Author: Sara Bennett

Taking the Fat Words Out of Your Hiring Process

by Sara Bennett | December 4, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, Behaviorally Based Employee Selection Models, FEATURED BLOGS, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, Hiring.Best Practices, Lead Gen Content - "Fit" get connected

If you’re a recruiter, you won’t have to wait more than 15 minutes in a conversation with a hiring manager to hear at least one “fat word”.    “I really need you to find me someone who is a  “critical thinker”!. … Read More »

Five Ways to Improve Your Hiring Results!

by Sara Bennett | November 20, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION

50% of all hiring decisions turn into hiring mistakes. Here's some ways to beat those odds.... … Read More »

So You Want to Hire a Critical Thinker!

by Sara Bennett | October 26, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, Lead Gen Content - Candidate Selection Employer Buzz, get connected

According to recent research, the number of job postings requesting “critical thinking skills” as a candidate requirement, have doubled since 2009.  Here's some ideas about how to screen candidates for "critical thinking". … Read More »

What’s the Difference Between Candidate Screening and Candidate Evaluation? Why It Matters.

by Sara Bennett | October 18, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, Hiring.Best Practices

Most of us in the business of hiring know that as many as 50% of all new hires don’t work out. Sometimes the issue is simply a process miscue - a key reference left unchecked, a resume filled with inaccurate or misleading information, a candidate who simply shows up differently on the job than they did during the interview. … Read More »

Why So Many Job Candidates Prefer Working for Small to Medium Sized Employers!

by Sara Bennett | October 12, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, FEATURED BLOGS, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, Hiring.Best Practices, Lead Gen Automation Campaign - Q4 2022.23 get connected, main whats happening

Small and medium sized companies often find themselves competing for talent on a very unequal playing field! Here's how they win the race for talent against their larger competitors! … Read More »

Meet October’s Employee of the Month!

by Sara Bennett | October 9, 2023

0 Author-Sara, INFO/RESOURCES - FOR JOB SEEKERS

Meet October's Employee of the Month - Alexya! … Read More »

Is the Job Market Signally a Reason to Celebrate or Sending Out an SOS?

by Sara Bennett | October 5, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, Lead Gen Automation Campaign - Q4 2022.23

From our perch it sure seems like it,  so wanted our readers to be aware of some recent or ongoing changes that we’re noticing. … Read More »

The Impact of AI on Who and How We Hire!

by Sara Bennett | September 28, 2023

0 ACA/AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE - Policies and Processes, Author-Jeanne, FEATURED BLOGS, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, LOCAL NEWS, EMPLOYMENT AND STAFFING TRENDS Employer Buzz, get connected, main whats happening

The role of AI in the hiring process has been an unexpected story in 2023.  Everyone is asking “how will this “technology” impact me?”. Recruiters, Hiring Managers and job Candidates are no exception.  … Read More »

The Employee Experience Starts With Your Hiring Process!

by Sara Bennett | September 21, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, RECRUITING/CANDIDATE SOURCING Employer Buzz, JS Bright Ideas, main whats happening

Anyone surprised that this thing called the “employee experience” actually starts well before a job candidate becomes an employee?  Here's how kick start the employee experience while hiring.... … Read More »

Try Before You Buy: A Smart Way to Hire!

by Sara Bennett | September 7, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, Hiring.Best Practices, Lead Gen Content - Candidate Selection, Temp-to-Hire Staffing get connected

New to the temp to hire audition as a hiring model? Here's a step by step way to introduce this model to your team. … Read More »

Employee of the Month – September 2023

by Sara Bennett | September 6, 2023

0 EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. STAR MARKETING, Employees of the Month!

Meet Samson! He's our Employee of the Month for August 2023 and works as an Inspector at a local housing authority. … Read More »

Employee of the Month – August 2023

by Sara Bennett | August 21, 2023

0 EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. STAR MARKETING, Employees of the Month!

Meet Samson! He's our Employee of the Month for August 2023 and works as an Inspector at a local housing authority. … Read More »

Fit Finding Made Easy – Candidate Screening

by Sara Bennett | May 26, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, Lead Gen Content - "Fit" get connected

What You Need to Know About a Candidate Before You Hire Them! 

For our regular blog readers it comes as no surprise that PACE's approach to hiring is all about finding a candidate who is a good fit for a particular job and work environment.   Yes, that candidate will have the skills and work experience necessary to do the job, but we believe even more important is the match up with all those components of "fit" that result in a candidate who can not only do the job but will love doing it at very high levels.  As we talk about often, we believe that taking the time to find an employee who is the right fit has big pay offs - improving the productivity of a team, making it easier to retain team members, and in general positively impacting the team's morale. We've seen it multiple times - hiring decisions based on "fit" are decisions that "make a big difference" to the team's success. While the process of FIT FINDING requires a hiring manager to get clear about the job, the work environment and the candidate, this blog is about the candidate side of fit finding – what you need to know about a candidate to determine if they are the “right fit” for the job you are hiring for.  It assumes you’ve already taken the time to understand the job, its content, and all those things about the work environment that matter! 

