How do you decipher the answers that a reference cannot say legally?

Gaining information regarding the previous work approach, attitudes and behavioral tendencies of would-be employees is a tricky business. Though legally free to provide reference checkers with any work-related information about a previous employee, many past employers still refuse to offer more than just dates of employment, salary history and job title.

So…how can you REALLY get the answers you want about job candidates?

Establish trust!

Establishing trust with each reference is critical for gaining information that goes beyond the surface. Try to convey to the person giving the reference that your goal is to ensure a good fit for both your organization and the individual – not to pry into personal issues. This should encourage more open communication.

If you reach this point, you’ll now need to pull out that crystal ball to gain a better understanding of what the applicant’s reference is really trying to tell you.

For example, if the previous employer notes your candidate was a great manager or great salesperson but didn’t get along with the owner of the company, it could be the two had opposite personalities or held different expectations of one another. Are you and this candidate apt to get along? What is your own personality? Are your short-term and long-term objectives for the candidate in line with his or hers? The answers a reference gives to your questions points you in the direction to take when holding further discussions with a potential new hire.

If at all possible, avoid questions that elicit a “yes” or “no” response. Focus on questions that are open-ended and allow the reference to describe events, accomplishments, and difficulties. Ask for examples and explanations. Listen between the lines, try to pick up on clues and drill down below the surface of initial comments to make a reference truly useful.

It’s important to assess not just the overall comments a reference makes, but also the specific word choices as well as the tone and enthusiasm with which the reference describes the candidate. If he or she makes a comment that seems unclear, ask a follow-up question. Keep in mind though, that some people are naturally prone to offering vague, one-word answers while others, with a little prompting, become extremely open.

Keep your antennae up for shifts in tone, long pauses, or hesitations that might indicate you’ve hit a sensitive or troublesome subject. Acknowledge the shift, be willing to follow up, and, most importantly, probe the source. Also keep an ear out for overly enthusiastic references without sufficient depth of examples to back up the praise. Some references may simply be in a hurry – and willing to tell you whatever they think you want to hear.

Be sure to get written permission from the candidate before taking references. You cannot start the process until they do so. To protect the reference-giver, do not attribute sources of specific quotes or comments, and destroy hand-written notes once the referencing report is written. A candidate can request a copy of their reference report.

Download our FREE Business Reference Checking Form to help you get started!

Or wait, is that an alarm clock?

Yes – just another bad dream experienced by another stressed employer who’ll soon be spending the whole day interviewing job applicants.

Unfortunately, the real, waking world of a new-hire search is almost as nightmarish as the bad dream. With the overflowing pool of eager and sometimes desperate job candidates it’s difficult, as well as time consuming, to try to assess who’s really right for your open positions. Some managers still rely exclusively on interviews, resumes and references, but these usually tell only a small part of a much larger story. Trying to save time by trusting gut instincts about an applicant or, worse yet, simply hoping for the best, is often a big, costly mistake.

Statistics show that at least 30 to 40 percent of all job applications and resumes include false claims or inflated assertions. And there are plenty of sites easily accessed online that give would-be employees “helpful” tips on how to do this. That’s enough to give even the most confident, experienced employer nightmares.

So what’s the fastest way to get a clear picture of who’s really staring back at you during the interview? Consider using behavioral assessments. These valuable, insightful hiring tools can save time as well as the expense and frustration that come when the wrong person is brought onto the job.

Designed to quickly and accurately alert employers to a prospective new hire’s typical traits, abilities, strengths and weaknesses, these screening devices also gauge a candidate’s probable fit with:

• the job
• existing team members
• management’s leadership style
• policies of the work culture

Some even go a step further and offer additional decision-making information. For example, The Omnia Profile allows managers to compare the traits of potential new hires to a target candidate or to specific existing employees. Screening for promotability and leadership potential is also possible and a good way to uncover who to keep in mind for succession planning, senior management and outside-the-box thinking.

