The most effective way to carry out and support the Interview Process is to use a tailored INTERVIEW GUIDE.

Taking the time to carefully consider what specific skills, capabilities, experience and approaches you NEED from the new employee to successfully carry out the requirements of your role…. and to fit in with your work culture and team…. And Forming questions targeting those key criteria…. WILL ensure that you have the best opportunity to identify a genuinely great new employee… Not just someone you like.

Important factors for a Quality Interview Guide:

1. Remember – it is a GUIDE to steer and lead you through the interview, NOT a hard and fast must follow – You may have a candidate that is clearly lacking the abilities for your role, so you may choose not to ask all the questions…. A candidate may cover details that answer more than one question in a response…. You may need or want to ask follow-on or additional questions.
2. ALWAYS start by providing an Introduction & Overview of the Business & Role – This will allow the candidate to relax a little and to gain a better understanding of the work environment. Be honest and positive, but don’t waffle for too long…. this should be about 5-10 minutes & must provide a general background.
3. Be sure to review their resume and clarify important information such as:
   • Required Qualification, Certifications & Licences
   • Dates of employment – How long they were there (people often only include “years” in their resume and not the start and “end months”)
   • Why they left their recent roles
4. Your initial two question for the candidate should be general and allow them to talk about themselves – Again, this will allow them to shake off the nervousness…. You are likely to get more information that is genuine and accurate if the candidate is feeling comfortable.
5. NEVER ask CLOSED QUESTIONS – Yes or No answers serve limited purpose.
6. Ask 8 to 10 Questions…. No more than that – Interviews are draining for both the Interviewer and the Candidate.
7. Questions should VARY between BEHAVIOURAL, SCENARIO BASED and TARGETED GENERAL Questions – This will allow you to gather details from the candidate about their related experience and capabilities….
   • Behavioural Interview Questions utilise the STAR (Situation, Task, Action & Result) technique and premise the concept that “someone’s recent behaviour or actions are a likely indicator of their future action”. Even though this is the MOST reliable source of information gathering in an interview…. it takes practice for the interviewer to encourage candidates to focus on SPECIFIC EXAMPLES to answer the questions and to draw down further to focus on important areas. The tendency for candidates is to respond with generalisations i.e. “Normally I…. Most of the time I….” etc. This does not help!!! You need the candidate to be able to elaborate on what THEY ACTUALLY DID…. the process they followed…. and how they handled the situation. You will then be able to decide if they have the actual experience and approach to enable them to carry out the functions of your role.
   • Scenario Based Questions require you to detail a likely situation they would have within the role – and ask them to detail what they would do in that situation. The disadvantage of this style of questioning, is that what candidates “think” they will do in situation compared to what they “actually” do, can be very different. However, it is still a good source of information – especially if the interviewer effectively draws down further to really test key areas.
   • Targeted General Questions allow you to find out details about specific general areas such as their experience with particular software, motivations and approaches – this too relies on the interviewer effectively drawing down on key areas.
8. Provide the Candidate with an Opportunity to ask Questions.
9. Discuss the Salary and Work Hours for the role – Don’t be afraid to ask the candidate about their current or most recent salary and to confirm that you are both on the same page. There is no point selecting a candidate and offering the role based on a salary that does not meet their needs or expectations.
10. Confirm Referees and their Contact Details – Name, Position, Company, Phone, Email…. for 3 Managers/Supervisors from their most recent positions (best practice is to speak with 2 referees – in my experience there is ALWAYS a referee that cannot be reached, so asking for 3 will save time).
11. Outline the Process from here – Let them know when you will be finalising your decision (this should be within 1-3 days maximum).

Having a Process and Interview Guide does NOT mean that the interview has to be rigid and impersonal. It is important for both parties to leave the interview with a realistic impression of each other, the work environment and the role. It takes practice for you as a Manager to carry out interviews that bridge the gap between conducting an Interrogation and having a Chat.

Always remember that candidates will ALWAYS be nervous in an interview and actually EXPECT you to ask questions about their experience and abilities.

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Acworth-Recruitment-185674054963527) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.

