Assessment Day – How to Hire in a Hurry!

1. Assessment Day – How to Hire in a Hurry! (c) 2005 Plan B Services

2. Today’s Objectives • Describe what Assessment Day is • Understand the planning needs for an Assessment Day • Experience an Assessment Day exercise • Explain the various parts of Assessment Day • Explain the benefits of using an Assessment Day in your hiring practices (c) 2005 Plan B Services

3. What is Assessment Day? • Full day, in person, on site • Introductions • Group exercises • Telephone test • Personal interview (c) 2005 Plan B Services

4. Who else does it? • Pacific National Exhibition in Canada • Six Continents in United Kingdom (winners of 2001 Help Desk Institute UK Help Desk Excellence Award) (c) 2005 Plan B Services

5. Why did we do it? • Immediate need to add staff • Too many applicants using traditional methods • HDI award winner had done it • Wanted to involve existing staff • Wanted to try something different (c) 2005 Plan B Services

6. Pre-planning • Human Resources • Help Desk staff • Reserve rooms • Exercises • Observation guides • Interview questions • Lunch (c) 2005 Plan B Services

7. Screening applicants • Advertisement placed online • Over 300 applicants • Sorted into Yes, No, Maybe by: • Help Desk experience • Technical qualifications • Other substantial items/cover letter • Approximately 40 “Yes” left (c) 2005 Plan B Services

8. Pre-interviews • Done on 40 “Yes” candidates • Done by various Help Desk staff • Ten minute phone interview (c) 2005 Plan B Services

9. Pre-interviews • Observations: • Language skills • Tone • Pace • Ability to think quickly • Ability to answer coherently • Approximately 30 “Yes” left • 24 invited to Assessment Day (c) 2005 Plan B Services

10. Room Layout Observer Group 2 Group 1 Group 3 Intro Observer (c) 2005 Plan B Services

11. A-Day agenda • 8:00 Room set up and final briefing • 8:30 Registration / Coffee • 9:00 Company Introduction • 9:15 Candidate Introductions • 9:45 Refreshment break (c) 2005 Plan B Services

12. A-Day agenda • 10:00 Three Group Exercises • 12:00 Biology break • 12:10 Telephone Trouble call • 13:20 End of Assessment Activities for most applicants (c) 2005 Plan B Services

13. A-Day agenda • 13:20 Working lunch for Observers (Summaries/Conclusions) • 14:20 Individual Interviews for selected applicants • 16:35 Observer Summaries/Conclusions (c) 2005 Plan B Services

14. Observation guides (c) 2005 Plan B Services

15. Observation Guide Sample (c) 2005 Plan B Services

16. Sample rating scale • Confidence 5–smiling, open body language, lots of eye contact, enjoying themselves • Confidence 4–sure of self, good eye contact, participates well • Confidence 3–makes eye contact, nervous but willing • Confidence 2–unwilling participant, doesn’t speak up in group • Confidence 1–no eye contact, defensive posture, non-talkative (c) 2005 Plan B Services

17. Group Exercise – Cave Rescue • It’s your turn! • Some candidates; some observers • Shorter time frame; fewer possible answers (c) 2005 Plan B Services

18. Group Exercise – Cave Rescue • Warm-up/icebreaker • Candidates work together • Consensus building • Timed • No specific solution • Observers assess behaviour (c) 2005 Plan B Services

19. Group Exercise – Zin Obelisk • Logic • Timed with a specific solution • Information sharing exercise • Candidates work together to solve in time allotted • Observers assess leadership, cooperation, and conflict issues Adapted from M. Woodcock, D. Francis, & D. Young, ‘Team Problem Solving: The Zin Obelisk’ in D. Francis & D. Young, Improving Work Groups: A Practical Manual for Team Building, San Diego, CA: University Associates, 1979. (c) 2005 Plan B Services

20. Group Exercise – Who owns the Zebra? • Mathematical • Timed with a specific solution • Information sharing exercise • Candidates work together to solve in time allotted • Observers assess logical problem-solving skills, cooperation and conflict skills (c) 2005 Plan B Services

21. Telephone Test (c) 2005 Plan B Services

22. Telephone Test • Every candidate took one • 2 candidates done concurrently • Each given a manual and a phone • Client and two observers • Client posed banking-related question (c) 2005 Plan B Services

23. Telephone Test • Observers looking for: • Greeting used • Language skills, tone and pace • Ability to think quickly • Ability to answer coherently • Customer Service skills (c) 2005 Plan B Services

24. You’re done…or are you?! • A carefully orchestrated exit strategy used • Unsuccessful shown to front door and thanked for coming • Successful shown to back door and invited back for an interview (c) 2005 Plan B Services

25. Lunch • Reviewed results of observations • Identified candidates to watch • Identified comments to follow up on (c) 2005 Plan B Services

26. Group Interview • Two concurrent interviews • HR Manager and 2 observers / Help Desk Manager and 2 observers • One hour maximum • Three interviews per team (c) 2005 Plan B Services

27. Group Interview • Telephone test • Assessment Day • Previous experience • IT skills • Technical questions • General interview questions • Preparation (c) 2005 Plan B Services

28. Observer meetings • Recap of day • Ranking of candidates • Group discussion • Final ranking of candidates (c) 2005 Plan B Services

29. Reference checks • Top 5 candidates • Conducted by Team Leads • Two references per candidate • 10 questions asked (c) 2005 Plan B Services

30. Hiring • Security check • Credit bureau check • Job offer • Salary and benefits • Start date • Training (c) 2005 Plan B Services

31. What’s needed to do your own Assessment Day • A plan • Human Resources approval • Help Desk staff assistance • Training Help Desk staff on the process • A large meeting room • At least two offices for interviews/tests (c) 2005 Plan B Services

32. Any gotchas? • Physically and mentally tiring • Candidate pool • Second time around • Not fool-proof (c) 2005 Plan B Services

33. Plan B – Management Consulting • 20 years in IT • 9 years managing Help Desks and Quality Assurance • HDBC executive member for 5 years • HDI Member Advisory Board member • Spoke at HDI Global conference in 2002 • How I retain my staff • I have a training plan that works (c) 2005 Plan B Services

34. Plan B – Coaching and Training • Over 100 hours of training from Coaches Training Institute • Business or Personal coaching available • Clients include IT people, corporate staff, management • Provincial Instructors Diploma • 2 years in corporate training centre • Corporate Training Needs Assessment done (c) 2005 Plan B Services

35. Today’s Objectives • Describe what Assessment Day is • Understand the planning needs for an Assessment Day • Experience an Assessment Day exercise • Explain the various parts of Assessment Day • Explain the benefits of using an Assessment Day in your hiring practices (c) 2005 Plan B Services

36. Assessment Day – How to Hire in a Hurry! Plan B Services 604-824-1803 plan.b@email.com www.planbservices.ca Plan B…what’s yours? (c) 2005 Plan B Services

37. Assessment Day – How to Hire in a Hurry! Plan B Services 604-824-1803 plan.b@email.com www.planbservices.ca Plan B…what’s yours? (c) 2005 Plan B Services

38. Assessment Day – How to Hire in a Hurry! Plan B Services 604-824-1803 plan.b@email.com www.planbservices.ca Plan B…what’s yours? (c) 2005 Plan B Services