Here's FIVE factors you need to get clear any job candidate when hiring for "fit"...

#1  The Candidate’s CAN DOS - their concrete SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE they need to do the job!     

  • Do they have the specific skills and knowledge to do the work?
  • Does their work history show that they have done the same or similar work? In what ways will what they have done in previous jobs transfer to what they will be doing in this job?
  • What kind of on the job training will they need to get them up to speed?
  • Do they have enough experience doing the same or similar work to know when they need to ask questions? Or reach out for help?  IOW, are they smart enough to know what they don’t know?
How do you get answers to these questions? 
While a good portion of your interview needs to dig into the specifics of a candidate's actual work experience, avoiding assumptions that get made simply by looking at the job titles and descriptions of work that appear on their resume, if you have any concerns at all, there's nothing like a comprehensive skills assessment program to see for yourself if the employee has the skills and knowledge they claim to have.  If you haven’t invested in skills testing software, reach out to PACE.  We have a comprehensive library of skills assessment exercises that we can use to "skill test" a candidate for an affordable cost.

#2  The Candidate’s WANNA DOS – uncovering those  intrinsic talents and work preferences that they enjoyed doing in the past that are likely to make them successful "at this job, in this work environment".  

  • Will the kind of work the employee will be doing each day something they will enjoy and be good at?  Does it play into the kind of work responsibilities the candidate enjoys the most?   OR are there components of the job that they likely won't like - that to do they'll need to "change their stripes”?
  • Is the job going to be challenging enough to keep the employee engaged? For how long?   
How can you find out? This is where your behavioral interview comes into play, asking questions that zero in on......
  • Things the candidate liked or didn’t like about their previous jobs.  What specific types of work they have been good at or not so good at in previous jobs?  
  • Their personal hobbies or activities they do outside of work, and WHY they enjoy them?
We find that candidates will report that they enjoyed certain components of their past jobs that they were good at.  If you uncover a candidate didn't like a particular type of work, chances are its the type of work they aren't that good at.  Knowing the kind of work a candidate likes and is good at is key to finding that fit between the candidate's strengths and the actual job content.   

#3 The Candidate’s Extrinsic MOTIVATORS (or DeMotivators) - things that will turn them on or off about where they work.        

  • What are the factors likely to motivate the candidate to do the job at high levels and enjoy doing it?
  • Is your recruiting story about why a candidate would like this job relevant to what the candidate needs to achieve thru their work - or do they tend to be motivated by things you or your job doesn’t have to offer?
  • Is the candidate likely to be motivated by the actual work content? The pay and benefit plan?  An opportunity to be promoted?  Learn more?
  • What is their level of interest in what the company does? Is anything about what you do that would be a turnoff to the candidate once hired?
How will you uncover this information? 
Every interview needs to include a discussion with a candidate about the work history you see on a resume or application from a motivational perspective.   There is actually a simple formula that you can use to get the information you need to identify patterns and trends.  For each job ask.....
  • Why did they take each job? Why did they leave?
  • What they liked AND disliked about each job ?
  • How long did they stay at each job?  Was there a difference in how long they stayed at a job they liked, compared to one they didn't like?  
  • Is there a pattern of personal or job satisfaction issues that seem to crop up, prompting a job change?
NOTE:   Many interviewers will short cut the work history analysis, preferring to ask what the candidate is hoping to "gain" from their next job.  We think that question short changes the real question which is how they actually made decisions in the past.   Hiring for "fit" is about finding out what type of job or work environment has been the "right fit" in the past. 
 

#4  The LOGISTICS -  More Can and Wanna Dos

  • Are the physical logistics of the job (things you can’t easily change about the work or the work environment) doable/acceptable by the candidate?
  • Do they have the transportation to get to and from work as needed?
  • Are they able to get to work during regular work hours?
  • Are you able to allow them to periodically work from home if that is what is important to them?
  • Is the actual work setting (ex. that lone desk in the back office) going to become an issue?
How will you find out?  
Questions that are focused on the candidate's ability to comply with the logistics of the job are one of the most important components of a screening interview - making sure that the more comprehensive interviewing to focused only on the candidates who meet the logistical requirements.  Where the job is performed?  Workplace rules and boundaries? etc. 
Most logistics relevant questions have simple yes no answers  (ex.  are you able to work in our Renton office 3 days a week?) but don’t be afraid to ask for reasons behind the yes’s nos or probe more deeply.  (ex.  You indicated that you didn’t like working from home in your last job?  How will you deal with the 2 days you will work from home in this job?)
We always recommend our client give a job candidate a tour of their physical facility so that they have an opportunity to observe the work environment, their future teammates in action.  

