Impact Today™
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Blue Wave Ultrasonics Eliminates Hiring Errors
Roger Stoneking, general manager of Blue Wave Ultrasonics, Inc., of Davenport, Iowa, was mentally berating himself over a hiring mistake he had made when he noticed a schedule for a Profiles International seminar about assessments. He knew he had to attend. “After the session, I left my card, and the guy was in my office before he left town,” Stoneking said. “We had 13 or 14 employees, and we all took the assessments. We used that as a benchmark for future hiring, and it’s paid off very well.” This was over a decade ago.
In 1995 Stoneking acquired the company with Jeff Hancock, who is director of sales and marketing. Blue Wave designs and manufactures part-and-tool-cleaning systems for customers worldwide. “We support a number of market niches, most of them global,” Stoneking said. “We design the equipment to customer needs, then build it, ship it and support it.”
To continue reading, click here.
Roger Stoneking, general manager of Blue Wave Ultrasonics, Inc., of Davenport, Iowa, was mentally berating himself over a hiring mistake he had made when he noticed a schedule for a Profiles International seminar about assessments. He knew he had to attend. “After the session, I left my card, and the guy was in my office before he left town,” Stoneking said. “We had 13 or 14 employees, and we all took the assessments. We used that as a benchmark for future hiring, and it’s paid off very well.” This was over a decade ago.In 1995 Stoneking acquired the company with Jeff Hancock, who is director of sales and marketing. Blue Wave designs and manufactures part-and-tool-cleaning systems for customers worldwide. “We support a number of market niches, most of them global,” Stoneking said. “We design the equipment to customer needs, then build it, ship it and support it.”
To continue reading, click here.
Labels: Assessments, Case_Study, Hiring
¶ 12/13/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Consulting Company reduces costly hiring mistakes
Jean, human resources director for a large consulting company, stared at the resume on her desk. A few years ago, she would have wasted precious time trying to read between the lines.
The applicant, Robert, was applying to work in the accounting department. His credentials appeared impeccable. He had received excellent training, and his experience matched the company’s requirements for the job. But what did she really know about him?
Thanks to the Step One Survey II™, Jean knew everything she needed to and used the few minutes remaining before her interview to mentally review her questions. Her company had been using the SOSII for several years, after a huge hiring mistake resulted in large financial losses. Jean and her colleagues began searching for assessments that would work for them. They found the SOSII, which had saved them countless times from making more hiring mistakes.
To continue reading click here.
Jean, human resources director for a large consulting company, stared at the resume on her desk. A few years ago, she would have wasted precious time trying to read between the lines.The applicant, Robert, was applying to work in the accounting department. His credentials appeared impeccable. He had received excellent training, and his experience matched the company’s requirements for the job. But what did she really know about him?
Thanks to the Step One Survey II™, Jean knew everything she needed to and used the few minutes remaining before her interview to mentally review her questions. Her company had been using the SOSII for several years, after a huge hiring mistake resulted in large financial losses. Jean and her colleagues began searching for assessments that would work for them. They found the SOSII, which had saved them countless times from making more hiring mistakes.
To continue reading click here.
Labels: Assessments, Case_Study, Hiring
¶ 12/06/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Would you hire this woman?
Today’s interviewing process involves trying to get someone to think on the fly. Sometimes you get unexpected responses.
Take for example this applicant. She was asked, “If you could have a conversation with anyone in the world, living or dead, who would you choose?”
The candidate responded immediately, “The living one!” ¶ 11/27/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Take for example this applicant. She was asked, “If you could have a conversation with anyone in the world, living or dead, who would you choose?”
The candidate responded immediately, “The living one!” ¶ 11/27/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Monday, November 24, 2008
The Lion Tamer
¶ 11/24/2008 0 Comments
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The ringmaster had just begun the interview process to find some new acts for his circus when a young man approached.
“I would like to be a lion tamer,” he said.
“Do you have any experience,” the ringmaster asked.
“Just what my father taught me,” the teen replied.
“Oh. Well did he teach you how to get a lion to jump through a fiery circle?”
“Definitely! That was one of the first things he taught me.”
