3 things I learned about hiring and dismissal after 35 years of activity

I have hiring My just part of employees in more than 35 years of activity. I was surprised when the “perfect” hits have not proven to be so perfect. I was fooled by candidates who presented work samples like theirs, only to discover that they played a very minor role in the project. I was lucky and I hired individuals who surprised me with talents who were not obvious.

Since January, there have been significant layoffs, a restructuring of companies and a reduction in costs. Large entities like Dell, Dhl And others have announced layoffs, not to mention the federal government. I started to see workers with unemployment tender my hand on the openings. For companies like mine who are still looking for talented people and those who have struggled to attract workers, there is a pool of job seekers, but find the right ones … who can be difficult.

Many companies use job platforms and evaluation tools To find and assess potential candidates. It’s great, but the tools don’t always work. Take, for example, the case of “bobby”. He applied for a production position with our company. We called on a professional to do personality tests because, although he was qualified, something did not seem fair. The recommendation was that Bobby would be a great addition to the team. In fact, the professional said he was a perfect complement to my personality and my working style. Unfortunately, it was not an excellent communicator, which is essential for a media production company. Have we used the best evaluation? Has Bobby cheated on him by answering questions in a way he thought he was making him an attractive candidate?

Make no mistake, using AI, job tools and professionals can be useful, but you have to do the work. Here are some things I learned to the hard.

In relation: How job seekers can develop the ideal application – and how employers can create a list of jobs that attract good candidates

Think beyond traditional skills

I had an in -depth list of qualifications for positions in my business. For example, a university degree or a number of years of experience. We recently hired our very first employee who had only a associate diploma. I trusted my intuition and it is great. Maybe a diploma is not necessary. Which is more important than traditional skills are general skillswhich are difficult to find in today’s workforce. One is the ability to solve problems. In the interview process, we provide candidates for scenarios and we ask how they would approach work, what tools they would need and what would be the challenges. No ideas? Can’t think about it? Not a good adjustment.

Another competence is the ability to work as part of a team. Lots of work today is collaborative, and the last thing we need is a member of the team sitting outside by taking gunshots or trying to be the lone wolf. I ask my staff to interview people before meeting candidates. If chemistry is not there, we do not make an offer.

Communication is the most critical competence. No one can know everything, but if you don’t know how communicateYou will never improve yourself. An employee hated asking help and, therefore, spent hours trying to find a shortcut for software. If he had just asked for help, he could have tripled the work in a timely time. After months trying to work with him, we had to let him go. People who cannot articulate their ideas or defend themselves are probably not effective. You need communication superstars.

Find the right adjustment for the size of your organization

The right adjustment for a small business is often very different from a person for a big one. Many of those who are now unemployed are used to working for large companies. These people can be used to having more resources and “hands” to do the work. At one point, I hired a woman far from a large retailer to be a media producer. She had the experience and certainly had the right attitude. Unfortunately, she did not realize that her skills were limited to ordering others to do the work, not to do the work. In our place, everything is on the bridge, and she could not follow. His skills set was much better suited to a large organization. Of course, there are those who are bored to work for large companies and who are delighted with the opportunity to be an entrepreneurial. They are happy to take the pace and learn new things. Ask To see if they are really entrepreneurial and listen. The examples are: how do you remain motivated? How do you manage the risk? If the answers do not sound true, move on.

As my organization grew up, it was sometimes necessary to get individuals out. An individual did not adapt as we begin to grow. It was fine when we were a small business working with smaller customers. As we have attracted greater customers, she did not appreciate the complexity of projects and the attention of the greatest customers required. When it was deliberately and systematically difficult with customer requests, there was no other choice than Him fire.

In relation: How to identify and know when to dismiss a toxic employee, according to an HR expert

Hunt slow, pull quickly

I felt the pressure to hire when business is booming, when I find a talented worker, or when I have an open slot machine. One thing that saved me time and money is to hire the individual as an independent entrepreneur for a brief period. This allows us to see how the person works and if he is a good choice in the long term. We also have a period of probation. Now is the time to really dig deeply and over-mint. Each company is unique. You know your business, so trust your intestine when hiring, and when someone does not train, do not delay the inevitable. It is not good for the organization or the individual.