Strategies for Hiring Key Employee Talent

1. Strategies for Hiring Key Employee Talent Hire Power February 21, 2006

2. Strategies for Hiring Key Employee Talent Strategic Thinking

3. Why worry? • Turnover costs • Effect on People • Lower morale • Affects customer service • Energy spent on turnover versus coaching 30% of all business failures due to poor hiring practices (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

4. Objectives • Learn strategic hiring process • Identify critical success competencies and related behaviors • Understand behavior-based interviewing • Develop behavior based interview questions • Use scoring system to document search results • Avoid common interview mistakes • Obtain resource book

5. Plan Your Approach • Think Strategically • Gain Approvals • Announce the Position • Form a Search Committee • Plan and Prepare for the Interview • Conduct the Interview • Evaluate and Decide • Check References • Hire the right person

6. Think Strategically • Align with strategic plan/business needs • Vary strategy depending on position-nonexempt, entry-level exempt, senior level exempt or management • Identify jobs that are: • Hard to fill • Represent special skills to the college/admin unit • Have high turnover • Consider succession planning where appropriate

7. Think Strategically • Balance filling vacancies through internal promotions/diversity goals/ need for external expertise • Standing or fixed term? • Should you reassign current job responsibilities • Do you need the position? Full-time or less - HR-88? • Is it time to reorganize? • Can the job be combined with another job? • Can it be automated?

8. The Secrets “Hire Tough, Manage Easy” - Max Kleinman • Hiring the right person is the most important thing we do as Supervisors/Managers/Directors • It’s less costly to have a vacant position than to hire the wrong person • According to Jim Collins, it’s about getting “the right people on the bus”

9. The Secrets CHANGE your focus • BE proactive • PLAN your approach • ENGAGE the whole organization • (Activity: Case Study on thinking strategically)

10. Recruiting Internally • Distribute all announcements to Unit employees for referrals • Make personal contacts • Network to recruit passive job seekers • Review saved resumes files • Consider new approaches

11. Open houses Technical school recruiting Announcements at sporting events Vendors and suppliers Produce a TV ad Movie theater ads External Recruiting Options

12. Advertise in trade journals and professional societies Recruit at conferences and trade shows Newspapers, listserves HigherEdJobs.com; Monster.com Diversity Talent Bank External Recruiting Options

13. Maintain database of good applicants Alumni recruiting Local community connections Dual Careers and ONE programs Continuous Recruiting Options

14. Employee referrals Make yourself the “employer of choice” Improve your work environment Establish school-to-work programs Conduct informational interviews Continuous Recruiting Options

15. Process Contact your Human Resources Rep • Provide updated job description • Ensure job is appropriately graded (Handout: Process Guidelines resource material)

16. Diversity Considerations • Applicant pool should reflect college/administrative unit diversity goals i.e. gender & minorities • Get with HR Rep to check the diversity of your applicant pool and your short list • Finalize the short list of candidates to interview, to ensure they reflect diversity goals

17. Identify Competencies & Related Behaviors • Review job description • Interview highly successful employees in the position, if possible (will have different competencies) • Interview supervisor of position • Develop scorecard for candidates to be interviewed

18. Definitions Competency A combination of knowledge and skill sets needed to effectively perform a role in an organization. They are used as human resource tools for hiring, training and development, performance evaluation and succession planning. They are observable and measurable through defined behaviors. Behaviors Examples that demonstrate the desired competencies.

19. Penn State Competencies 1. Effective knowledge 2. Accountability and self-management 3. Teamwork and leadership 4. Communication • Innovation and problem-solving • Customer service • Quality • Support of diversity

20. Obtain Approvals • Obtain internal approvals to fill a vacancy or create a new job • Budget Executive (Dean, VP, Chancellor or HR Rep) • Verify funding with Financial Officer • Coordinate with HR Rep • Update job description • If filling existing position, obtain written, signed letter of resignation from employee

21. Announce the Position • Draft the announcement based on current job description • Market/sell your job/college/Penn State • Include language appealing to diverse audiences, e.g. “Demonstrated commitment to diversity required.” • Official SPEC/Competencies Job Title (industry title in parens) • Key Duties and Responsibilities • Knowledge and Experience minimum qualifications • Work unit and location • Required Certifications or Skills

22. Announce the Position STEP 1 - THE INTERNAL SEARCH • Vacancies are announced weekly for 1 or 2 weeks • Coordinate with your HR Rep to ensure appropriate deadlines are met for announcements • Vacancies close on Tuesday the following week, 11:59pm

23. Search Committee Responsibilities

24. Form a Search Committee • Select a committee chair • Select individuals based on ….. • Confirm commitment to the search process • Set up first meeting to include training • Establish timeframe and guidelines