“Good. But did your dad teach you how to have lions play leap frog?”
“I can get them to jump with absolute precision,” the young man exclaimed.
“Well now. Have you ever stuck your head in a lion’s mouth?” the ringmaster inquired, obviously impressed.
“I’ve only done that once,” replied the wannabe.
“Why just once?”
“I was looking for my father”.
Life Lesson: In the interview process you are often surprised if you dig deep enough.
“I would like to be a lion tamer,” he said.
“Do you have any experience,” the ringmaster asked.
“Just what my father taught me,” the teen replied.
“Oh. Well did he teach you how to get a lion to jump through a fiery circle?”
“Definitely! That was one of the first things he taught me.”
“Good. But did your dad teach you how to have lions play leap frog?”
“I can get them to jump with absolute precision,” the young man exclaimed.
“Well now. Have you ever stuck your head in a lion’s mouth?” the ringmaster inquired, obviously impressed.
“I’ve only done that once,” replied the wannabe.
“Why just once?”
“I was looking for my father”.
Life Lesson: In the interview process you are often surprised if you dig deep enough.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Missed Opportunities in Systematic Use of Prehire Assessments
Seven managers selected for a demonstration program in early January were obviously excited as the training began. The hotels they managed had been selected because of relatively high turnover. These managers were among the best in the company, and they expected to get good results using the proven assessment programs for the properties they managed. The managers left the training with positive attitudes, eagerly anticipating the process.
Over the next three months, spot checks by telephone found the managers to be “pleased with the system.” They reported “seeing it begin to work.”
However, an audit of the results at the end of May told a different story.
To continue reading, click here.
Over the next three months, spot checks by telephone found the managers to be “pleased with the system.” They reported “seeing it begin to work.”
However, an audit of the results at the end of May told a different story.
To continue reading, click here.
Labels: Assessments, Case_Study, Hiring
¶ 11/22/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Sunday, November 9, 2008
10 Common Hiring Mistakes
Here are ten common hiring mistakes.
Here are ten common hiring mistakes.- Recruiting people who are just like you
- Picking the first candidate who walks in the door because you dislike job interviews
- Asking questions about marital status, number of children, religion, race
- Failing to check references and other information on resume or application
- Talking too much and failing to listen
- Posing questions that require only yes/no answers
- Hiring based on your comfort zone rather than candidate's qualifications
- Searching in too small of a pond
- Delay in hiring after you find the best candidate
- Offering job based only on gut instincts
Labels: Hiring
¶ 11/09/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
10 Hiring Worst Practices
Here are ten common mistakes made in the hiring process:
1. Recruiting people who are just like you
2. Picking the first candidate who walks in the door because you dislike job interviews
3. Asking questions about marital status, number of children, religion, race
4. Failing to check references and other information on resume or application
5. Talking too much and failing to listen
6. Posing questions that require only yes/no answers
7. Hiring based on your comfort zone rather than candidate's qualifications
8. Searching in too small of a pond
9. Delay in hiring after you find the best candidate
10. Offering job based only on gut instincts
Max Impact’s Online Pre-Employment Assessment helps overcome many or these mistakes. Contact me to learn more. ¶ 11/05/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
1. Recruiting people who are just like you
2. Picking the first candidate who walks in the door because you dislike job interviews
3. Asking questions about marital status, number of children, religion, race
4. Failing to check references and other information on resume or application
5. Talking too much and failing to listen
6. Posing questions that require only yes/no answers
7. Hiring based on your comfort zone rather than candidate's qualifications
8. Searching in too small of a pond
9. Delay in hiring after you find the best candidate
10. Offering job based only on gut instincts
Max Impact’s Online Pre-Employment Assessment helps overcome many or these mistakes. Contact me to learn more. ¶ 11/05/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Hiring in North America: Why Are We So Often Wrong?
Traditional methods of hiring in North American business are inherently flawed. They tend to provide hiring decision-makers with flawed and unreliable information from a variety of sources. This information is then processed in an equally flawed and unreliable decision process, leading to a decision that, statistically, is not based on anything that reliably predicts success in a job.
