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Category Archives: Human Resource

The 8-Step Hiring Process – Part 3

26 Sunday May 2019

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

annual staff review, Business Tips, how to review staff, Human Capital, Human Resource, manager tool kit, perfect phrases, performance review steps, Problem Solving, staff evaluation

In the third and final part we cover steps 6, 7 and 8.

Step 6. Interview and Select the Candidates

Six, interview and select the candidates.

You’ve met the candidates, you’ve completed the interviews, now to take stock and select the successful applicant.

The hiring manager (and where applicable, the line-manager) make the selections. Depending on your organisation, such as a country manager reporting to head office, sometimes a more senior person might have to approve the outcome.

Step 7. On-Boarding, Probation & OJT

Contrary to what some sales people might think, a sales is not complete until they receive the payment.

Similarly, hiring is not over until your new employee clears probation. That’s the seventh step.

The hiring manager and line-manager handle the following stages of the hiring process:

  • On-boarding
  • On-the-job training
  • Probation

Step 8. Confirmation

If the new employee successfully completes the probation, the line-manager recommends confirmation and the hiring manager/business owner approves.

This in a nutshell is a typical 8-Step Hiring Process.

–

Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2019

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The 8-Step Hiring Process – Part 2

12 Sunday May 2019

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

annual staff review, Business Tips, how to review staff, Human Capital, Human Resource, manager tool kit, perfect phrases, performance review steps, Problem Solving, staff evaluation

Continuing from last week, here are steps 3, 4 and 5.

Step 3. Short List the Candidates

The third step is to shortlist the recruited candidates.

If you use an employment agency, they’ll handle the first round of short-listing.

But if you’re recruiting, then you need to shortlist the pool of candidates for the interviews. If you’re the business owner or office manager, you might be the one handling this human resource function.

Better still, there is a simple short-listing template coming up in a blog post. An admin-assistant can handle the short-listing.

Step 4. Maximise the Interview Event

Fourth comes the interviews, something you’ve been building up to.

In a short time, within an hour or less, you need to spot and select the right person. You can well imagine, the more preparations you’ve made, the higher the chances of finding a good fit.

The person you want and for that person to want to work with you. It works both ways.

Have two people carry out the interview—the hiring manager and the line-manager. If there is no line-manager, then have a second person (perhaps the office assistant) make the pair. A second opinion helps moderate the selection.

Step 5. Contact the Candidates

Fifth step, contact the candidates. Why is contacting the candidate a step by itself?

Because the interview starts when you make that first contact—not when the candidate first walks into your office.

There is a method to making first contact—something that most hiring managers ignore. More of this in later blog posts.

In the next post, we conclude this 3-part series with steps 6, 7 and 8.

–

Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2019

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The 8-Step Hiring Process – Part 1

28 Sunday Apr 2019

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

annual staff review, Business Tips, how to review staff, Human Capital, Human Resource, manager tool kit, perfect phrases, performance review steps, Problem Solving, staff evaluation

Can you guess the 8 steps in a simple hiring process? In a 3-part series of blog posts we’ll cover all 8 steps that a typical small business owner could mirror.

Step 1. Define the Job Requirements

Define your requirements regarding the job and the candidate—in the order of importance:

  • The job scope—what you want the person to do
  • The candidate’s qualifications—hard skills, soft skills and expertise
  • The job title—position in the business hierarchy

Notice that job title comes last. Most employers start with the job title and build in the problem from the word—Go!

In many small businesses the office manager or the owner himself might define the job requirements.

But—this is important—if you destine the new hire to work for/report to a particular line-manager, then involve that line-manager when defining the job requirements.

You’re the boss; the engine under the bonnet; the hands on the steering wheel, driving the business. All true. But every business is a team effort. At the very least, a second opinion helps with moderation. Moreover, you’re paying good money for that line-manager. Maximise your money. Tap that line-manager’s input. Plus, he has to work the new hire. Give him a say. Get him to buy into the hire.

