Never Hire a Dud Again on OPEN Forum

Don’t get fooled by fast-talkers—take these four steps to make sure your new hires are top notch:

1. Make them show, not tell
2. Be painfully thorough
3. Be consistent
4. Resist optimism

Read more on OPEN Forum on the key things to do when hiring that’ll guarantee you never have buyer’s remorse for a hire again,

(via Never Hire a Dud Again | | The New OPEN ForumThe New OPEN Forum)

When it comes to locating and hiring the best employees, few small businesses have access to the big bag of tricks that larger companies do. While job sites and social networks have helped to level the playing field, the fact is that some of the best talent needs to be proactively hunted down, because they are neither out there actively looking for a job, nor are they interested in being found.

Knowing this, OPEN Forum decided to speak to someone who knows a thing or two about hunting down tough-to-find people—renowned bounty hunter Scott Bernstein. The tactics, tools, and techniques he uses to find fugitives may just help your small business find the right employees.

(via What Your Business Can Learn from… a Bounty Hunter - OPEN Forum :: American Express OPEN Forum)

Onboard a New Employee the Right Way: 4 Tips

1. Thoroughly describe how your business creates value.

2. Map out the employee’s internal and external customers. 

3. Set immediate, concrete goals—and start giving feedback.

4. Explain exactly why you hired them.

(via Onboard a New Employee the Right Way: 4 Tips | Inc.com)

Encourage Employees to Want to Stay

1. Give them responsibility
2. Show respect
3. Be generous with time off

(via Encourage Employees to Want to Stay - Management Tip of the Day - March 04, 2013 - Harvard Business Review)

The 5 Employees Every Small Business Needs

1. The Mentor
2. The Knowledge Seeker
3. The Renaissance Man (or Woman)
4. The Morale Booster
5. The Challenger

(via The 5 Employees Every Small Business Needs | Entrepreneur.com)

fastcodesign:

The Perfect Hire Starts With The Perfect Job Posting

Hiring may be one of the biggest challenges facing any company, but it’s often considered a secondary task, taking a backseat to more “pressing” matters like a new product launch or client acquisition. However, your team is your company’s greatest investment and no decision has a bigger impact on your business’ future than whom you hire.

While many job ads are hastily sketched out with little forethought, these descriptions can be one of the most important tools to finding the best people for the job. Paying careful attention to your ad ensures your team understands the role you’re trying to fill, as well as broadcasts your needs to the world. After all, you’re not going to attract the right people if you haven’t defined what “right” means for you.

This doesn’t mean that putting together a job requisition needs to involve all the blood, sweat, and tears of writing the next great novel. Here are five tips to help you through the process:

1. Don’t Re-Invent The Wheel
Since it’s easier to start from something than nothing, go through any previous requisitions that you or any other hiring managers in the company have written before. 

2. Define The Role
Research the requirements of the role by soliciting input from those who are working in a similar position as well as those who will be interacting with the new staff member on a regular basis. What are the must-have skills and traits, and what are the nice-to-haves?

In addition, be clear about the level of experience required for the job. Advertising for the wrong skill level sets your candidates up for failure and creates unnecessary tension in the company culture.

3. Writing The Req
Just as you’re looking for that great candidate, they’re looking for that great opportunity. A standout job title will start your requisition off with a bang. 

4. Focus On Culture Fit
Finding the right employee entails more than skill-sets and experience. While you’re naturally looking for a top-notch customer service agent, you also want to find people who fit well within your company culture. Inject the vibe of your organization into your job and company descriptions. Be sure to stress the work environment, company values, learning opportunities, and any other details that will accurately represent what your company is all about.

5. Post It
Once the requisition is written, you will need to post it for the world to see. Be thoughtful about where to place your job ads: your goal is to attract the right candidates, not as many candidates as you can. In addition to the careers page on your company website, think about the preferred avenues and networks for your target candidates.

Social networks present one of the best opportunities for finding your best hires because they provide good access to your target audience. Have your team members share job openings through their personal Facebook profiles, LinkedIn updates, and Twitter feeds. Encourage employees to use their own authentic voice to introduce the role and company to people in their networks. Employee referrals are generally considered the best source of new hires, and as such, social networks have transformed recruiting.

How do you find the people for your team?

[People Pattern: Login via Shutterstock]

(via Welcome Aboard: The New Hire Guide - Part 3 : The World :: American Express OPEN Forum)

CEOs are always stressing the importance of talent, but are they scaring driven young employees away?

(via The Dilbert Paradox: Do We Want to Keep Our People or Not? : Lifestyle :: American Express OPEN Forum )