Editor’s Note: This column originally appeared on the REMODELING website, but we felt it would resonate with LBM dealers too.
Back in the day, I did not realize how important it was to allow only the best candidates to work at our company.
After all, if they were basically a good person, I figured we could shape them into the employee we needed them to be.
Repeated attempts to do this were rarely successful. So, we came to realize some things.
Hire Performers, Not Projects
When interacting with a potential candidate, ask yourself “Is this person going to produce results or become another distraction?” Yes, you are tired of interviewing and all the other work that goes into finding a good employee. You just want to fill the position and make it work.
Once you hired someone you did not adequately and dispassionately vet, every day that goes by leaves you feeling worse and worse. Keep that in mind when looking for a new employee.
The key is to hire only those who produce results. Let those who are projects keep your competition busy and unprofitable.
Go for the Best and Forget the Rest
Little things tell you a lot about a person.
- Do they show up late for the appointment to fill out an application?
- Did they ask you for a pen or pencil when they came in to fill out an application?
- Are all their references personal ones, not professional?
- Have they changed jobs every two or three years?
- Was it always someone else who caused them to leave their former job, with the candidate never taking responsibility for it not working out?
- Do they tell you why their former boss was a jerk?
- When asked what their biggest weakness is, do they say they don’t have one?
These are some of things we experienced. You know what I am talking about. “How can we get this yahoo out of our office sooner than later without embarrassing them or us?”
Don’t Be Optimistic, Be Realistic
Like most people, I want to see the best in somebody. But when interviewing, you have to set that inclination aside.
Why? You are the gatekeeper. Your company needs to be successful. In order for that to occur, your company needs to be employing only the best.
Be realistic and keep on perfecting your interviewing skills as you weed through unacceptable candidates. Don’t get tired and hire someone you know is not a fit.
One of the hardest things about having a company is finding great employees. When you find one and watch them working out well in your company, you find a tear or two going down your face. It has happened to me more than once.
Persevere! The way to be more profitable is to be doing the kind of remodeling projects your company is good at and them with great employees. Remember that you are not in the business of remodeling people, so don’t take on those projects.
