Hiring a new employee can feel a lot like a guessing game. Sure, you study resumes, conduct interviews, and check references, but it often still feels like you’re taking your chances and hoping for the best. After all, job applicants can (and do) fudge resumes, candidates do their best to say all the right things and impress in interviews, and some references aren’t very forthcoming — if you can get them to return a call or email at all.
As frustrating as the process may be, it doesn’t have to be a gamble because Omnia helps take the guesswork out of hiring. And after the employee selection process is complete, we help make onboarding a productive, seamless experience too. It all starts with The Omnia Behavioral Assessment.
Our pre-employment assessment provides businesses with valuable insights into job candidates’ innate personality traits, revealing which behaviors are most natural and comfortable for them. It’s like getting a peek behind the curtain to see a potential hire’s inherent characteristics because the assessment uncovers attributes that might not be apparent from resumes, phone screens, or even interviews.
Omnia’s behavioral assessment helps companies identify candidates whose strengths and motivators align with the needs of the job, increasing the likelihood for success in the position. It also pinpoints a candidate’s potential challenge areas — something that might otherwise take weeks or months to come to the surface after starting a job.
Bonus #1: The personality insights gained from our pre-employment assessment help reduce the chance of unconscious bias in the hiring process. Rather than relying solely on subjective judgments, organizations use our data-backed assessment results as one of many factors in their decision-making, which helps to make their employee selection process more objective.
Our behavioral assessment is comprised of an adjective checklist, and job candidates select the words that best represent them. Because it is not a pass/fail test or a forced response questionnaire and there is no time limit, our assessment is an unintimidating exercise for job applicants. It’s also quick, typically taking 10 minutes or less to complete, making for a smooth candidate experience.
Although our clients are welcome to use any of the position benchmarks from our extensive library covering a variety of industries, we also offer the opportunity for clients to create their own job benchmarks unique to their businesses. They can assess the people who are successfully performing those jobs now to create a standard by which to evaluate future applicants.
The data derived from an Omnia pre-employment assessment is illustrated by an easy-to-read 8-column bar graph and explained in depth in both the Target Selection Report and The Custom Selection Profile.
Our Target Selection report compares the candidate’s attributes to the desired traits for a job and provides insightful discussions about the similarities and differences. The results are available immediately. Omnia’s Custom Selection Profile also offers informative explanations about an applicant’s job fit. Each Custom Selection Profile is individually evaluated and written by an analyst, and this enables us to tailor the writeup based on an employer’s unique needs, such as including peer and supervisor comparisons and addressing specific questions or concerns.
Bonus #2: All Omnia reports, including our automated reports, are originally written by analysts, not AI.
Understanding the characteristics that are most natural for an applicant can make interviews more impactful as well. Armed with this information, interviewers can ask behavioral interview questions that delve deeper into how a candidate’s attributes will either complement a job or become challenge areas within the position. It gives the applicant a chance to offer real-life examples of how they’ve handled specific situations and obstacles in the past, allowing employers to make hiring decisions based on concrete examples and experiences rather than surface-level impressions.
Bonus #3: All Custom Selection Profiles and Target Selection reports include behavioral interview questions specific to the traits outlined in each candidate’s report.
But the benefits of The Omnia Assessment don’t end after the selection process. The personality insights offered by Omnia’s suite of behavioral assessment reports aid in onboarding too. Understanding a new hire’s communication style or the level of structure and direction that best suits them in a new job helps companies tailor the onboarding process to the individual, maximizing their potential from the start.
Identifying a new employee’s intrinsic traits can help better integrate them into existing teams, uncovering potential conflicts or areas of synergy within the group, enabling managers to proactively address them during the acclimation process.
Bonus #4: Omnia also provides unlimited consultations with our team of expert Client Service Managers to discuss the assessment results, answer questions, and help clients get the most out of their Omnia reports.