And knowing who’s strong in back-office administration, for example, as opposed to sales or high-end management lowers your risk of putting a service-oriented worker into a role that overtaxes him. Often, when a manager or salesperson struggles on the job it’s because he or she is cautious by nature, disinclined to push an agenda and worried about taking risks.

Today, given the false impressions the rush of applicants can paint of themselves via web-enhanced resumes, social media and online coaching, it’s more difficult than ever to know if he or she is anything like the last employee you terminated.

People can be so good at the interview and so nightmarish at the job.

FREE interview questions to help you weed through job applicants!

Clearly one of the easiest ways to increase the bottom line is to reduce overhead. And while it might first seem that a decrease in staff or the implementation of a hiring freeze would be necessary to accomplish this, it may or may not be so. Retraining existing employees or taking on new staff members who you know are well suited to both their position and their work environment are two, often overlooked, options that are apt to enhance profitability.

Cross-training existing employees can help boost productivity and earnings. However, doing so is pointless unless you’re certain the additional responsibilities you have in mind for someone are suited to their natural traits, personality and overall work approach. Expecting a worker who’s outgoing, antsy and talkative to sit down and quietly process the payroll or research information is probably unrealistic. Solitary, behind-the-scenes jobs usually need to be filled by personalities who are introspective, analytical and meticulous.

Before attempting to retrain or cross train your employees, delve deeply into their mindsets, needs and expectations. Uncover strengths and weaknesses so you can play into the positives and navigate around the negatives. For example, while your outgoing, antsy, talkative employee might not flourish in a sedentary, technical role, he or she might fare quite well at soliciting for new business, mentoring struggling employees or working as a liaison between two or three interrelated departments. Cross-training this employee in various roles requiring diplomacy and social skills multiplies his or her value to you, thereby stretching your payroll dollars.

Productivity can also be improved when managers know how to maximize a subordinate’s performance by exhibiting behaviors and using words that promote the desired objectives. Be flexible when taking charge. Keep in mind that each of your employees likely has unique viewpoints, expectations and needs.

Your job is to key into how each is wired then speak their language, trigger their hot buttons and anticipate their reactions.

Speak Their Language

All healthy relationships require clear communication, and the one between employers and employees is no exception. Adjusting your words, tones and mannerisms to mirror those of your audience sends out a positive signal. Once your employee believes you are both on the same page, he or she will be more inclined to work toward your common goals, try harder to please you. Remember, most people say they feel more in sync with, and understanding of, those who appear to be like them.

Trigger Their Hot Buttons

Human beings can respond to the same situation in a host of different ways. Knowing what you need to do to avoid confrontations and misunderstandings makes your job as a leader easier. It also lowers your risk of losing money due to errors, poor morale, disloyalty, absences and frequent turnover.

Let’s say you have a tedious, long-term project that needs completion and the only person available to work on it is easily distracted and fast paced. Resist the urge to explain the intricacies of this project or apologize for the extensive time it will take to finalize. Instead, realize your worker may need frequent feelings of accomplishment. He or she may also respond best to short-term goals. Play into this hot button by breaking up what looks like an insurmountable task into small segments, so discouragement and anxiety are kept at bay.

Anticipate Their Reactions

Some of your employees may work best when given strict rules and attentive management. Others want freedom. Forcing someone who’s creative, unstructured and self-directing to work with tight constraints or abide by nonnegotiable policies is certain to draw a less-than-enthusiastic response. Avoid feelings of resentment and foot dragging by offering options and making suggestions instead of firm demands. Ask for their input on how to increase profits. Listen to their suggestions. They want to be heard.

Offering productivity incentives can sometimes spur mediocre workers. Special privileges or some extra time off may be especially appealing to those who place a high value on flexibility and strive to balance their personal lives with their career.

Smart Hiring

Of course there are times when the only course of action available is to fire a bottom performer. Replacing that person with a worker who is highly suited to the job as well as your environment can be more cost effective in the long run, though you may need to spend some time determining your precise requirements and expectations of an open position.

