What to do with all those applicants?

Hiring in this economy can be a challenge and can take more time than you expect or want. I just spoke with a sales manager who was pleasantly surprised by the number of applicants -- and very disappointed by the skills and experience of most of them. Here are a few quick ideas I gave her to help her move the process forward to the in-house interview stage.

1. Create a spreadsheet with a column for every important skill or attribute and evaluate the possible candidates for each attribute.

2. Set aside a few hours each week to evaluate the new candidates. Don't let them stack up to impossible numbers. Once you get going you can get through 10 an hour, so it needn't take long.

3. Don't waste time evaluating those who don't meet the minimum requirements. They may include people who don't write a grammatical cover letter - or any cover letter at all. If you require a cover letter (and you should for any position that requires the successful candidate to write emails or letters or ad copy or marketing pieces --or any important document for the company)then do not accept any resume that does not include a cover letter. If they need QuickBooks experience and don't have it, if they must have a college degree and don't have one -- then just send them a nice no-thank you and move on to the next candidate.

4. Do send every applicant a response. Create a "No-Thank-You" notice in clipboard or auto-text and send it to every candidate you will not move forward. Why should you take the time to send "No Thank You" notes? First of all, it is simply polite. You have asked them to submit a resume and cover letter, let them know that it was received and evaluated. Secondly, it will save you time from answering phone calls and emails from candidates who want to know, "Did you get my resume?" Finally, if your name and your company name is listed in the ad, you will want to create a positive impression by sending a polite response.

5. Phone screen the best candidates. Create a scripted phone screen and ask every candidate the same questions. Take down the answers to the best of your ability and you will have a way to evaluate their phone skills and their experiences and qualifications prior to a face-to-face meeting.

Now you can decide who to bring in for an in-person interview. More on that in the next blog.

LinkedIn, Skyping, and Getting it Done

Whew. More on technology -- and more on asking for help. In my previous post I discussed my current effort to get answers about Gmail, Google Applications and other tools that may help my business. The questions started from a conversation I had with my stepson, Mo. That led me to spend copious amounts of time examining Google and seeking product reviews. Then it hit me... as a member of LinkedIn perhaps I could use this network I had developed and ask for advice. So, last Friday I signed into my LinkedIn account and posted a question.

By Sunday morning I had received 11 thoughtful answers from real business owners. I was amazed. Some of those answers I forwarded to Mo and we had a terrific Skype conversation this morning. I'm making decisions and moving forward and - thanks to technology -- the decisions are informed and the action plan not overwhelming. I am really grateful to the person who told me not to try to link my email addresses to Gmail myself. And I'm even more grateful that our son volunteered to do that job. I have made a choice, and have three action steps to complete. That's progress.

Now, back to my real job. Resumes anyone?

To Google or Not to Google? That is the question.

Oh my.

As a sole proprietor (AKA The Boss), one of my continual challenges is keeping up with technology. That was a different sort of challenge with my last employer, who hated the Web and though it was just a fad. There, my choices were very limited. Now I'm The Boss and I can do whatever I want -- I just have to figure out what that is and how it will work for my business. I've found that we "early boomers" who do not work in technology industries, but who have mastered PCs or Macs -- or both -- have to work a bit harder to keep up with new options. I am not an early adopter. I'm a middle aged adopter and I often need help.

Now, our son Mo tells me to "Get out of Outlook!" As I am preparing to hire 2 employees for my virtual business within the next year, he suggests that I move all email to Gmail, sign up for Google Apps and "simplify". Right. Simplifying like that isn't easy or simple. As The Boss -- I have to make sure I know what I need for applications and how they have to work for my business. (Auto Text, anyone?) I then need to find out whether and how Google would better serve my needs -- or decide on something else. The biggest challenge will be that the switch to whatever application I pick will be up to me.

Mo made a strong case this weekend, but he lives in Santa Cruz, I'm in Maine and he doesn't know as much about my business as he does about his clients in California. Plus -- they have him and I don't! So, in addition to doing what I do (Maine's best Hiring Consultant), marketing what I do, and planning for growth I have to research my options. That means I have spent time Googling for answers and reading conflicting blogs and articles. I will talk with anyone who has an opinion and ultimately make my own choice. Then I have to make that choice work.

It isn't what I signed up for when I started Hire Well nearly 3 years ago. But it is definitely part of being The Boss. Stay tuned.