Step 2. Recruit a Pool of Candidates

Recruit a pool of candidates and remember, the larger the pool the greater the choice. This is the class from which you will choose the best.

There are various avenues for recruiting: via advertisements, referrals and internal recruitments. Increasingly, organisations outsource recruitment to professional agencies—head hunters, as they’re sometimes referred to.

Join me next time for Steps 3, 4 and 5. And keep count of how many steps you guessed.

–

Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2019

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Scenario Questions

14 Sunday Apr 2019

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

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Tags

annual staff review, Business Tips, how to review staff, Human Capital, Human Resource, manager tool kit, perfect phrases, performance review steps, Problem Solving, staff evaluation

For some jobs, such as sales/marketing/business development—individuals can stand on their track record.

But how do you identify track record/expertise where people work in teams? Think of the shirker in your old college project team. Has the candidate applying for the job hijacked his team’s success as his own? Worse, is he blamed for his team’s failure?

But some hiring managers rely on “years of experience” as a proxy for “expertise”.

Scenario or situation-based questions are the best means to identify expertise.

If you’re a HR manager seeking someone for a HR function, you know the questions to formulate. You have the job-specific skills to pull this off.

If the scenario question is specific to a line function invite that line-manager to construct the questions. He knows best the problems and the help he needs.

Here is a sample scenario question for a hydraulic systems technician in the automotive, industrial, aviation, or marine sector:

System pressure is low. The pressure gauge is not defective. Full reservoir; and the system plumbing is not leaking. What could be the problem?

This is a common trouble-shooting scenario for hydraulic technicians. He might have worked in a workshop for many years. But was he mopping the floor and topping up the oil? Or was he in the thick of things? A scenario question will nail his level of expertise and experience.

Caveat: Do not allow line-managers to waste the interview session by having them cover questions which the HR person can handle. Questions such as what is your strength; what is your weakness; and similar generic themes.

In fact, when the HR or hiring manager is interviewing the candidate, the line-manager should keep silent; study the candidate’s body language; and pick up hints regarding his character.

–

Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2019

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Identify, Measure and Grow Human Capital

24 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

annual staff review, Business Tips, how to review staff, Human Capital, Human Resource, manager tool kit, perfect phrases, performance review steps, Problem Solving, staff evaluation

Here is an outline to identity, measure and grow your team’s human capital.

List 3 to 5 soft skills you desire or reflects your management style, business needs, and corporate culture. Take a team approach (from multiple stakeholders) and draw up this list.

Construct questions to identify the soft skills and proficiency tests to verify expertise you seek. Do not rely on mere “years of experience” as time spent on a job does not equate to expertise. Proficiency tests could be multiple choice or short-answer questions and scenario based questions.

Establish a baseline with internal staff. Interview and test your existing staff. Assign numerical scores (for example, give scores of 1 to 10) for the interview questions and proficiency tests.

To minimise subjectivity (the bane of interviews and selections) use the same questions and sequence for all candidates. Use a template to keep the interview and selection process consistent.

To further minimise subjectivity, have at least two interviewers and average their scores for each interviewee.

Collect the scores and establish your team’s average score. You have a numerical target.

To ensure growth in your team’s human capital, every new employee must exceed the team’s average score (the numerical target).

–

Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2019

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The 3 Types of Capital

17 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

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Tags

annual staff review, Business Tips, how to review staff, Human Capital, Human Resource, manager tool kit, perfect phrases, performance review steps, Problem Solving, staff evaluation

Businesses require 3 types of capital:

Financial Capital

Money grabs the most attention and the large corporations, with their deep pockets, enjoy a clear advantage.

Time Capital

Time is money. Unlike spent money, you cannot recover spent time. Moreover, everyone has the same 24 hours: an individual, a mom-and-pop shop or a huge corporation.

Human Capital

People working in an organisation contribute their talent for rewards. And the more human capital a business accumulates, the better its chances of success.

What is Human Capital?