For 39 years, Omnia has been a trusted partner through candidate selection, employee onboarding, and beyond. In addition to our pre-employment behavioral assessment, we also offer other tools such as a cognitive assessment, grammar assessment, and job ad writing assistance. Reach out to us today to discover how the Omnia advantage can help take your hiring and onboarding process to the next level!
We all recognize the pivotal role that customer service plays in business success. When mishandled, it sends ripples throughout the company, impacting not only profits but also employee recruitment and retention. Having the wrong people in key positions inevitably leads to a short-lived tenure for employees. Now, consider the following two statements for your customer service team – who would you chose:
What sets these statements apart is one critical difference that could frustrate both you as a leader and your customers. This article will unveil this difference shortly. Your customer service representatives serve as the frontline ambassadors of your brand. Their role goes beyond issue resolution; they're tasked with creating positive experiences that nurture customer loyalty and drive revenue. So, let’s discuss the importance of hiring talented customer service reps, the repercussions of neglecting this aspect, and actionable tips to empower you in the hiring and development process.
At its core, extraordinary service involves a genuine commitment to meeting and exceeding customer expectations at every touchpoint. It's about actively listening to customers, anticipating their needs, and demonstrating a sincere willingness to assist. Whether it's addressing inquiries, resolving issues, or delivering products and services, meticulous care and precision ensures that every aspect of their experience is executed to the highest standards. In essence, remarkable customer service is not just about meeting requirements — it's about creating memorable and meaningful interactions that leave a lasting impression of trust, satisfaction, and loyalty.
A business that neglects to prioritize the hiring and development of their service team risks facing a myriad of detrimental consequences. For example:
Recognizing the traits of outstanding customer service representatives is vital to building a resilient and customer-centric workforce. Some key attributes to look for include:
The Omnia Group offers invaluable tools to assist with hiring by identifying candidates who possess the essential traits as well as with developing existing employees:
This report provides deep insights into an individual's innate traits, facilitating informed hiring decisions and ensuring alignment with your organization's culture and values. By evaluating candidates' behavioral tendencies, communication styles, and problem-solving approaches, you can identify those best suited for customer-facing roles.
The most comprehensive offering, individually tailored by skilled analysts, provides a thorough explanation of candidates’ behavioral styles, supervisor and peer comparisons, and management recommendations, empowering you to make strategic talent decisions. By leveraging data-driven insights, you can optimize team dynamics, minimize interpersonal conflicts, and maximize individual performance potential.
Measures an individual's general mental ability, reflecting their aptitude for comprehending ideas and solving problems. This evaluation provides an enlightening picture of a person's ability to understand and apply concepts to different situations.
Crafted specifically to be shared with the service rep to give them and the leader actionable insights for skill enhancement. By understanding employees' service preferences, strengths, and developmental opportunities, you can tailor training initiatives, coaching interventions, and recognition programs to support their professional growth and job satisfaction.
Cast a wide net and leverage multiple channels to attract diverse talent pools. Incorporate behavioral assessments and structured interviews to evaluate candidates' suitability for customer service roles. Seek individuals who not only possess the requisite skills and experience but also demonstrate a genuine passion for serving others and exceeding customer expectations.
Provide opportunities for mentorship, cross-training, and professional development to foster growth and engagement. Encourage a culture of lifelong learning, where employees are empowered to seek out new challenges, acquire new skills, and pursue career advancement opportunities within the organization.
Acknowledge distinguished performance, solicit feedback, and create avenues for employee recognition and rewards to boost morale and motivation. Consider implementing peer-to-peer recognition programs, quarterly awards ceremonies, and milestone celebrations to reinforce a culture of appreciation and gratitude.
Cultivate a supportive environment where employees feel empowered to voice concerns, share ideas, and collaborate on process improvements. Establish regular check-ins, town hall meetings, and anonymous feedback channels to foster transparent communication and trust within the organization.
