Companies that post for positions in the newspaper wait for resumes to be mailed or emailed and then interview candidates may be left in the dust. While that may have been an effective way to hire in the past, times have changed. We must be on the lookout for great people constantly! Banks loan capital to companies that show they’re capable of handling their finances. In a sense, the people who easily qualify for loans prove they really don’t need one. The same scenario is true in recruiting the best talent. The best companies are “hiring” even when they aren’t desperate to hire. What do I mean by that? Here is how we find and recruit the best talent all the time. 

Service Industry. When dining out, I am constantly on the lookout for waiters and waitresses who follow up on my order, offer a nice smile, and get my order right the first time. After all, isn’t that what our customers expect in the flooring industry? When at church, I observe who the servant leaders are, who enthusiastically volunteers, and who goes out of their way to make me feel welcome. That person may make a terrific showroom manager one day.

Apartment Industry. Since we service the apartment industry, my staff is encouraged to volunteer side by side with industry leaders for committees our customers care about: government affairs, data committee, and the board of directors of the local apartment association. This is where we connect with like-minded individuals who eventually may work either with us as customers or beside us as fellow employees.

Tours. If I meet somebody that I feel would be a great candidate, I invite them to take a tour of our facility. In that tour, I sell our company values to the person, teach them our business system, and show them how well our system works.

Staff Introductions. If the candidate enjoys the tour, I invite them back to meet some of my key employees and ask and verify what I told them about the company…after all, the owner is probably the biggest cheerleader. Having the candidate meet two or three staff members simply adds credibility to the equation. The feedback I get from both the candidate and our employees is priceless. 

Assessment. Before their first official interview, we have the candidate take an assessment that simply helps me learn more about their personality, their motivations, and how they may best fit into our company. The weight given to the assessment is about 33% of my decision to hire them. It simply gives me a roadmap and allows me to know best how to communicate with them in the future.

Interview. Once all of the above is complete, the interview has essentially already happened. Interviews, in my opinion, are a joke. People wear their nicest clothing and put on a front that is tough to read. If you properly follow the above steps you will most likely have all the information you need to make the decision to pursue hiring the candidate or not—before the interview!

Please send me your comments and best practices to mketterman@gotyoufloored.com. I love to hear your feedback each month.