The second fundamental good HR practice an employer should assess is recruiting and selecting staff.  When you take the time to do it right in the beginning, your efforts should be well worth it.  Hiring staff can be a headache for many employers - the time it takes, the expense incurred, and then for a new employee to not even last 30-days on the job.  Here are some things employers should consider ahead of time so when a job opening occurs there are procedures in place:

1.        Establish a routine advertising processes.  Research the many methods of advertising and decide which you want to use, which may depend on type of opening.  Document contact numbers, websites, fax numbers.  If you are interested in free advertising/job postings check out SMART Business Resource Center (www.shastasmart.com), Employment Development Department (www.edd.ca.gov), and the many trade and professional organizations/associations. The local newspaper (www.redding.com) provides you with the biggest local exposure in print and online.

2.        When it comes to writing your job advertisements, be specific, use job description details – list specific duties, qualifications, essential functions, physical demands, and application process.  Include EEO statement and any pre-employment testing requirements.  Use a template with the basics, and then just add the details for each opening.

3.        Establish the applicant flow procedures.  No matter which advertising method you use, be prepared for the resumes to flow in the door. Consider the use of an Acknowledgement Card, a post card sent to every applicant coming in to indicate that you’ve received their resume and you’ll be in touch if they are being considered.  Have a point person to screen out the non-qualified from the qualified individuals, routing qualified applicants to hiring manager.  Consider using a Resume Routing Sheet, which helps document interest level, next steps, status.

4.        Consider telephone screening if necessary.  Establish basic questions to ask over the telephone which may help weed out those applicants who don’t meet minimum requirements (i.e. work schedule, pay rate, skills), and document responses.

5.        Prepare standard interview questions and maintain documentation.  To avoid possible discrimination claims you should ask the same questions of each applicant, and document job related responses.  Consider establishing Interview Evaluations to document an applicant’s overall evaluation rating from each interviewer. 

6.        Train your interviewers.  Have all interviewers at least review the Pre-Employment Inquiry Guidelines to help avoid asking possible discriminatory questions.  If you have new hiring managers, have them sit in on a few interviews before letting them do it alone.  

7.        Always have applicants fill out an application prior to hiring.  If you interview them make sure you have them fill out an Application For Employment.  Make sure your applications are up-to-date and ask all the legally allowed questions and include all the releases and acknowledgements, with signature from applicant. 

8.        Always conduct reference checks.  Even though it may be difficult to get references these days, make a policy to require at least 2 good references before hiring. If you are striking out on the references the applicant gave, explain to the applicant your policy and require additional names and numbers.  Consider using standard form to document your reference checks.

9.        Establish a standard offer approval process and offer letter.  Paper trail is helpful to HR, to management, and in some cases to auditors (depending on your business).  Consider an Offer Approval Form, which contains basic elements of the offer - title, hours/work schedule, supervisor, pay rate, and other details.  Once the verbal offer is extended, confirm with written Offer Letter, again outlining specifics of position, pay rate, benefit summary, expected start date, and standard at-will language. 

10.     Consider certain pre-employment screenings.  Depending on the position, you may need to consider requiring credit checks or background checks.  Consider conducting post-offer pre-employment drug screening for all hires.

11.     Plan for new employee orientation.  Nothing is worse than a surprise hire – new employee shows up to HR who knows nothing about this person – no application, no interview docs, no offer information, nothing.  Please avoid this - it looks bad on the company, makes new employee feel unimportant, and makes human resources crazy! 

While following these steps won’t protect you from all bad hires, if you take the time during this process to do all the right things, you are more likely to hire the right people.

If you still detest all of this recruiting and selecting business, you can consider the use of a temporary agency for some of your recruiting and hiring needs.  Many of them offer a temp to perm roll-over arrangement (90-day), so you can try candidates out with no obligation.  The cost of this service may very well outweigh the pain that headaches from hiring can cause.  You can also check with the SMART Business Resource Center who assists employers with the entire recruiting and selection process, and may be a good fit for your business too.