The Four Key Steps In Hiring And Keeping Top People

"When you hire the best, the rest is easy!" We have heard this phrase many times, but how do we put this concept into action? We know that hiring the best people is vital to the success of your business, especially for fast growing businesses. And certainly, your customers have high service expectations. So?how do you hire and keep top people? Let's start from the beginning.

The job description: Often overlooked, the job description sets the tone for success when hiring new people. Start by making certain your job descriptions are accurate, up-to-date and reflect your expectations. This is an important step, as it ensures consistency in your hiring practices and says your company is well run.

Tip From The Coach: During the initial interview, be certain to present the job description, so the applicant will have a clear picture of your expectations if your company does hire them. This also helps to generate a more comprehensive conversation regarding the position being offered.

The interview game plan: Prepare a detailed interview game plan, to be used by each person doing the interviewing for your company. This game plan must include: how to evaluate a resume, sample questions to be asked during the interview process, a detailed presentation of compensation, how to do reference checks, and any final hiring details (i.e. company benefits, policy and procedures, etc.?).

Tip From The Coach: In addition to the in-person interview, consider the use of written tests and/or assessments to aid in your hiring process. This is key to hiring top people and will help to establish performance standards when hiring new employees.

Fast-track training: Develop a detailed training checklist for all newly hired employees. This should include: an orientation for the first day, a plan for the first week, an outline for the first month, and a recap of the first 90 days that includes expectations for their performance.

Tip From The Coach: By building a thorough and consistent training program, you will quickly develop top performers for your company, a "win-win" for all.

Grow and groom: To hire and keep top people, you must provide a career path to help your best people grow and to be groomed for additional responsibility. This starts in the hiring process, so consider if the person you are hiring has the skills for the current position and might also have the skills for a next level promotion. Then, identify your top candidates for promotion, and build additional training to keep their learning curve on the fast-track.

Tip From The Coach: Done properly, you will always have a "farm-team" of quality individuals ready and able to assume more responsibility. Now, that's managing for success!

So, follow these four steps and see how easy it is to hire and keep key people! The Coach says so!! Want to hear more about this important topic or ask some additional questions? Fax a note on your letterhead to 435-615-8670 or send an E-mail to ernest@powerhour.com and The Coach will fax/E-mail back to you a free invitation to be a participant on a TeleForum conference call.

Author's note: Ernest F. Oriente, The Coach, is the founder of PowerHourŽ a professional business coaching/recruiting service and the author of SmartMatch Alliances?. He has spent 17,500 hours [since 1995] delivering customized training, by telephone, in leadership, traditional/Internet marketing and sales for fast growing sales companies and entrepreneurial businesses worldwide. PowerHourŽ specializes in global distance learning by telephone, using their state-of-the-art conference call system for interactive and dynamic TeleForums. Twice-monthly TeleForums link 10-100 executives/professionals/individuals who are geographically dispersed, in a time efficient and profitable format.

PowerHourŽ is based in Olympic-town?Park City, Utah, at 435-615-8486, by E-mail ernest@powerhour.com or visit their TeleForum website: http://www.powerhour.com To receive a FREE success newsletter, with subscribers in 74 countries, send an E-mail to: ernest@powerhour.com. Recent PowerHourŽ articles have appeared in 4000+ business/trade publications and websites.

In The News:

pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Good Idea Generation ? A Process

It seems incongruous that good idea generation can be a... Read More

Spirits in the Corporate Boardroom.......Oh, sure......

There is a growing movement in the spiritual... Read More

How to Find the Right Virtual Assistant for You

If you search on Google for "virtual assistant", you'll find... Read More

How Your Feelings and Those of Your Employees Can Make The Difference

How we feel is really more important than what we... Read More

Five Defining Characteristics of Great CEOs

1. Personal insight. Great CEOs are great leaders. They know... Read More

Work Priorities: Where Can You Spend Your Time Most Effectively?

Understanding where you can spend time most effectively requires concentration... Read More

Build Your Business (On A Shoestring): Hire a College Intern

Starting up a new venture or business can be one... Read More

Motor Vehicle Policy and Your Employee Risks

It is becoming more common for employers to require employees... Read More

Negative Self-talk is Too Expensive

I'm always fascinated by the people who lift huge weights,... Read More

Must Project Managers Be Technically Savvy?

"Must Project Managers be technically savvy?" This topic always seems... Read More

Organizational Culture and Creative Blocks ? the Similarities

Few Decision makers see the link between between creativity and... Read More

Avoiding The Sheep Dip

It is a sad fact that many employees are still... Read More

What One Thing?

A few weeks ago I asked my readers what the... Read More

Selecting Top Talent: Improve Your Batting Average

I recently gave a presentation to a group of business... Read More

Training Adults, Not Teaching Children

Adults are vulnerable to personal and professional embarrassment from poor... Read More

Leadership Skills Means Turnover is Not a Problem

"Ha!" you say. "For someone to make a statement like... Read More

Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail to Create Successful Change

A bold title, don't you think? I mean, change is... Read More

Avoid Outsourcing Pitfalls in the Injection Molds and Stamping Dies Markets

When looking to outsource overseas for Plastic Injection Molds or... Read More

Overcoming Perfectionism

Perfectionism can get in the way of building or marketing... Read More

4 Tips on How to Avoid Communication Lines Breakdown

For example, in a small, two-person company, there is often... Read More

Stopping The Brain Drain: How To Capture Key Business Knowledge Before It Walks Out The Door

The verdict is in: More and more baby boomers will... Read More

Finding the Right Way to Motivate Your Employees

Fear, Incentives and GrowthZig Ziglar says that there are three... Read More

Attract and Retain Positively Great Employees - An Action Plan for Employee Training

Everyday a business owner, CEO, or manager somewhere is complaining... Read More

The Paradox of Job Enrichment

Ellen was a clerk working for a large insurance company.... Read More

Basic Management Skills

Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at... Read More

Best Workplaces

The Best Workplaces report (Financial Times, April 28, 2005) notes... Read More

Drafting an Employee Manual Sample Outline

One of the hardest things I had discovered running my... Read More

Performance Management - Getting The Most Out of Your Employees

Managing for Best PerformanceIn it's simplest form, performance management is... Read More

Employee Turnover: Is It Eating Up Your Profits?

Keeping the cost of doing business down, yet providing a... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Maximize the Two People Inside

Every one of us, in reality, has two people inside:... Read More

Your Company Without Training - Any Questions?

Okay, be honest!Are you guilty of sticking in a few... Read More

One Thing You Cant Hide

One of the most important of all motivators at work... Read More

Conquering the Number One Problem in Business--Poor Communication

The Number One problem in business is poor communication: between... Read More