 Locating Qualified PersonnelPublished Date: 2005-10-09 09:34:19 WorkOnInternet.com
Picking a Resume A good resume will include a cover letter and references. Some job seekers find professional resume writers to create a target resume that addresses all of the qualifications you're searching for in an employee. Others choose to create their own and often fall short of grabbing your interest. But that doesn't mean that you should judge an applicant by "who" creates the resume. The job history should be studied carefully. Are they job hoppers? Have they ever stayed at a place for five or more years? Are there contact numbers from previous employers that you can call for reference? Are there skills beyond the requirements of your job that the applicant possesses? So if you find yourself searching for a secretary with decent computer skills who likes to communicate with people, the resume of the right candidate should have experience in both the secretarial and customer service fields. Ideally, you want the talents of the right candidate to include skills and talents outside of the specific area that you need for the position so that they may grow with the company into more challenging positions. Anyone with some office management or accounting experience would be a definite bonus for you and the company. In fact, that would be a top flight resume and someone you definitely want to call in for an interview. A lack of experience is not always a deal breaker. Aptitude, or the ability to learn new skills easily, and a good attitude with a strong work ethic can actually be better attributes than experience. While they may not be able to immediately step into the position without some training, they can master the skills of the job and continue growing beyond your wildest expectations. Conducting an Interview If you are looking at Bob's resume you quickly see that he has 8 years of experience in an administrative role and 3 years of experience working in a fast food restaurant. So if you need someone to perform light administrative tasks, as well as answer phones and handle customer questions, is Bob your man? Well, he has the administrative skills but seems to be coming up short on the customer service side of things. When you probe a little deeper, you find that Bob was an assistant manager at the fast food place and therefore had to field customer and employee complaints day in and day out. Although the experience is not exactly what you were looking for, dealing with people in a fast food place can be very demanding and that means that Bob could probably handle your customer base with ease. Similar experience is definitely something to consider when evaluating candidate potential. Evaluating the Candidate The entire screening process can ultimately take upwards of a month and involve multiple interviews. Always take body language into account, especially noting whether or not they look you in the eye when speaking to you. Shifty eye movement is suspect and references should be double checked. Also, how is their posture? Do they slouch? What about their voice, is it confident and at a level that is easy to hear or are they meek and have a tendency towards mumbling? Also, be looking for any nervous ticks or body movements that suggest they have something to hide or fear. The handshake is an excellent opportunity to see if their palms are sweaty. Such behaviors are more natural in people fresh out of school but should be viewed with caution in people who have been in the workforce for any reasonable length of time. A background check and reference verification is essential to selecting the right candidate. If you can't make up your mind, call them in for a second interview. This time have them complete a questionnaire. You may decide to have them perform a small task that shows their skill. For instance, ask Jennifer to type you a letter using a typewriter verses a computer keyboard. Analysis her reaction to this request and don't be afraid to explain why you are asking this of her. Locating the right people is not that hard if you have a good idea of the qualifications the right candidate should possess. You will want to retain resumes for future reference and just be honest and straightforward when interviewing. By the end of the long process, you should have an employee that is eager to contribute to the organization. About the author: Ken Bidgood is the your host at Advertising XP, a fantastic website to visit when you're looking for good up to date advice and discussion about Business. For questions or comments about this article visit: http://www.advertisingxp.com/articles Come and find out about the cheapest and most profitable pay-per-click traffic on the net.
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