In simple terms, human capital comprises 3 components

  1. Hard skills (training and qualifications)
  2. Technical expertise (includes experience)
  3. Intangible qualities (soft skills)

When members of your team possess all three components in the right proportion, your team’s human capital grows.

Ensure that you interview and select the right people.

–

Join me next week for an outline to identify and grow your team’s human capital.

–

Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2019

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The 10 Goals of Performance Appraisal

10 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

annual staff review, Business Tips, how to review staff, Human Capital, Human Resource, manager tool kit, perfect phrases, performance review steps, Problem Solving, staff evaluation

Managements and human resource (HR) experts are great fans of performance appraisals because of the benefits.

Here is a list of the 10 goals:

  1. To reward exemplary performers.
  2. To motivate under performers.
  3. To identify training needs.
  4. To improve communication.
  5. To decide on staff retention or termination.
  6. To validate training & development programs.
  7. To test effectiveness of recruitment & selection.
  8. To measure gaps in targets and results.
  9. To establish forward goals.
  10. To comply with statutory and/or union awards.

The benefits are compelling and real. In its most basic form, and one that the vast number of organisations adheres to, the annual performance review is central to performance management.

Sound human resource management demands that your performance review protocol meets all 10 of the above goals.

–

Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2019

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Why Great Team Builders Chose the Best

13 Wednesday Jul 2016

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Business, Career, Change management, Entrepreneur, Human Capital, Human Resource, Management, Organization, People, Small Businesses, SME, Solutions, Staff, Team building, walk the talk

1. Why do great team builders chose the best people?

Great team builders know that more than quantity, it is quality that counts. The team is made up of individuals and will succeed or collapse dependent on its weakest link.

2. Why don’t hiring managers chose the best people?

There are many reasons and here are a few (feel free to share your points in the comments below):

  • They’re unable to recognize the best – the most talented.
  • They do not know what they’re looking for in people.
  • They confuse paper qualifications and “years of experience” for expertise.
  • They’re fearful of bringing in people who might outshine them.
  • And many more…

3. Is it not true the more the talented, the more an employer has to pay?

Most people speak in general terms and this is part of the problem. Instead of asking the right questions, they seek the “right” answers. Getting the right answer to a wrong question is not progress, not productive. However, even a wrong answer to a right question sets you on the path of progress.

Instead of seeking the “most talented” the question should be – How do I select the most talented (the best) from a given class of candidates?

This leads us to the next question.

4. How do I determine the class of people?

You do this by clearly defining the following:

  • The job’s scope – what exactly do you want that employee to accomplish. The more detailed, the better.
  • The job’s requirements – both objective or hard skills (paper credentials, years of experience, etc) and subjective elements such as soft skills.
  • An overview of the remuneration package on offer.

These three criteria will attract the right people, or people who consider themselves qualified.

Use the objective/hard skills as a funnel to shortlist candidates, people who meet ALL the requirements (excluding the soft skills) – and this will be your class of applicants.

During your selection process, zero in on the soft skills you desire and you will have your best-in-class. You’re not paying more but paying the same to chose the best from a given class of candidates.

5. Let us be candid here, as a salaried manager, if I chose someone better than me, I risk losing out on promotions and even my job. Do you expect me to chose what is good for my employer over what is good for me?

A pointed question and it’s a very valid question. Answer pending…

 

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Note: I shall upload more questions and answers in this post, and welcome you to “follow” my blog so that you’re kept updated.

Meanwhile, enjoy this short clip: Quality over Quantity is what makes a winner!

****** You’re welcome to share this blog post ******

 

 

 

 

 

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Course on Udemy

26 Thursday May 2016

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Business Tips, Career, Entrepreneur, HR, Human Capital, Human Resource, Management, People, Problem Solving, Public sector, Small Businesses, SME, Solutions, Staff, Team building

Click on Link > Course on Interview Questions

Not Free anymore, sorry!