#5 The Candidate’s Typical or Preferred WORK STYLE ..…. 

…requires you to uncover a candidate’s preferred way of working - the kind of alignment between the "way we do things around here" and how the candidate prefers to work that can be a deal breaker when a new employee uncovers post hire that they are not a good fit for the work environment.
  • Does the candidate tend to prefer work environments that have a lot of meetings, huddles or 1/1 collaborations, or do they prefer working alone, without a lot of interpersonal distractions?
  • Do they prefer to work for a hands on supervisor, someone who is always there to answer questions, or do they prefer to work "hands free" with freedom to do their job their way?
  • Are they good with change, work environments where change is always ongoing, or do they prefer work that is more stable, less likely to change?
  • Do they enjoy interacting with teammates socially or do they tend to leave work and relationships behind when off the clock?
How can you get answers to these types of questions? 
Again, the key is to ask the candidate specific questions about what they have done in their past jobs that approximates the kind of issues they are likely to face in your work environment.  These are the kinds of questions that often go beyond what can be covered in a screening interview and are typically handled by a hiring manager in a more in depth evaluation interview.  A screening interview, for example,  might include very generic inquiry about the candidate's preferences for a particular type of work environment...
    "Based on your previous jobs, are there any kind of work environments that you found to be problematic for you?  A boss that didn't give you the support you needed?  A work environment was challenging for you?"
An evaluation interview on the other hand, can be much more specific about the candidate's experience handling specific types of situations that are commonplace.....
         "Have you had experience working in an environment where it was very difficult to get in touch with your boss when  issues would come up?  Where you had to solve problems on your own, oftentimes with very limited ways to reach out for help.  Describe how you handled that type of challenge.       
   
PACE Staffing Network is one of the Puget Sound’s premier staffing /recruiting agencies and has been helping Northwest employers find and hire employees based on the “right fit” for over 45 years. A 5-time winner of the coveted “Best in Staffing” designation, PACE is ranked in the top 2% of staffing agencies nationwide based on annual surveys of customer satisfaction. PACE services include temporary and contract staffing, temp to hire auditionsdirect hire professional recruiting servicesEmployer of Record (payroll) services, and a large menu of hiring help and candidate assessment services our clients can purchase a la carte.

If you’re a hiring manager who is looking to improve their hiring results, contact us at 425-637-3312.  You can also fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch!

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Its May30th – Love Your Recruiter Day!

by Sara Bennett | May 26, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, Lead Gen Content - "Fit" get connected, main whats happening, Whats Happening

Don’t ask who decided but we’re being told that Tuesday May 30th has been designated National Recruiter Day.  What a great way to shine a light on these important contributors to business success, folks who so often don’t get the applause they deserve.  And yes, talent shortages have put them on the hot seat for quite a while now, so its about time we said “we see you!” and value “what you do! “ … Read More »

Employee of the Month – May 2023

by Sara Bennett | April 19, 2023

0 EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. STAR MARKETING, Employees of the Month!

Chase has worked for PACE since May 2022 as a Administrative Support Specialist, supporting one of the most well-respected pediatric hospitals in the nation! Chase's supervisor feels he has really become part of their team and appreciate all he has contributed. … Read More »

Employee of the Month – April 2023

by Sara Bennett | April 19, 2023

0 EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. STAR MARKETING, Employees of the Month!

Chase has worked for PACE since May 2022 as a Administrative Support Specialist, supporting one of the most well-respected pediatric hospitals in the nation! Chase's supervisor feels he has really become part of their team and appreciate all he has contributed. … Read More »

Build Your Pipeline and the Candidates will Come!

by Sara Bennett | March 8, 2023

0 Author-Jeanne, HIRING. EMPLOYEE SELECTION, Hiring.Best Practices

Build Your Candidate Pipelines and Enjoy Faster, Better and Easier Hiring… … Read More »

Employee of the Month – March 2023

by Sara Bennett | February 23, 2023

0 EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. STAR MARKETING, Employees of the Month!

Ann has worked with PACE since September 2021 as a Data Entry Specialist supporting one of the largest Healthcare organizations in Washington! … Read More »

What Makes PACE Such a Great Partner!

by Sara Bennett | February 20, 2023

0 About Staffing Agencies, Agency Pricing Practices, Author-Jeanne, Best Practices /Flexible Staffing, FEATURED BLOGS, Lead Gen Automation Campaign - Q1 2023.24, Lead Gen Content - Selecting/Managing A Staffing Partner, PACE News!, STAFFING AGENCIES - SELECTION & MANAGEMENT get connected

We don’t like to brag, but one of the things we think is really special about PACE Staffing Network, is our track record of success when it comes to retaining clients.  In an industry where client relationships are historically fickle with client turnover across the board exceeding 50% a year, the fact that so many PACE clients have been with us 20 years or longer is something we think is worth talking about.