Consider offering service reps bonuses instead of commission, flexible work arrangements, and comprehensive benefits to enhance employee satisfaction. Conduct regular salary benchmarking exercises to ensure that your compensation practices remain competitive and equitable in the marketplace.
As companies continue to evolve and innovate, the one thing that will never change and is the cornerstone of success is a dedication to customer-centric service. Hiring and retaining amazing customer service representatives is not only essential for meeting customer expectations but also for driving sustainable business growth and maintaining a competitive edge in today's market landscape.
Did you spot the difference between the A and B service personalities in the beginning of the blog? The main distinction between the two was attention to detail. Customer service reps need to be detail attentive to help ensure accurate, thorough work results. As a leader, how frustrating is it to find mistakes or, worse, have customers call in about mistakes that were made? When this happens, productivity, profits, and employee and customer satisfaction take a hit. Wouldn’t it be great to know if the people applying for your open service position had these essential traits before you make a hire? You can!
By leveraging the insights and tools provided by The Omnia Group and implementing actionable strategies for recruitment, development, engagement, and retention, you can build a resilient service team that consistently delivers exceptional customer experiences and stellar results for your company.
The quest to hire exceptional individuals can be akin to stepping into scenes from Friday the 13th or A Nightmare on Elm Street. It can be a thrilling yet chilling endeavor, where the stakes are high. And no one wants to introduce any “Jasons” or “Freddys” that could potentially trigger a mass exodus of existing employees. Thankfully, you don’t need to hide in the dark, afraid of who will walk through the door; you just need the right lights to shine and uncover candidates' innate behaviors, soft skills, and past adventures. Like hidden treasures waiting to be discovered, they can reveal a candidate's uniqueness, strengths, and challenges.
By delving deep into the realms of personality and implementing a formal hiring process, you can embark on a journey of determining a candidate's fit to the position. This exploration allows you to make more informed decisions, ensuring the individual is placed in a role that matches their inherent talents. Like adept sorcerers, perceptive leaders can harness the magic of multiple data points when adding a new team member. Yet, the first step lies in encouraging candidates to apply.
Your job ad serves as a portal, offering a glimpse into the possibilities that await prospective candidates. It should wield language that paints a vivid picture of your amazing benefits (beyond health insurance and PTO), company culture, and growth opportunities. Also, be transparent about your expectations, whether it's wickedly long hours or hair-raising travel requirements. Your eye-catching ad will be a beacon, and you will see candidates emerge from the shadows who will align with your organization's ethos and fill your inbox with resumes.
Akin to incantations, behavioral interviews can reveal not only the truthfulness of a candidate's resume but also how they have handled situations in the past. By delving into specific examples and asking probing questions, behavioral interviews draw upon the candidate's experiences, actions, and outcomes, unraveling the essence of their skills and capabilities. These interviews go beyond surface-level responses, diving deep into the candidate's motivations, behaviors, and reactions. Through the exploration of real-life scenarios, you gain a clearer understanding of how the candidate may navigate similar situations in the future. Just like a spell can unveil hidden truths, behavioral interviews unearth valuable insights about a candidate's character, values, and their ability to thrive.
The innate tendencies of a candidate's personality may not be fully revealed during interviews, but adding a personality assessment provides another data point to use. The Omnia Assessment is a tool that elevates your hiring process and is forged from the fires of validation. Using a personality assessment before hiring provides unparalleled insight, much like the Mirror of Erised from the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Just as the mirror reveals the deepest desires and truest selves of those who look into it, a personality assessment unveils candidates' hidden potential, aspirations, and authentic personalities. It enhances your ability to identify top talent, build cohesive teams, and foster a thriving workplace culture.
While technical competencies are essential, it is the ethereal presence of soft skills that shape the success of individuals. Communication, adaptability, and teamwork bring a supernatural energy that transcends mere qualifications. Soft skills are like magical ingredients that weave a spell, creating a harmonious work environment and propelling your organization towards success. When they are prioritized during the hiring process, you attract candidates who possess these abilities. As a result, teams are equipped with individuals who can effectively tackle complex challenges with grace and collaborate seamlessly. This infusion of soft skills ensures a workforce that is not only technically proficient but also capable of hitting your KPIs. But to get there you need to have a formalized hiring method.