To continue reading, click here. ¶ 10/08/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Traditional methods of hiring in North American business are inherently flawed. They tend to provide hiring decision-makers with flawed and unreliable information from a variety of sources. This information is then processed in an equally flawed and unreliable decision process, leading to a decision that, statistically, is not based on anything that reliably predicts success in a job.To continue reading, click here. ¶ 10/08/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Monday, September 8, 2008
Negotiating benefits - oops!
Who says some new employees have unreasonably high expectations? Perhaps the hiring manager interviewing a management trainee in this story:
“So what starting salary level are you looking for?” asked the interviewer.
“It should be around $100,000 per year,” said the recent college graduate. “Of course that depend on benefits.”
“We have a very generous benefit package,” replied the HR professional. “We will grant you a $25,000 signing bonus, full medical and dental at no charge, fifty percent match on your 401K contributions, stock options matching your annual salary, five weeks vacation starting the first year, an a complimentary company car.”
The candidate was increasingly ecstatic with each new benefit. He could hardly contain himself.
Unfortunately he didn’t get the job because of the next dialog exchange.
What happened next? Click here.
Who says some new employees have unreasonably high expectations? Perhaps the hiring manager interviewing a management trainee in this story:“So what starting salary level are you looking for?” asked the interviewer.
“It should be around $100,000 per year,” said the recent college graduate. “Of course that depend on benefits.”
“We have a very generous benefit package,” replied the HR professional. “We will grant you a $25,000 signing bonus, full medical and dental at no charge, fifty percent match on your 401K contributions, stock options matching your annual salary, five weeks vacation starting the first year, an a complimentary company car.”
The candidate was increasingly ecstatic with each new benefit. He could hardly contain himself.
Unfortunately he didn’t get the job because of the next dialog exchange.
What happened next? Click here.
Labels: Anecdote, Hiring, Reputation
¶ 9/08/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Top 5 interview questions – gone wrong
Ever have one of those interviews where it seems the person just doesn’t understand interviewing. Here are the top 5 interview questions – gone horribly wrong.
¶ 9/04/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
¶ 9/04/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Creating a ‘Strong Bench’
When Lisa Rice sought an assessment tool for her financial services company, she put together a task force of eight to research the products. Several months and three Profiles’ products later, she sees a slight reduction in turnover, buy-in from managers, and a strong benchmark for future hiring and employee placement.
Rice is vice president of human resources for Specialized Loan Servicing LLC in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Founded in 2003, SLS is a financial service company that employs about 410. With a slogan of “Big enough to deliver, small enough to care,” the company services mainly mortgage loans and prides itself on good customer service. With workers in all areas — support staff, welcome center, human resources, mailroom and asset conversion — Rice and her task force found three products to help them: Customer Service Profile™, Step One Survey II™ and ProfileXT™.
To read more, click here.
Rice is vice president of human resources for Specialized Loan Servicing LLC in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Founded in 2003, SLS is a financial service company that employs about 410. With a slogan of “Big enough to deliver, small enough to care,” the company services mainly mortgage loans and prides itself on good customer service. With workers in all areas — support staff, welcome center, human resources, mailroom and asset conversion — Rice and her task force found three products to help them: Customer Service Profile™, Step One Survey II™ and ProfileXT™.
To read more, click here.
Labels: Assessments, Case_Study, Customer_Service, Hiring
¶ 8/30/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Burning Tree Programs HR Manager Finds Insight in SOSII™
The human resources manager for two Texas drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities offers her employees a different perspective on Profiles’ Step One Survey II™ assessment. She has seen it from the other side of the desk, as a candidate being interviewed for her current position.
“I was grateful that I got to take it,” said Tabbitha Anderson, the HR manager for Burning Tree Programs, which has facilities in Kaufman and Elgin, Texas. Because she can talk about the assessment as a job applicant who completed it before she was hired, her support gives it more weight when she talks to managers about what the assessment will help them accomplish.
To read the rest of this case study, click here.
