If you don't, what would you recommend I ask/tell/do to enhance the chances of hiring someone who actually wants the job and is capable of doing it?
Out of a dozen people whom I have either interviewed and hired, or at least concurred in hiring, only two have worked out. The crazy stories I could tell you about some of the failures would curl your hair.
It seems like there are so many people looking for jobs that I must be doing something radically wrong.
Do you have a good job description that the applicants can read? That's one thing that might help, although it's no guarantee. I doubt it's anything you're doing wrong. I interviewed plenty of people for a receptionist job, and made it perfectly clear in the interview that they would be 'glued to the desk'. We still had a problem with the receptionist wanted to wander the office. I think some people are so desperate for a job, they'll say anything that will get them the job, even saying they have skills they don't.
Winds, I think that may be the explanation, I hadn't looked at it that way. But you're right, the majority of these folks claimed to have the skills we needed and then it turned out they didn't. And while I do call and check references it's very rare that former employers will say anything substantive about the person.
I composed very specific ads that describe exactly what skills are needed and the duties, although it's not really possible to describe common-sense things like you have to call if you are not coming in or you have to complete assignments (rather than tell me the night before they are due that you didn't understand what was needed).
But having a job description to discuss when interviewing is an idea. Could I ask the newly hired person to sign it as an acknowledgement that he or she knows what is required and has the ability to perform the job duties do you think?
My sister deals with this. She interviews a bunch of people, decides on a few, hires them, and hopes one works out. She manages a store. She has a hard time finding good reliable cashiers let alone assistant managers/supervisors. Some people never even show up their first day. If you ever figure it out let me know, I am sure she would like to hire the right one the first time.
I'm not a good judge of people on the first meeting. Give me 6 weeks with someone and I can nail them cold. It's frustrating if I have to hire someone.
I do work with a woman who is great at figuring out who should NOT be hired. Unfortunately, they don't listen to her enough.
I was hoping there was some magic trick that I could use...like hire people with yellow socks or something!
But it's good to know I'm not the only one.
The two people who worked out were ones whom I really liked and (this just occurred to me) had not been on the market very long. The others had been out of work for a long time and didn't wow me but seemed qualified. Some of them were just not very good, a couple were really off the wall. One lady, when asked why she had misfiled the exact same documents I had found misfiled the day before and pinted out to her, actually told me that she wanted to be fired so she could go back on unemployment.
I wonder if the qualified, hard-working folks are mostly hanging on to the jobs they have because of the economy?
OR Rainy, I do try to make sure that the people are high-energy and enjoy a fast pace (cause we're trial lawyers) but they always say yes. Other than asking them, how do I try to make sure that a candidate is a good fit in terms of persnality?
When the economy was better, you could usually weed out the ones who had spotty job history. Unfortunately, that's not the case these days. Some really hard workers who want to work just can't make it in the door, it seems.
I run across the same thing in renters. They all come in and promise how wonderful they are and what they have to offer but so many of them turn out to be flakes. In hiring or choosing a tenant I try to pick the one that has other options. If they 'need' me, I don't want them. If they choose me over two or three other options it always seems to work out better.
As far as 'calling if you can't come in', one place I know of gives all new employees a company business card. On the front is all the information they would need to give a school and family for emergency contact, on the back is their boss' name, start date and time, and the instruction that 'If ill, you must call in within 1 hour of your shift' and the special call-in number.
The job description acknowledgement can be part of the rest of the new hire paperwork package - I'd have a copy for the new employee to keep, too, so they can refer to it if needed. (And always include "other duties as assigned" in there.)
So as sort of an update, no hard choices have been presented this week. I interviewed two people and another didn't show up for his interview. One of the interviewees thought she was ready not just to try personal injury cases, but "more interesting" ones; she didn't want to work on what she called routine cases but rather complicated medical malpractice and the like--but had never tried a case, had only "assisted" at one trial and didn't know th difference between an employee and an independent contractor. the other was a guy who thought he could try complicated cases because he is good at public speaking.
The funniest is the fellow who didn't show up. I figured out that was because he lied on his resume, claiming to have worked 3 years at a law firm--however, I worked there too and know he was actually there less than a year.
I'm not sure I'd use Craig's List as my only vehicle for getting out word that I had a position open. I know I don't even look there as most "opportunities" seem suspect.
Thanks, Katty. We have tried Craig's List but the results have not been great. There's a legal publication in Chicago where we run the ads, and because it's anonymous (and litigation is a small world) the job seekers ought to know better than to tell fibs!
I was hoping there was some magic trick that I could use...like hire people with yellow socks or something!
But it's good to know I'm not the only one.
The two people who worked out were ones whom I really liked and (this just occurred to me) had not been on the market very long. The others had been out of work for a long time and didn't wow me but seemed qualified. Some of them were just not very good, a couple were really off the wall. One lady, when asked why she had misfiled the exact same documents I had found misfiled the day before and pinted out to her, actually told me that she wanted to be fired so she could go back on unemployment.
I wonder if the qualified, hard-working folks are mostly hanging on to the jobs they have because of the economy?
OR Rainy, I do try to make sure that the people are high-energy and enjoy a fast pace (cause we're trial lawyers) but they always say yes. Other than asking them, how do I try to make sure that a candidate is a good fit in terms of persnality?
That is where off the wall questions come from....
I sat in on an interview one time and the lady was coming off like a good candidate (which she was but not a good fit) until I asked her this off the cuff question regarding her philosophical/theoretical practice as a counselor which drew out the fact she was very much a my way or the highway kind of therapist which wouldn't work in the program she was interviewing for.
So questions that might work are....
When we say high-energy and fast pace position-what does that mean to you?
How do you envision your day to be like as a trial lawyer?
When you think of a trial lawyer-what t.v. Character would you be?
What lawyer based show is your favorite?
What drives you in your everyday life?
What philosophy guides your life?
What quote describe you?
If you had a sound bite (for yourself), what would it be?