Finding the right person for a job the first time can lower your overhead by putting an end to expenses incurred from frequent employee turnover. Develop a job description, and know your needs as well as your expectations of a new hire. In addition to an in-depth interview, perform background checks and ask open-ended questions; keep in mind there may be questions your applicant is hoping you will never ask. Be as candid as possible about the realities of the job. The more each of you knows about the other, the more likely it is you will both enjoy a long-lasting relationship.

Your employees can be your greatest investments; making the most of their abilities is one way to increase your profits and lower your overhead.

Behavioral assessments for employee retention may be a new concept to you, but consider this.  While it is certainly no easy task to find quality health care providers who are willing to apply for work in rural and medically underserved communities, an even greater challenge may arise when it comes to selecting and retaining outstanding employees. Many factors come into play, including compensation, social acclimation to the rural environment, mutual needs and shared expectations.

Another consideration is how compatible the candidate’s work approach and demeanor are with your specific management style, office climate and long-term objectives. One secret to successful hiring and retention lies in learning all you can about your applicant.

But how do you know when a candidate who seems right for the job is really too impatient, uncooperative or inattentive to details?

Is there a way to predetermine whether the person staring at you from the other side of the interview desk will really mesh with your needs and do well in your unique medical environment?

Behavioral assessment tools, like the Omnia Profile, help you quickly identify well-suited candidates. This behavioral assessment compares the traits of potential employees to those of your ideal employee, perhaps someone who has been successful on the job and longstanding. It takes only 15 minutes to complete and renders an in-depth look at job candidates that an interview alone will not provide

The cost of a bad hire is financially devastating (check out our FREE ROI Calculator), particularly in an industry already beset with dramatically declining dollars and frequent practice closures. The wrong person in the job can also weaken a team’s morale, create dissention and cause disruption quickly.

In order to find serious minded, conscientious, caring, loyal people, you have to know more about your job candidate’s work habits, demeanor and overall expectations. The likelihood of hiring and retaining good employees increases in direct proportion to the ratio of your candidate’s similarity to your needs!

QC’d by:  Val Harwell

Santa is one of the few who can pull off a Profile like this!!

Bottom line – Santa has the perfect mix of every trait, which is why he is loved by everyone!

Happy Holidays from all your friends at The Omnia Group! 

Sometimes you can’t necessarily change your work load, but you certainly can change how you deal with it!

Here are six proven productivity improvement tips that can help you get more done in less time with less stress!

The answer would be YES, if you are guilty of any of these 8 common employee demotivators!

However, delegation is one of the best solutions for not only relieving a heavy workload, but increasing efficiency and productivity, allowing the manager (you) to focus on planning, organization, and the maintenance of employee relationships. Delegation also allows the employees to be more valuable and versatile to your organization.

Here are 5 delegation tips that will benefit you and the person you delegate to:

Bottom line? BENEFITS!

Successful delegation strategies helps managers get tasks done but is also a way of showing confidence in employees and nurturing their personal and professional development.

In March of 2010, Omnia welcomed its new President and CEO, Valerie Harwell.  Aside from running her own successful consulting practice, Val came to Omnia with 24 years of service with Wachovia Insurance Service and predecessor companies Davis Baldwin Insurance and Davis Brothers Insurance. Despite the down economy and inevitable business hurdles, Val continues to persevere.  Since coming on board, she has worked nonstop to put Omnia on top! 

In August of 2011, Val made the top 3 finalists in the 2011 Tampa Chamber Outstanding Small Business Leader of the Year.   This was no small task when running against accomplished business leaders, Olin Mott of Mott Tires and Sandy McKinnon of Yale Lifts.  (Congratulations to the winner, Mr. Olin Mott!) 

Our company had a great time and team building experience supporting Val through the nomination process and putting together this video for the final submission to be judged by the Chamber.  Our appreciation goes out to the Tampa Chamber, and the award judges for recognizing Val’s exceptional business and personal accomplishments and we look forward to the 2012 awards! 