The human resources manager for two Texas drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities offers her employees a different perspective on Profiles’ Step One Survey II™ assessment. She has seen it from the other side of the desk, as a candidate being interviewed for her current position.“I was grateful that I got to take it,” said Tabbitha Anderson, the HR manager for Burning Tree Programs, which has facilities in Kaufman and Elgin, Texas. Because she can talk about the assessment as a job applicant who completed it before she was hired, her support gives it more weight when she talks to managers about what the assessment will help them accomplish.
To read the rest of this case study, click here.
Labels: Assessments, Case_Study, Hiring
¶ 8/09/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Temp help – permanent liability
Use of temporary, leased, and contract employees is a growing part of daily life in many North American businesses. In fact, according to the American Staffing Association, 90 percent of companies use contract staffing services – to the tune of more than 2 million employees each day.
Unfortunately, despite the many advantages claimed for this practice, it holds substantial risks to employers. They may feel overly secure with their staffing provider, not realizing they probably share joint liability with the agency for the behaviors of temporary workers. In Utah, for example, the State Supreme Court ruled, “even temporary workers have an agency relationship with both the temporary agency that initially employed them and the company that uses their services under arrangements with the agencies. ”[Kunz v. Beneficial Temporaries, 921 P. 2d 456 (Utah 1996).]
To continue ready this article, click here. ¶ 7/16/2008 1 Comments Links to this post
Use of temporary, leased, and contract employees is a growing part of daily life in many North American businesses. In fact, according to the American Staffing Association, 90 percent of companies use contract staffing services – to the tune of more than 2 million employees each day.Unfortunately, despite the many advantages claimed for this practice, it holds substantial risks to employers. They may feel overly secure with their staffing provider, not realizing they probably share joint liability with the agency for the behaviors of temporary workers. In Utah, for example, the State Supreme Court ruled, “even temporary workers have an agency relationship with both the temporary agency that initially employed them and the company that uses their services under arrangements with the agencies. ”[Kunz v. Beneficial Temporaries, 921 P. 2d 456 (Utah 1996).]
To continue ready this article, click here. ¶ 7/16/2008 1 Comments Links to this post
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Monty Python’s applicant interview
How are your interview skills? Monty Python shares. Python fails to realize what many HR professionals realize – applicants are also customers. Enjoy the video then contact us to learn today’s best practices in hiring.
¶ 7/10/2008 1 Comments Links to this post
¶ 7/10/2008 1 Comments Links to this post
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Will You Be Sued Next?
According to the Chubb Insurance Group, one in four privately held companies has been sued in the past few years by an employee or a former employee.
In the same report, executives at half the companies surveyed consider it likely they will be sued by employees, and nearly one-third believe they would be likely to lose and their companies seriously damaged by such a lawsuit. Nearly half expected an employee to file an EEOC complaint during the year.
The additional responsibility and pressure such an environment puts on HR staff is obvious, even if the actual numbers turn out to be wrong. The expectation itself provides the pressure! ¶ 7/08/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
According to the Chubb Insurance Group, one in four privately held companies has been sued in the past few years by an employee or a former employee.In the same report, executives at half the companies surveyed consider it likely they will be sued by employees, and nearly one-third believe they would be likely to lose and their companies seriously damaged by such a lawsuit. Nearly half expected an employee to file an EEOC complaint during the year.
The additional responsibility and pressure such an environment puts on HR staff is obvious, even if the actual numbers turn out to be wrong. The expectation itself provides the pressure! ¶ 7/08/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Strategic Hiring System pays off in reservations call center
Retention increased from 27% to 58% with use of the strategic hiring system.
A major hotel management firm operates a reservations call center with a primary mission of customer service, and a secondary sales function. The call center experiences wide seasonal workload fluctuations, and has traditionally begun a major round of hiring each winter. Both performance and turnover have presented challenges in this environment. In 2003, reservations agents hired in the winter campaign had only a 27 percent chance of remaining on the job beyond June 30. This required additional and continued hiring efforts through the spring and summer seasons—times of year that present additional hiring challenges in their employment market.
In midwinter, by contrast, the company had an abundance of applicants for their open positions.
The challenge
The challenge was to design and implement a strategic hiring system, with the goal of increasing retention and reducing the necessity of additional hiring through the spring and summer.
The solution
Click here to continue reading this case study.
