Have you ever heard the phrase, you can’t find good help these days? Worse, as an employer
or business owner, have you ever experienced this? So much time and effort is placed on a
potential candidate and all too often, the employee falls below expectations. Unfortunately,
the drive and enthusiasm displayed during the initial interview fades quickly or the stellar
references provided by the applicant, though initially paint a good picture, are often not what
was originally displayed. Perhaps there was a red flag that was overlooked because you were
impressed by their interview. Maybe they do the job well enough, but you just wished they
would do a little extra or do it with more enthusiasm. Maybe it was a tough decision and you
passed on someone you wished you had taken a chance on or perhaps the applicant had
significant “baggage” that was never uncovered by your screening process. If you’ve ever been
directly involved with the hiring process, you have certainly experienced this. Whether in the
corporate world, public service or private sector, we have all seen it. The question has always
been, how do I pick the right person for the job, every time?
The important thing is having a thorough process, trusting in the process and sticking to it.
Don’t leap into a job offer if the candidate looks great on the surface. Don’t lower your
standards just because in the short term it creates less work for you. In the long term you end
up with that revolving door of employees who don’t work out and now you’re not just doing
your own job, you’re back doing someone else’s job until you can hire and train the right
person. Trust in a proper screening process and don’t take chances because you’re desperate.
Spend the extra time before hiring to determine if that someone is right for the mission of your
agency / company. At the end of the day it’s not always about hiring the best candidate on
paper with the best-looking credentials. It’s about hiring the right person to fit your working
environment and who will work well with your organization. You’re building a team, not trying
to bring in an MVP.
So how do you do this? How do you develop a solid applicant screening process that helps you
find the right employee for your needs? Having been involved in hiring processes in both the
private and public sector for many years, I can tell you that most organizations are in the same
boat. The screening process for law enforcement and security clearance may be among the
most intrusive we see, and for good reason. I can tell you that when government agencies cut
corners, the work to then get rid of that employee down the road can be exhausting. Having
most administrators wish they had not cut corners in the first place. Do these same hiring
standards need to be implemented when hiring a bank teller, department store manager, clerk,
financial analyst or teacher? No, probably not. However, there are steps that can be added to
your hiring process that can get you heading in a much better direction. The question really
becomes, does your company or agency need to do more? What can you do to find out more
about an applicant before hiring them? Can you find this out during the initial interview or
application process? Is checking references really enough? I can tell you, applicants often do
not put references down if they are going to speak poorly of them. More often than not, the
applicant will only choose a favorable reference. Ask yourself, am I doing enough research into
an applicant before hiring them and can I improve our hiring process?
If you are asking yourself this, find out how R J Goan & Associates can work with you to find
the best candidate for your team. Our consultants and hiring specialists can assist with employee
interviews, background investigations, applicant evaluations and improving the efficiency of
your overall screening process. We not only specialize in identifying issues of concern with an
applicant’s background, our consultants also specialize in finding honest and hardworking
employees who are a great fit for your team.
- Dana R. Flanders
(Forensic Consultant R J Goan & Associates)