Recruitment Hiring Orientation and Retention

Ask questions about areas of past jobs that were likely to have caused problems. Find out how the individual handled them. For example: What aspects of your previous jobs gave you the most trouble? What are some of the disappointments you have had in your last job? In what areas did you need help or [...]

Concerns about hiring a person with a disability often centers around the person’s ability to perform job duties and meet attendance demands. While discussing this issue with someone disabled may seem awkward, it can be made a manageable situation if you develop and use a standard set of questions to identify whether or not each [...]

There are numerous "reasonable accommodations" that employers can make to assist qualified individuals with disabilities in the performance of essential job functions. The following list identifies the nature of accommodations and some specifics. Keep in mind that what might be "reasonable" for one employer may not be for another. These may include: Making facilities accessible [...]

Unfortunately, there’s no neat list of illegal questions. Even if you don’t mean to discriminate, the implications of some questions that managers could ask during an employment interview may cause a court to declare them (and your firm) discriminatory. For instance, asking if an applicant can come to work on weekends may seem innocuous, but [...]

The five federal EEO statutes that have had the greatest impact on hiring practices are: Title VII of Civil Rights Act (1964) The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967) The Immigration Reform and Control Act (1990) The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) The Civil Rights Act (1991) Tell Me More Title VII of Civil Rights [...]

Online recruitment is less costly than its print counterpart, averaging 5 percent of the price of placing a help-wanted ad in a major newspaper for thirty days. Cost is based not on the size of the ad, as with print, but either by individual posting or subscription. Online recruitment also generates faster responses from prospective [...]

If you advertise, think about display ads and not only in local newspapers. Advertise in journals in the field. Check out Web sites that specialize in the field, too, and place ads there. Consider, too, your own corporate Web site. Because recruitment information can be lost on your company’s Web site, you may want to [...]

Before you choose a recruiting firm, ask some key questions: What is their past experience? What positions do they specialize in? What do others who have used them say? Tell Me More If they pass your review, sit down to discuss fee limits and the terms of guarantee you want. Spell out clearly what forms [...]

Sometimes using such a firm can speed up the hiring process and help free up the manager’s time. Some search firms and headhunters specialize and therefore have good inside knowledge of a field, including individuals who might be interested in a move. If the position is hard to fill, search firms can be more effective [...]

A nice way is to go out and greet the applicant in the reception area rather than have him or her brought into the office by your assistant. Consider taking the applicant on a tour of the workplace as you walk to your office. You might open the conversation with a noncontroversial question such as, [...]

If you have done your homework, you have developed an up-to-date job description that makes clear the specific type of education and/or experience candidates need. As you review the resumes you receive from prospective candidates, consider those qualifications. Now quickly scan all the resumes for those items. Only those that get through this screening should [...]

The secret to a well-written online ad is the use of "key words"—that is, words based on those factors critical to the job being offered. While use of the jargon of the field may eliminate some good prospects, those best qualified for the job should be familiar with the language. Here are three other rules, [...]

Brevity is the secret to effective help-wanted ads. There may be numerous responsibilities associated with the vacancy, but the ad should list only the key ones. This increases the likelihood that those who respond will be able to do those tasks most critical to job success. There’s another reason, too, to focus on only a [...]

A well-written job description has six components. These include: Job title. Statement of objectives. Major responsibilities. Job requirements. Preferred criteria. Relationships with others. Tell Me More Job title. If the person were introduced to others, how would you identify him or her? "Sam, I’d like you to meet Sue Ellen, our new copyeditor," or "Marie, [...]

You need to talk to the previous jobholder. If there are others doing the job while you are recruiting, you should also observe them at work. Talk to them as well. Talk, too, to people with whom jobholders interact—both coworkers and customers. The more you know about the job, the clearer you are in terms [...]

If managers are filling an entry-level position, they should talk to the candidate about his or her accomplishments at school. Ask candidates, "What do you consider to be your most significant accomplishment." Then ask questions to determine how really significant the accomplishment was. Need someone with lots of energy? Ask him or her about handling [...]