A major hotel management firm operates a reservations call center with a primary mission of customer service, and a secondary sales function. The call center experiences wide seasonal workload fluctuations, and has traditionally begun a major round of hiring each winter. Both performance and turnover have presented challenges in this environment. In 2003, reservations agents hired in the winter campaign had only a 27 percent chance of remaining on the job beyond June 30. This required additional and continued hiring efforts through the spring and summer seasons—times of year that present additional hiring challenges in their employment market.
In midwinter, by contrast, the company had an abundance of applicants for their open positions.
The challenge
The challenge was to design and implement a strategic hiring system, with the goal of increasing retention and reducing the necessity of additional hiring through the spring and summer.
The solution
Click here to continue reading this case study.
Labels: Assessments, Case_Study, Hiring
¶ 6/28/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Friday, May 23, 2008
Just blame the HR Manager
It's easy to blame the HR Manager.
Ever feel like the corporate scapegoat?
Only HR and Management people understand the challenges that go along with your job.
Interested in solutions to recurring employee frustrations that keep you awake at night? Please allow us to offer you a complimentary subscription to our e-newsletter, Impact Today. It is loaded with helpful ideas and solutions to those recurring employee frustrations that can keep you awake at night.
Proven methods to effectively:
It's easy to blame the HR Manager.Ever feel like the corporate scapegoat?
Only HR and Management people understand the challenges that go along with your job.
Interested in solutions to recurring employee frustrations that keep you awake at night? Please allow us to offer you a complimentary subscription to our e-newsletter, Impact Today. It is loaded with helpful ideas and solutions to those recurring employee frustrations that can keep you awake at night.
Proven methods to effectively:
- Reduce employee turnover
- Increase sales
- Enhance customer satisfaction
- Reduce employee theft and fraud
- Improve employee morale
Defy Bureau of Labor statistics:
- 1 out of 3 businesses will be sued over an employment issue
- 2 out of 3 new hires will prove to be mistakes within the 1st year
- 2 out of 3 employees would rather work somewhere else
- 9 out of 10 employees will “exaggerate” during an interview
- 9 out of 10 thefts are committed by employees
To register for your complimentary weekly e-newsletter, click here.
Labels: Assessments, Hiring
¶ 5/23/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Top 4 reasons for resignations
Right Management of Philadelphia has identified the top four reasons employees are resigning to go to another employer. Findings are consistent with earlier studies dating back to the 1940s wherein one’s connection to their employer is the overriding factor in changing jobs.
In an effort to keep from burning bridges, departing employees often cite opportunity or money as the reason for exiting. Yet surveys from third parties reveal the truth that neither money nor opportunity is important job change criteria.
Here are the top four reasons:
Right Management of Philadelphia has identified the top four reasons employees are resigning to go to another employer. Findings are consistent with earlier studies dating back to the 1940s wherein one’s connection to their employer is the overriding factor in changing jobs.In an effort to keep from burning bridges, departing employees often cite opportunity or money as the reason for exiting. Yet surveys from third parties reveal the truth that neither money nor opportunity is important job change criteria.
Here are the top four reasons:
- No new challenges or opportunity for advancement
- Ineffective leadership
- Poor relationship with their manager
- Contributions not valued
Labels: Hiring, Leadership, Survey
¶ 5/06/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Oops – I hired the wrong person
Have you ever hired someone and then immediately known you made a mistake? If so, you are not alone.
Assessments can help in the hiring process by identifying the work ethic, reliability, integrity, and propensity for drug and Internet abuse. Improving an organization’s supervisory skills also has an impact.
Here are the top reasons new hires are quickly fired, according to research from Michigan State University:
Assessments can help in the hiring process by identifying the work ethic, reliability, integrity, and propensity for drug and Internet abuse. Improving an organization’s supervisory skills also has an impact.
Here are the top reasons new hires are quickly fired, according to research from Michigan State University:
- Unethical behavior 28%
- Work ethic 18%
- Inappropriate use of technology 14%
- Failure to follow instructions 9%
- Lateness 8%
- Missing deadlines 7%
Labels: Assessments, Hiring, Survey
¶ 4/08/2008 0 Comments Links to this post
