Pick the right person for the job

Finding and placing the right person for the right job is critical to business success.

Traditional job interviewing alone is unreliable in today's market.

Many people with hiring responsibilities are not aware how one bad choice can damage or kill healthy organizations.

Shortsighted decisions often lead to disastrous results.

One reason interviewing by itself is unreliable is because most of today's job seekers are proficient at interviewing; they already know what to say.

They can put on a good presentation and bluff their way through.

Even the best interview doesn't give an accurate clue on their reliability and how they interact with their co-workers.

Further-more, job resumes are often exaggerated and unreliable.

A better approach is needed.Many organizations are turning to behavior assessments and personality trait testing for both hourly workers and managers.

Back in the late 1990s, only 5 percent of Fortune 500 companies used some type of assessment.

Today, that figure has topped 65 percent.

A matter of honor Some companies use an integrity survey that measures an individual's honesty.

It identifies applicants who may steal merchandise or money, misuse sick days, give unauthorized discounts and other counter-productive behaviors.

A successful interview should determine if there is a match between the individual and the job.

Furthermore, a good interview process allows you to understand their behavior, values,motivations, and qualifications.

Time and time again we have seen people hired for sales jobs who don't like calling people, customer service people who can't look into your eyes and say,"Hello." Then there are good employees promoted into management positions and have no clue how to lead and manage others.

There are several reasons why interviewing techniques fail:

* Lack of preparation: Prior to the interview make sure you understand the key elements of the job.

Develop a simple outline that covers general job duties.

Possibly work with the incumbent to get a better idea of what the job is about.

Screen the resumes and application to gain information for the interview.

Standardize and prepare the questions you will ask each applicant.

* Lack of clearly defined job competencies: Identify the behaviors, knowledge, motivations and qualities incumbents need to have to be successful in the job.

If the job requires special education or a license, be sure to include it on your list also.

There are several assessments and profiles available to help insure you have a good match between the applicant and the job.

* Lack of structure: The best interview follows a structured process.

This doesn't mean that the entire process is inflexible without spontaneity.What it means is that each applicant is asked the same questions and is scored with a consistent rating process.

A structured approach helps avoid bias and gives all applicants a fair chance.

Grace under pressure The best ways to accomplish this is by using behavioral based questions, role-plays and situational questions.

Role-plays are effective ways to learn and practice new skills.

They can be used during the interview process to determine the skills and personal charisma of people during stress.

The traditional interview is never 100 percent reliable.A structured approach will improve your chances, but it is important to go one step further.

Pre-employment screening is an important aspect of the hiring process by a growing majority of employers.

Reduce turnover By using various assessments and profiles, organizations have been able to help clients reduce turnover and improve the quality of the workforce.

Behavioral assessments have proven to be an effective tool for improving the management of an organization.

They provide an accurate analysis of an employee's behaviors and attitudes otherwise left to subjective judgment.

Jane Boucher is an author and professional speaker with offices in Reno and Ohio.

Reach her at 775-853-0226, 937-416- 9881, or jane@janeboucher.com.

Her Web sites are www.janeboucher.com and www.janeboucher.org