How do we do it?

I think it starts with how we view ourselves – as partners not vendors – avoiding all those mistakes we see our competitors making that can’t help but believe causes their clients to look elsewhere for more or better.

Here are 6 things we do (that most of our competitors don't) that we know makes us a great partner....

  1. We work in teams which creates the consistency in service and outcomes our clients can rely on!  At PACE how you experience our services is not dependent on you being assigned to work with one of our staffing superstars!   When someone on one of our client teams is absent or, god forbid, gets hit by a truck, there is always another member of the team who can slip into their spot, assuring our clients that their service from PACE doesn't miss a beat.   PACE clients never get one of those “Hi – Im your new Account Manager and would like to get to know you” e mails – first of all because we have very low levels of internal staff turnover, but more importantly our clients already know their team, people already familiar with who they are and what they do.  Our team approach purposefully creates a better and more consistent service for PACE clients!
 
  1. Our mindset is not on selling our clients anything, but helping them solve their staffing problems.  And there is a big difference.  Our interactions with clients are all about uncovering what's unique about them - their pain points, finding the solution that fits them, not us.   If that solution happens to be one of the services we offer, we’re all in.  But even if it isn't, we don't stop until we know there's a solution in place.  That's why we built the network in PACE Staffing Network, which refers to the partnerships we’ve formed with other staffing agencies and companies, who, in aggregate can offer our client’s specialized solutions in all facets of their business that PACE doesn’t personally provide.   We’re serious about providing solutions even if those solutions aren't something we can personally deliver! 
 
  1. We’re really good with feedback.  While a lot of vendors ask for feedback, very few actually make changes based on that feedback.    It’s a big deal for us to get a suggestion from a client and turn that suggestion into a change in process that works better not just for the client who made the suggestion, but other clients as well.  Many of our best partnerships started with a problem that our vendor level competitors wouldn’t or couldn’t solve because they couldn't move out of their "cookie cutter" mindset.  It was not by mistake that we made it one of our key differentiators to be “world class” at customization.
 
  1. We are always transparent – particularly when it comes to pricing. Our pricing models are rationalized based on one thing – the costs we incur to deliver something our client’s value compared to the costs of alternative solutions.  And for us transparency is all about at least once a year laying out all the costs we incur to deliver our services and asking our client’s if we are delivering the value we promised or they expected.   One of our most popular blogs was created to help potential clients understand all the elements that get factored into a temporary staffing bill rate.  We followed that up with a blog to help employers negotiate more effectively with their  staffing vendor.
 
  1. We do our homework. When we help a client find that “just right” employee for either a temporary, direct hire, or temp to hire staffing model, our conversations with clients are anything but one and done.  We go in depth into any facet of your work environment or needs that we know from experience that will impact the success of the person you hire!  While many vendors in the staffing industry sound like “do you want fries with that burger”, when you ask us to find your an employee our order taking process is more like a discovery, a peeling back of the onion so to speak, to reveal what matters really.  Yes, it takes longer, but that’s an investment in a partnership we know has big payoffs both short and long term.
 
  1. We keep a diary. Yep, we’re like the FBI when it comes to taking careful notes and turning those notes into something actionable…either now or in the future. Every conversation we have with a customer or candidate gets captured; every nuance about how a recruiting project is being organized gets documented.   When we say “we keep an up to date profile” of each client, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
  The difference between a vendor and a partner couldn’t be more obvious than how you experience the different ways staffing or recruiting vendors work with their clients.   PACE clients have come to “experience the difference” in the way we do partnerships so different from what others do.  Experience the difference has been our motto from the first day of our founding and has served us well.      For more information about what PACE does, how we set ourselves apart from our competitors, and our focus on the unique needs of small to medium sized Northwest business, we’d love to have a personal chat. You can reach us by using the contact form below, emailing us at partnerservices@pacestaffing.com  or calling us at 425-637-3312.[gravityform id="56" title="false" description="false" ajax="false"]

Employee of the Month – February 2022

by Sara Bennett | February 2, 2023

0 Author-Sara, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. STAR MARKETING, Employees of the Month!

Lisa has worked with PACE since October 2021 as an Accounting Assistant, supporting one of our most high-profile and high-impact employer partners! … Read More »