This past week I've been trying to hire staff.
It's bloody difficult!
Allow me to explain:
Our turnover is generally pretty small. However a couple of positions have a fairly high turnover simply because we're not hiring the right people. We advertise and interview in such a way so that the candidate knows exactly what they're getting into if we hire them. Then they get the job and, a couple of weeks later, decide it's not for them and leave.
There's a lot of time, effort and money lost in having to re-advertise, re-interview, re-hire and retrain.
Since I started I've tried alleviating the training time by creating detailed training manuals for each and every job. It is an ongoing process and we have a fair few staff so it won't be completed in a matter of weeks. But if it saves taking days out at a time to train people up, whilst our other tasks are left to collect dust, then it'll be worth it.
One of the jobs we advertised for was that of a sales rep. It takes a certain kind of person to do sales. One who likes a challenge. Who likes to talk to people and establish a rapport.
But most importantly, one who can close a sale and take rejection on the chin.
Those who can't take rejection shouldn't apply. It's that simple. Sales rejections aren't personal - the prospect isn't rejecting Joe Bloggs, father of two with a nice house in the suburbs. They're rejecting the offer Joe Bloggs is making. It may not be suitable, too pricey or any one of a trillion reasons, but as soon as the salesperson takes the rejection badly and doesn't come back with a response, then any chance of closing that sale is lost.
To that end I wrote an aggressively-worded advertisment in the paper and online. Basically, people shouldn't even bother calling unless they were overachievers and could prove it. I then went on to explain some of what was required and emphasised that age and experience were not a barrier. We just wanted people with the right attitude and potential.
I adapted the idea from Chet Holmes' 'Ultimate Sales Machine' book. It worked well. Normally there'd be about 20-30 applicants, most of whom aren't any good. After 3 days we've got 3 applicants, 2 of whom were worth interviewing.
Without a good sales team, the company brings in no money and you close down pretty quick. Sales staff effectively supply our wages. So it's important to get the right people.
For me, experience or age isn't an issue. You have to start somewhere and sometimes the young people are the best as they can be moulded and trained up from scratch, rather than a veteran who has their own way of doing things and ignores the company system, even though it has worked very well for decades. If they can come up with ideas to improve the system and sales processes then that is very much encouraged so we can look at it in the light of the rest of the company, weigh up the pros and cons and implement it if it's good. But if they go off and do their own thing without telling us, that's when I start getting concerned.
However, the 'Generation Y' have been slammed in the press for a poor work ethic, no loyalty and a poor attitude. This is true in some cases, but then the same could be said of people who are Generation X or Baby Boomers. With the right filtering and interviewing techniques, they can be weeded out and dropped from the selection process anyway.
With a severe labour shortage, many companies are taking what they can get. I feel this is a waste of time. There's actually a net loss to taking on the wrong people for the sake of having another body, when you factor in the time, money and expertise spent on re-hiring and re-training. So it's worth holding out.
Anyway, one of the people we called to interview didn't even show up. They have the balls to respond to the ad thinking they have what it takes yet can't be bothered to turn up to interview after clear instructions to get to the office have been given, the date and time confirmed and contact details exchanged. Nor did they bother to phone in to say they'd be late or not coming in. Bloody timewasters. It's irritating because we'd scheduled their interview in around other operations, so time was lost unnecessarily (in hindsight).
Another person, for one of our entry-level positions, came in very badly dressed. Jeans and t-shirt, not even dress pants.
TIP: If you're going to turn up to an interview, wear a suit or, if you're female, smart attire. Doesn't matter what the job is, a poor outfit indicates you don't give a shit about the job you're going for and really gets you off to a bad start.
Whilst I shouldn't do, I'd mentally dismissed the guy for any possible position the second he walked in the door.
The interview didn't go much better. Slouching in the chair, he said he wasn't really that interested in the job and was just after 'any job'. His main passion was audio work and he had qualifications in it, but that it wasn't full-time work generally so he was after 'filler' jobs to supplement his income.
TIP: Doesn't matter who you are or what your experience or qualifications are - if you don't show enthusiasm then you're not going to get it. Doesn't matter if the position can be filled by a trained monkey - when you go for an interview EVERYTHING about you is being assessed. Create a good impression and blow away the interviewer with your prowess, expertise and enthusiasm and you'll be considered for other vacancies outside the one you've applied for, with better pay and prospects. In some cases they'll even create a position for you if they think you're good enough.
Saying you're 'not really interested in the job' is a waste of time and makes the rest of the interview a mere formality. It's kinda awkward for the interviewer too.
My first instinct was to ask 'So why on earth did you bother coming in then? Why not just phone up in advance and say you've changed your mind?' However I refrained and plodded through the interview to find out more about the guy and give him every possible chance to present himself in a good light.
Got worse. Wasn't keen on the location. Didn't really want to drive but there was no public transport. Didn't do any research on the company or know anything about the industry.
There was no possible reason why this guy should have bothered turning up. And folks, doing a bit of research on the company you're applying to work for should be a no-brainer. Otherwise you don't know what you're walking in to.
Still, at least he turned up on time!
Next candidate walked in. Please, dear God, be a little bit better than the last one...
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