RECENT POSITIONS FILLED

Part time Office Coordinator (IPC & Recovery Science)

WHS Officer/ Consultant (Bramwell Partners)

Law Student/ Legal Graduate (KNR Legal)

IT Support Officer (Rivercity Solutions)

Warehouse Officer & Deliveries (Blitz Glass & Aluminium)

Imports & Logistics/Branch Manager (Cold Display Solutions)

Part time Receptionist (Axis Surveys)

Graduate Building Surveyor (Formiga1)

CURRENT POSITIONS AVAILABLE (17/08/2021)

Brisbane

Administration Assistant/ Receptionist (Advivo)

Administration Assistant (Axis Surveys)

AutoCAD Draftsperson – Land Surveying (Axis Surveys)

Paid Search Specialist/ PPC Manager (BFJ Media)

HR/ Employment Relations Consultant (Business 360)

Bookkeeper/ Administrator (Encompass Bookkeeping)

Part time Receptionist (Everyday Medical)

Senior Landscape Architect (Guymer Bailey Architects)

IT Support Officer – Level 1/Entry Level (Health IT)

HR Consultant/ Remote HR Manager (HR Tactics)

CNC Machinist (HMI)

Group Concrete Manager (Neilsens Group)

Graphic Designer (Outsource2us)

Client Liaison/ Sales Support (Petro Industrial)

Mechanical Drafter/ Cadet/ Graduate Engineer (Petro Industrial)

Logistics & Administration Officer (V Resource)

Junior Solicitor/ Trainee Solicitor/ Legal Graduate (Taxation & Estate Law firm)

Donation Receipting & Records Management Officer (Youngcare)

Finance Officer (Youngcare)

Gold Coast

Digital Marketing Officer (Australian Tanks)

Precast Leading Hand/ Supervisor (Australian Tanks)

Residential Draftsperson (ReziCAD)

Newcastle

Graduate Building Surveyor (Formiga1)

Qualified Building Surveyor (Formiga1)

Melbourne

Client Liaison/ Customer Service Coordinator (DJC Systems)

Systems Engineer/ Senior Systems Engineer (DJC Systems)

Whilst I really do love working with a wide range of small and medium sized business to assist in their recruitment……I see significant variation in how management approach interviews……and to be brutally honest…..I find myself regularly shaking my head muttering “really” under my breath.

Here’s a few excerpts on how clients view interviews….

• Do I really need to worry about getting them in for an interview…
• I’ll get them in and just have a chat……
• Let them know they’ll need to schedule 2 hours for the interview to allow for the testing etc……
• They need to prepare a presentation to demonstrate their understanding of our company and how they will approach their role to value add – and then there will be a further Skype interview with head office overseas…

The Interview is an opportunity for you to meet your potential new employee and to make determinations on their suitability for the role…… and vice versa…. That is, the potential new employee needs to determine if the role and the company will be a fit .

My role as an EXTERNAL Professional Recruiter is to provide support in the shortlisting process – as the owner of the business or the Manager, you know your business and the team better than I ever will….. so the final decision for who you want to employ MUST lie with you.

So – YES you do need to interview YOUR potential new employee – NO don’t just have a “chat”!!!  You want a quality employee…. not a friend – 2 HOURS for an interview is TOO LONG….. If they don’t need to do formal presentations as part of their job….then don’t have it as part of the interview process….. This IS NOT a University Assignment!!

Important factors for a Quality Interview:

1. Be Prepared for the Interview and be On-Time – Review the candidate’s application again prior to bringing them into the room and have the details with you.
2. Be Professional in how YOU Present yourself and Communicate – This is your first opportunity to gain the respect of your potential new employee.
3. Provide an overview of the company and the role – Be honest and positive, but don’t waffle for too long….this should be about 5-10 minutes & must provide a general background.
4. Have a Prepared Interview Guide – This will include questions specific to the role which allow you to gather details from the candidate about their related experience and capabilities….. I strongly recommend including Behavioural Interview Questions which utilise the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique….. My next blog will focus specifically on Interview Questions.
5. Be Aware of the Candidate – Give them the chance to ask questions as well.
6. Conduct Skills Testing where possible – This should be brief (i.e. 15 minutes tops), and directly relevant to the role – I feel this tool is greatly UNDER UTILISED as it is the BEST INDICATOR for core capability… Examples of where skills testing can be applicable are Accounting with MYOB or Xero, IT help desk, Data Entry, Drafting…. and most importantly physical testing for lifting, picking and packing etc…… I’ll also feature Skills Testing in a future blog.