Watch our entry video below!

 Mistake #1 – Overlooking the fact that specific jobs call for specific innate traits, and those that might be highly desirable in one scenario may be far less so in another.  

Hiring that confident, apparently very creative engineer might have seemed like a good idea at the time. What you probably didn’t realize, though, is that this very free-spirited, ingenious individual would also prove to be quite self-directing – to the point where he insists on doing things his way and skirting around some commonly adhered to company policies. 

Most technical jobs need to be filled by people who are detail oriented and focused. These are usually the ones who stick to protocol and follow subscribed methods, as they tend to be perfectionists and want to avoid making any mistakes. When hiring IT personnel, engineers, controllers or administrative aids, look for people who demonstrate the ability to spot inaccuracies or omissions. 

Mistake #2 – Too much focus  on credentials, references and the interview itself, not realizing that someone who looks perfect for the job may have a personality that clashes with the existing team. 

The impressive sounding salesman might come with stellar recommendations and seem like a great guy to know. He may tell you all about his sales successes and seem lively and interesting, but beware! There are plenty of fake sales personalities who are really more networkers than closers. They like meeting and impressing others and can talk endlessly about their goals, plans, and intentions — and then do nothing. Networkers tend to hop from job to job and cite a wide range of reasons for their supposed “bad luck.” 

These individuals can also over-talk, under-listen and become a boisterous distraction to your job-focused staff members. They often work well in promotional roles, public relations or hospitality, but monitor their sales aptitude closely and, whatever you do, keep them away from your workers who need peace and quiet to be productive. 

Mistake #3 – Managers make hiring decisions without knowing how a person is apt to respond in stressful situations. When a crisis occurs, a whole new side of someone you think you know can emerge. 

A sales assistant applicant may respond well to your open-ended interview questions, and she might seem superior to other candidates in every way. If her qualifications are sound, her references stellar and your instincts tell you to hire her, you should, right? WRONG! 

Dig deeper! Find out how this person might respond if rushed, required to fill-in for someone else, or forced to attend to several problems simultaneously. Any of these situations can trigger stress in workers, and responses to stress vary greatly from person to person. You might be exasperated to find, for example, that your newly hired sales assistant slows down when under pressure and needs constant support and reassurance. 

Being able to read and anticipate the reactions of your workers is critical. Keep in mind that many behavioral traits and actions are extremely difficult to detect unless a thorough analysis of an applicant’s personality is undertaken, usually with a behavioral assessment such as the Omnia Profile. 

Mistake #4 – Managers provide candidates with vague job and culture descriptions.

The more information an applicant has about you, your management strategies, the job and the work environment, the better it will be for everyone at your company. One of the greatest challenges facing employers today is employee retention. While the lure of bigger salaries or greater responsibilities can be the reason some workers leave, it’s often something far less obvious that is the driving force: unwelcome surprises about the existing company, its managers or the job itself. 

During the interview process managers can ask questions, delve into backgrounds, speak to references and trust their instincts. The problem is there are probably still “little things” left unsaid, facts would-be workers don’t know about their new employees or that their new employees don’t know about them. And too often it’s the “little things” that cause the most pain. 

Provide your candidates with written, clear, explicit job descriptions. Let them get a feel for what it would be like to work at your company. Show them where they’d be working, if possible, and point out all the aspects of the job – both good and bad. Be honest. Encourage them to ask any question, as often it’s something seemingly incidental – like having to complete daily activity sheets or fill-in for the receptionist – that can drive an employee away. 

As a decision-maker you have the power to enhance productivity and boost morale by making a conscious effort not to just detect personality traits but also to anticipate how those traits might affect a worker’s performance. It’s up to you to make the effort to understand the different needs of different workers. By doing so you’ll not only free yourself and gain extra time in your work day, but also make your company one that employees want to work in – not leave!