###

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Interview Question: Frequently Asked Questions

05 Thursday May 2016

Posted by Eric Alagan in Business, Human Resource

≈ 2 Comments

Updated: 21 April 2020

This post is for participants enrolled in my on-line course: Interview Questions – Interview like a Professional HRM

IQs_Promo Image_2

  1. How often do you update this FAQ?

In the initial stages, as I foresee many questions, I shall update once a month. After the first 6 months, I shall update as and when required.

2. How will I know when revisions are uploaded?

I shall message enrolled participants via Udemy.

3. Can I private message you regarding my particular business?

If the questions are related to this course – Interview Questions – yes, message me privately via Udemy and we’ll take it from there.

4. Do you provide tips – other than on Interview Questions – for small businesses?

I provide business tips in this blog – aptly named Business Courses and Tips – where I post articles and videos.

5. How soon will you respond to questions posted on your Udemy course page?

I’ve set a target of 2 business days, but do cut me some slack if/when life interferes.

6. What are the guidelines regarding private messaging you?

First, adhere to Udemy’s guidelines on private messaging instructors.

Second, keep your message succinct – that is, no more than 100 words – and include information that will help me to assist you, namely, your Industry – Specific Segment, Staff Strength and Job Function.

Example: Transportation – Airport Transfers, 5 people including self, Owner/operator.

7. How to answer these interview questions?

  • (a) How do you describe yourself?
  • (b) If we offer this post what will you bring to our company?
  • (c) How/where do you see yourself in 10 years?
  • (d) What is your weakness and strength?

First off, it is difficult to comment on the relevance of these questions without first checking out the job scope and required candidate attributes.

These are generic questions. Just because many interviewers ask these questions does not render them valid or effective in discovering talent relevant to a particular job . Moreover, one can find stock answers on the internet and even get help from career coaches. And for high paying jobs, candidates are known to seek out career coaches to prepare for the interview.

Asking a candidate to “describe yourself” or “what will you bring to the job” is similar to walking into a department store and asking the salesperson to “tell me what all you sell”. A shopper is usually specific – “I’m looking for running shoes. Show me your running shoes.”

As a hiring manager, I usually seek specifics.

For example: “This job requires a person to be meticulous. I’m seeking someone who is meticulous, who is detail oriented.”

Right, so I start by asking myself this question: What question(s) will draw out this attribute?

Asking a candidate to “describe yourself” or “what are your strengths and weaknesses” and hoping to catch glimpses of a meticulous trait is not the best way forward. The interview usually lasts 45 minutes. My aim (in fact, it is an imperative) is to maximise both my time and the candidate’s time.

One possible question (and also to verify his relevant, yes, relevant strength) could be:

“We are seeking someone who is meticulous. Give me an example from your work experience where you proved to be meticulous.”

There are no stock answers to be found in the internet and no career coach could have foretold this question and primed a candidate. Ask “common” questions, you get standard answers and you end up employing the ordinary.

You don’t build best-in-class teams by following the herd.

That as it might be, one might have no choice but to play the game – prepare for the “most common interview questions”. To answer your question:

  • Do an internet search using key words such as “interview questions” and you’ll have access to numerous sites that proffer answers.

8. I am a HR specialist in a software company. I’m looking (for) some interview questions like:

  • (a) What have you learned from mistakes in the work of a specialist IT
  • (b) What is your biggest weakness
  • (c) Why do you want to work with us?
  • (d) Why we should select you?
  • (e) What do you know about our company?

The intention of the last question (e) is obvious. What do you know about our company? You wish to know how much the candidate has researched your company and this is an indication of how keen s/he is to join your company. It is a good question because your intention is clear.

However, for the other questions , I can’t comment on how relevant they are because your intentions remain unknown.

You first need to consider the following sequence that I covered in the course:

Job Scope > Job Requirements > Interview Questions.

  • (i) What is the job scope for the position you wish to fill? This usually includes the job title.

What do you mean by specialist IT? What is the person supposed to do? Implement new systems, or carry out network analysis, security, IT audit, web administration, and etc. Will he be managing a team? Or, will he be working alone? All these require different but important skills – hard skills and soft skills.