Managers need to enter into the interview process with the PURPOSE and OUTCOME in mind…. You want to employ a great new employee who is capable and fits within the existing team….. Therefore, the process needs to support that.

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Acworth-Recruitment-185674054963527) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.

Let’s face it – No Business Owner or Manager likes losing staff as a result of someone “Poaching” them!!! With this in mind – and often due to the tight knit nature of numerous industries – many Business Owners and Managers WILL NOT associate themselves with Poaching or Headhunting recruitment activities!!! Tapping potential candidates on the shoulder and “Presenting a Career Opportunity” has been happening for decades…… However, it is now easier and taking place more frequently and readily, whether you like it or not!!!

The fact is, TECHNOLOGY has revolutionised how we ADVERTISE and ATTRACT quality CANDIDATES. Further, with everything now online (both desktop & mobile), it is really easy for the ACTIVE job seekers to apply for jobs with just a click of a button.

For the more standard, every day roles, this has led to a very high volume of candidates with a lower percentage of   QUALITY MATCHES…… resulting in the significant loss of your valuable TIME in wading through their resumes. However, for the roles that are more Specialised, Niche Market or in High Demand – the online Job Boards only really offer a “Pot Luck” approach – i.e. you put the Ad up, keep your fingers crossed and hope that one or two QUALITY candidates have a bad week in their current job and decide to have a bit of “a look around”.

Back in “the day” when almost everyone would have a scan through the Employment Pages of the Newspaper over a cup of coffee on the weekend, the Job Advertisements were reaching a HUGE pool of Open Passive Candidates. So whilst Technology has made posting a Job Vacancy – Cheaper, Easier and Faster – it has taken away a much larger pool of Potential Candidates.

There is clear evidence through research which indicates “that three-quarters of the fully-employed workforce around the world consider themselves passive candidates, or not actively looking for their next job – with a whopping 45% totally open to considering a new opportunity when approached”.            

Leela Srinivasan, LinkedIn Talent Blog, March 5, 2014

Your business has a need for someone with specific skills, experience and qualifications to ensure its ongoing success….and employees have specific needs and wants within their jobs…. the issue at hand is to find a Quality Match for both parties.

In my recent blog Attracting Candidates: Will I be “Happier” working for You? I pointed out that people are generally LOOKING for the following within their employment to be HAPPY:

• FAIR PAY of course! No one expects otherwise.
• A sense of SAFETY! Everyone expects to be able to go home after work.
• To feel VALUED! No one wants to be just ‘another number’ or constantly ‘criticised’.
• OPPORTUNITIES to learn new skills, scope for career advancement and future rise in pay.
• A sense of FIT in their personal values and ethos to that of the CULTURE of the firm.
• To actually like what they do!!!

What does this all mean for Business Owners and Managers????

1. You need to be a good Manager and Leader– It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to understand your staff, their needs and goals…. and if they are being met…. can be met…. or perhaps if they have outgrown the business.
2. Don’t be afraid of your staff being Poached – If they decide to move onto another offering, then there is a reason – and it gives you the OPPORTUNITY to review the role and get some FRESH TALENT into your business.
3. If you’re NOT using Sourcing Options outside of Online Job Boards, then you ARE MISSING OUT on 45% of Potential Passive Candidates.

With LinkedIn and SEEK Talent Search, Active Sourcing of Candidates is NOT intrusive, covert or underhanded……. people have actively placed their employment profiles in the public domain.

There is NOTHING WRONG with presenting people with INFORMATION on your JOB VACANCY in a professional, positive and genuine manner…….it is then up to them to DECIDE if they want to EXPLORE your OPPORTUNITY FURTHER.

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RecruitLoop-Kim-Acworth-185674054963527/?fref=ts) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.