25. Search Chair Responsibilities • (May) select the appropriate members, representative of stakeholders • Ensure gender and minority representation • Have at least three members (odd number) • Charge committee: • Do you want pros and cons; ranking, recommendation, etc. • Establish ground rules for committee participation

26. Search Chair Responsibilities • Obtain access to resumes from the HR Rep. • Ensure: • Planned hire date is met- handout • Time commitment • Members are trained • Confidentiality, now and forever • There is documentation & maintain it for 3 years • There are no personal notes or illegal comments on documentation

27. SearchCommittee Responsibilities • Identify competencies critical to success for the job • Develop/select behavior-based questions that revolve around critical success competencies • Address situations that are familiar to the candidates • Determine what appropriate responses to questions should address/include:

28. A good answer should address 3 things: Think P-A-R for the course in learning what to listen for during the interview (Problem- Action- Result). • P – Problem: • What was the problem the candidate was faced with or what did he or she need to accomplish? • What were the circumstances? 28

29. Think P-A-R for the course in learning what to listen for during the interview. • A – Action: • What specifically did the candidate do to solve the problem? Ask follow-up questions to discern the candidate’s involvement. 29

30. Think P-A-R for the course in learning what to listen for during the interview. • R – Result: • What was the outcome? Were the tasks accomplished? • Did the actions solve the problem with which the candidate was faced? • What did the candidate learn from the experience? 30

31. SearchCommittee Responsibilities • Maintain confidentiality forever • Develop & use scorecard for screening applicants’ resumes • Develop & use scorecard for candidates interviewed (Handout Scorecard -Activity: Screen resumes - what would you do?)

32. Screening Internal Resumes • Review resumes online on EJMS: • Must meet minimum qualifications • 2:1 ratio work-related experience: formal education • option to consider experience in identified competencies • Close off candidates who are clearly not qualified • Selects short list of applicants to consider • Complete the resume scorecard for every applicant considered

33. If the Internal Search Fails…. STEP 2 - THE EXTERNAL SEARCH Announce the job externally • Recruit • Advertise • NES can help write ads to market Penn State and our job • Remove PSU jargon

34. Announce the Position Externally • After considering/interviewing/carrying over/closing-off internal applicants • Notify internal candidates you decide to carry over (3-5) • Notify HR Rep with decision to go external if no qualified internal candidates, no diversity, and or need for external expertise or just to test the waters • Check with your HR Rep to ensure appropriate deadlines are met • Follow process of screening

35. Prepare for the Interview Past-behavior predicts future performance!! • Behavior based questions require examples of a time when he/she demonstrated a specific competency/behavior • Should be based on competencies/behaviors critical for success in the job • Provide consistency and structure • Ask a diversity-related question, such as, “Give me an example of how you have demonstrated your commitment to diversity.”

36. Sample Question Job Title: Program Manager

37. Sample Question Job Title: Counselor

38. Sample Question Job Title: Counselor

39. Additional Competencies Job Title: Counselor

40. Sample Question Job Title: Counselor

41. Behavior Based Interviewing INTUITIVE Conversational Interviews Gut-Feel Interviews JOB SKILLS PERSON Trait Interviews Behavioral- Based Interviews STRUCTURED

42. Determine Interview Process • Who needs to interview one-on-one • Entire search committee group interview • Any other groups, stakeholders, partners • Any presentations/samples/test

43. Determine Interview Process • How long should the interview be • Conduct a second interview, as appropriate • Assign specific questions • Chair invites final candidates to interview

44. Interview Tips • Advise candidates that you will be taking notes during interview • Downplay negatives - give a pat on the back • Use active listening • Look for auditory and visual clues • Benchmark against appropriate response

45. Make candidate feel comfortable Explain agenda Advise you’ll take notes Ask same behavior-based questions of every candidate Ask probing follow-up questions DOs

46. Keep an open mind Take notes (legal) Ask legal questions Avoid interruptions Let candidate do the talking Listen and observe DOs

47. Talk too much (the 80/20 rule) Telegraph answers Make premature decisions Ask questions requiring yes or no answers End the interview before asking every question Restate what the resume already states Ask illegal questions DON’T’s

48. Topics to Avoid • Arrest record • Less than honorable military discharge • Gender and marital status • Maiden name/mother’s maiden name • Number/ages of children

49. Topics to Avoid • Childcare arrangements • Spouses name/education/income • Family plans/birth control form • Place of birth/citizenship • Other languages spoken

50. Topics to Avoid… • Proficiency in speaking/writing English, unless job related • Disabilities/handicaps/prior illnesses & accidents • Age/date of H. S. graduation/weight • Religion/church affiliation • Social organizations