To be nervous that we hire the wrong person for the job again?

[mameulah]

Please, please can you give me your top tips for hiring a new employee.

My DH has his own business and desperately needs a good team of people to delegate too. For one or another the people he has recently hired have turned out to be awful. Lazy, incompetent and dishonest.

What are the best interview questions you have asked/been asked?

What is the best way of checking that the interviewee really is as good as they say they are?

Or any other top tips?

Apologies if this thread would be better suited in another subject area but we have a toddler and a new born due any day now. We desperately need a team behind us so that my DH can spend more some time enjoying our family.

Can't you advertise on Mumsnet?

I agree with NotYou - don't go for a youngster - look for someone who is a bit more mature, if they have been at home with children look at what sort of voluntary roles they have done - ie: secretary or treasurer to a committee would hopefully show competancy at administration.

It should be easy for your DH to set some tasks (or you if you are a teacher) - ie: draft a letter, do a role play for customer complaint call etc.

Ask if they want to come in as a 'trial' to see what the job involves and if it suits them - I have recently returned to work after 12 years at home, I volunteered to go in a few times (no pay ) to see if the job would suit me - it did and I was offered the one and only job I applied for. . And I am late 50s.

He interviewed someone for a permanent job through the agency. It was expensive and there was no comeback on the agency. And the guy was not at all suitable.

Backinthering What would happen in your ideal interview so you could show your worth too?

About an admin CV. What courses or keywords should you look for? As I said I am a teacher so my CV would look completely different and I just don't know. I really want to help my overwhelmed DH with this as much as possible. Thirty years ago I know you would look for an admin CV saying Pittmans. What are the main courses these days?

Having appointed the most brilliant administrator a couple of years ago I can tell you what worked for us.

1. An inbox test, which shows you how candidates prioritise and how efficient they are under time pressure. Usually a good idea if the test involves writing a letter so you can check their grammar and spelling.

2. Ignoring the applicants who showed more enthusiasm about the subject of the research project and short listing those whose enthusiasm, qualifications and references showed a love for financial administration and organisation. You want someone who LOVES dealing with invoices and lusts after filing systems

3. Asking them how they would set up an office from scratch - very revealing on how organised and efficient they are.

4. Appointing someone who had run a department before she had DCs, and who was monstrously overqualified but wanted something part time and flexible to fit in with school hours.

I can't stress that last point more strongly. There are a lot of high flying women around who have put their careers on hold or even ditched them to have families. If you can offer flexibility and school hours (plus maybe some evening working?) you are likely to find yourself with an outstanding employee who doesn't want to leave.

There is a brilliant section in The Gift of Fear (Gavin de Becker) about this, I can't remember all the questions he suggested asking but I think there was one about asking what your previous boss would say about you.

It was a section specifically about how to avoid employing staff who would give you problems. I have tried to google them but no luck!

PiratePanda All those options are a possibility. Someone who thrived on efficiency and organisation would be ideal. Hard to know if someone is just saying they love filing in an interview or if they actually LOVE filing though! So frustrating...

I really would ask about what their voluntary work involves - I've always worked in admin (and think I am pretty good at it - although pre-computer days ) and have always been secretary or treasurer at numerous committees etc I have been involved with.

Again point 4 of Pirate's comments is relevant - I earn about a quarter of what I used to earn but in a job that really suits my current life style, I am not looking for career progression - just something that fits in well with everything else in my life. .

Also, check the reason they want the job - apply common sense, as they will most likely bend the truth in an interview.

If they have a first from Oxbridge in IT specialist systems, they are likely to be waiting for something better to come along.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about too many formal qualifications as long as they can do the basics - use excel competently, set up a letter and invoice template etc...all of which can be tested at the interview stage.

Experience wise, I would be looking for someone who has been employed steadily previously - if they've switched jobs every twelve months or so, alarm bells would start ringing for me, if there was no apparent reason.

I second trial days or even full day interviews - a short 'normal' interview in the morning, a few hours working in the role and a period of reflection at the end of the day.

Also think about how you can make the role more appealing to a variety of candidates, not just financially but in other areas - flexitime, further training, ability to work from home, good holidays, car supplied or other perks (although there may be benefit in kind implications), a decent break over christmas, pension scheme, childcare vouchers etc.

My best employees have been mothers coming back to work too.
Competent, focused and reliable, and with a common sense and can do attitude. No task too demeaning! For eg our office manager washes the mugs if they are lying around after clients have been in, vacuums the floor, if biscuit crumbs are there, and checks on the loos as well as the invoicing and also a lot of the sales. She also manages the consultants we have, and their diaries. She's a mother hen!

We hire with other members of staff participating on the interviewing committee, (which basically a chat in a circle) and we all have a say in who is hired, and how much their salary is. They will have to work with them, so if they don't like them, well, it makes things impossible. We go for pints on Friday and hear about a lot of things then! We have 6 months probationary period.
You should ask anyone who is working for you already if they know of anyone suitable, even if they don't have the skills. Maybe someone they know who has just lost their job and wants to work. We did this and hired a superb person- we trained her up, and she shone.

We also have a few tasks for prospectives to do, (we leave the desk a bit messy, and see if they tidy it) and usually we ask them to do a spreadsheet and answer the phone as a surprise, just to see how they react under a bit of pressure, and also to see if they can ask for help if they can't do it. Some don't ask for help!