What is the job title? For example, if he is a manager – then, perhaps he is managing a small team. Or, maybe he is only managing systems and not people. Again, different skill set. You have to make clear.

  • (iii) Depending on the job scope (which usually indicates the job title), you next come up with the job requirements.

Put another way, what are the attributes – the qualifications, experience and soft skills you seek in a candidate?

Qualifications and experience are hard skills and easily identified. These are what you use to shortlist candidates.

Soft skills and expertise are tougher to identify and evaluate. These are what you hope to identify in an interview through a combination of close-ended, open-ended and scenario-based questions. In order to ask questions – you should first know what the person must do (job scope) and what attributes he must have to carry out this job scope (the job requirements).

When you know what you hope to achieve – then, you can fashion relevant questions.

9. I am a hiring manager and would like you to provide sample questions that I can use to conduct interviews.

This course – Interview Questions – is an introductory course. It teaches the basic question types and how to script these questions to suit your requirements. There is sufficient information in the course for you to develop your own questions.

The remit of this course does not include providing free questions for your business. I’m a business consultant and make my living from providing consultancy work.

If you wish, I’ll provide consultancy services and develop questions for your specific needs. But this comes with a cost – payable upfront via PayPal.

If you wish to proceed on this basis, please submit the Job Scope and Job Requirements for which you are recruiting.

10. Did you ever hire a personnel and after he starts work found your judgment to be wrong?

Yes, I’ve hired people and subsequently found they did not work out. I usually do a post-hire review and exit interview to plug shortcomings in the hiring process. Over the years the percentage of “failed” hires diminished.

Hiring does not end when a person starts work. The hiring process ends when the newbie successfully completes the probation. In my next course I cover the probation process.

Overall, the total number of “failed hires” must constantly reduce in numbers when compared with the success rate – this should be the goal, the ever raising of the bar.

What I found was, most hiring managers do not keep score. And many simply play the blame game rather than carry out some serious self-analysis of their hiring process.

11. How do you do this/that when you constructed your course?

I’ve had some students (probably instructors) who ask how to do this or get a particular effect on a course they are constructing.

I’m no expert on Udemy course construction and anyway, it is outside the remit of my course on Interview Questions.

You can avail yourself to the many good and free courses offered by other instructors and by Udemy themselves. Also check out the Udemy forum.

If all else fails, contact Udemy Support. Thank you.

12. I don’t see the subtitiles – how do I access the subtitles on the videos?

Udemy uses closed-captions – subtitles – which you have to click open. See image below.

Closed Captions

Note: Closed captions are available only on courses where the instructor had inserted same. If you do not see the button at the bottom right hand of the screen – that means no captions, no subtitles.

I’ve inserted closed captions to cater for 3 classes of people:

  • (a) For people who might not understand my “accent” – not everyone can understand everybody’s accents.
  • (b) For noisy environments – such as on the tube or when minding children.
  • (c) For the hearing impaired.

13. How would you measure the competency level for any job?

This is an entry level course on Interview Questions. In a forthcoming “advanced” course, I shall cover the techniques for measuring competency levels of a job.

14. Could you give us more “practice” exercises?

The nature of this course does not readily lend itself to practical exercises. However, based on the examples and techniques given, you are welcome to two approaches:

  • (a) Formulate your own questions and upload on the course page and I shall give you my comments.
  • (b) Or, if you wish to keep matters confidential, you can private message me the questions you developed and I shall provide feedback.

You can also check out the videos in this blog. Click Tips | Videos on the top row.

15. Why your videos do not carry captions/subtitles in Portuguese?  

I’m sorry but this is an English course. However, I do provide English captions for the hearing impaired, for those who might not grasp my accent and for use in noisy environments.

16. Your course does not provide too much information. Why?

This is a basic course with a limited remit.

I’ve covered everything that I set out to do but if you find any particular lecture lacking, you’re welcome to provide specific feedback so that I can make revisions and improvements.

Simply giving a low star rating does not do you or me any good, and only discourages others who might benefit from this course.

***

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