My best interview was one that I thought I had been the worst in. I do not interview well, despite using techniques to relax and focus I tighten up almost as soon as I walk into the room and forget how to use my mouth.
It was for an admin role, they asked me what my dream job would be (astronaut ), to tell them a joke (could I think of a clean one?? No. No I couldn't) and gave me a test to check out my organisation skills (a pile of delivery notes to put in order and enter the data onto the system). Despite me feeling like I'd screwed up I got the job, apparently because I immediately got down to the task and picked up the basics of an unfamiliar system quickly. They were more interested in that than any smooth talking.

Ask for examples of the skills you need. Get them to describe what they did before. If you say we need someone who is very organised, can you give me examples of how you meet this requirement.
Ask about what software they have used. Might seem obvious but if you need someone to use word, excel and outlook, ask some specific questions about it.
I know a company who hired an ex-pa for a customer service role and she couldn't use outlook or the internet!

YANBU. It's hard DH and I own a law firm and we're struggling to find someone after a family friend fleeced us for his training (£48000) he passed the course then left

mumtoateen That is awful. Really, really awful. Not just the money aspect of your ordeal but the absolutely terrible disappointment that must have come with the experience. Hope it all sorts itself out.

I appreciate the heads up about different programs to check for, and particular admin daily experiences. It probably sounds silly but I don't have experience in this and am not confident about my knowledge on the subject.

All of your insights are great, and so far everyone has been helpful.

That must be a mumsnet first!

Mameula, Using the Jobcentre+ may be a reasonable starting point. I bet there is a fair bit of untapped talent there for a good quality adminstrator who may just need to be given a chance in a friendly family company. Maybe even someone who is a returner, wanting to get back again after a career break.

Agency fees are often prohibitive, and no guarantee of success (as you found out) so if you can use other means, then at least you wont be putting your hard earned profits into an agency's account!

Also, I think that you may need to face the possibility that your role will be a stepping stone for someone. You may need to recruit again every 18 months. Those kind of roles tend to be like that. Provided you get a trustworthy hard-worker, just enjoy the help for as long as they stay. A good admin is worth their weight in gold!

Mumtoatean, it would be worth considering a pay-back clause in future, on a sliding scale. i had to commit to staying x number of years before my company would agree to fund a uni course. And I had to stump up some of the fees myself, so it does create the incentive to stay put!

OP

If you hired someone via an agency and they were useless there is a rebate clause
The agency usually works to replace the employee for free or rebates your fee on a sliding scale depending on how long they have been there.
It is up to you to ensure that the rebate facility covers the probation period from 100% to 0%
Agencies can also administer all sorts of admin tests on your behalf and have often tested candidates for skill levels on in house tests.

I'd be having chats with the Agency requesting a free replacement

Do you pay well? If you are paying the least you can get away with then lack of effort is to be expected.

I am useless at interviews as I am quite introverted and not good at blowing my own trumpet. However I am hardworking reliable and good at the jobs I have done. I quietly get on with it and always hit the ground running. I have been rejected for being too quiet and not havning fancy answers to somtimes ridiculous questions but I can and do do the job.

What about a temp to perm contract, say 6 months with a view to becoming permanant?

I don't think you should dismiss an agency totally out of hand. Instead of a permanent role look at a temp role potentially leading to permanent.

My current role started this way and within 3 months I was a permanent member of staff. This does seem an excellent way of integrating a neq staff member. You can see their work methodology and also see if they 'fit'and quite simply uf they are not suitable you do not have to have them the following week!!

Good luck :)

And sorry for typos - on my phone - I am actually very precise....

As an aside I am a mum of a 7 year old who went part time to fit around him and I do a hell of a lot in my 20 hours :) :)

Thank you everyone, you have ALL been very helpful. I have learned a lot. Fingers crossed it works out this time.

If anyone has anything else to add then please do so. We would much appreciate it.

This is such a good thread! Have got lots of tips from this myself, hope you have too OP

My challenge is getting two hundred plus cvs for a job vacancy and not knowing how to narrow them down, as some of the worst applicants have the best cvs (aka works of fiction!). I waste time interviewing and I'm sure I miss good people as well... Anyone got tips on seeing through the gloss???

Yes, you must have used the wrong agency! Just get temps in to cover and one usually pops up that is fab.

Anyone got tips on seeing through the gloss???

Yes. Firstly I would sift those that looked good against those that didn't using gut reaction only. Then I had a cynical friend [my secretary at the time] who would resift. She had an uncanny knack for spotting the crap. Then I'd go with a grid and interview those that had the most ticks in boxes, plus had additional talents that could be useful to the team.

We were not allowed at the time to do our own reference checks, and the biggest tip I'd say is to call up the referee yourself for a chat. In fact, I only ever recruit now from people I know. Usually they start as volunteers and then get paid work, then I act as referee for them and then they get permanent work in other places if not with us.

Temps cost significantly more than perm hires.

Having done plenty of recruitment, I'd suggest competency based questions and also an online psychometric test. I'd ask them to do the psychometric test beforehand and then use that as a springboard for your competency-based questions. Here's the link of a very reputable company that I've used in the past - they're also admin-light to get yourself set up and best of all, it's a free service! www.findingpotential.com/SIGNUP/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw6deeBRCswoauquC8haUBEiQAdq5zh8zC6LUS2OLCTVtRmD7L4Hm7yvKSremTX0G8ADd_T24aAs-W8P8HAQ#.UazFcJxUrXs

Good luck :-)