Gather your colleagues and envision the ideal person you want to join the team. Define competencies, experience, and personality traits that will ignite the flames of success. Consult with your Omnia customer success manager to build a scoring model that matches the essence of your needs.
Cast your net wide, beyond mere job boards and into the spectral spaces of social media and professional networks. Let the magic of your company's culture and values shine through, beckoning the most enchanting souls.
When evaluating resumes, conducting phone screenings, and utilizing assessments, you can gain valuable insights into your candidates' suitability. This comprehensive screening process ensures that you identify the most promising candidate who meets your needs and preferences.
Gather around the cauldron of hiring decisions. Peer into the depths of Omnia's assessment results, listen to the echoes of interview feedback, and seek the wisdom of candidate references. Extend an offer to the candidate who has the most "yes" boxes checked and possesses the greatest potential for growth.
Welcome the chosen one into your midst. Utilize the personality data you have gathered to help your employee acclimate seamlessly into their new environment. Provide ongoing support, offer constructive feedback, and create opportunities for their professional development. Nurture their growth and watch as they transform into your most fierce ally.
The streetlights are coming on, so it's time to wrap it up. Yes, finding the right candidate can be treacherous, resembling a suspenseful Halloween movie. However, amidst the uncertainties, there are powerful tools and methods that can transform fear into a sense of control and excitement. Starting with your job ad to attract, your interview to verify, your assessment to gain insight, and your hiring method to stay on track, you are well-equipped to handle anything that comes your way.
So, step into the adventure armed with your tools, curiosity, and discerning eye to uncover the true potential of candidates and guide them from the dark woods into the light of your organization.
“Ghosting” is somewhat of a misnomer to me. After all, in movies and TV shows, ghosts tend to move into places where they aren’t wanted and stick around longer than any of the characters anticipate. But in the non-ethereal world, the act of ghosting is just the opposite. It leaves the ghosted party thinking, “What happened?” and “Why have they disappeared?” Maybe The Invisible Man Phenomenon would be a more accurate description, though a lot less catchy.
While the term initially rose to prominence in the dating realm, ghosting has become an eerie, unwelcome practice in the business world too. In this blog, we’ll discuss what job ghosting is, how it impacts both employers and candidates, and how to prevent it.
When done by a candidate, job ghosting is when the applicant, who was actively participating in the hiring process, suddenly ceases communication with the potential employer. Job candidate ghosting can look like unreturned calls when the hiring manager tries to follow up with the candidate, a missed interview with no call or email from the applicant to explain why, or even not showing up for the first day of work after the candidate accepted the offer.
Job candidate ghosting comes with obvious problems for employers looking to hire. This can include the time wasted interviewing the “ghost” candidate, potential lost opportunities as other applicants move on to pursue other open positions, and the increased length of time that current staff must take on additional work until the position is filled and the new person is trained and brought up to speed.
There are many reasons why a job candidate might cut off contact with hiring personnel. A major reason is often because the applicant is no longer interested in the position. Perhaps the individual discovers the job isn’t what they thought it would be or the salary or benefits are not what they expected. Rather than convey that sentiment, the candidate may simply avoid communications with the company. Also, a person might have extenuating personal circumstances that cause them to bow out of the hiring process.
Given that the interview process in the United States takes an average of 23.8 days, candidates who are considering several positions may decide to ghost the jobs and employers they are less interested in to focus their time and energy on the positions and organizations that are most appealing to them.
A big contributing factor in candidate ghosting is the sometimes impersonal nature of modern communication methods. It’s quite easy to avoid replying to an email or to let a phone call go to voicemail (and never listen to the message or return the call).
“But wait a minute!” all the job candidates shout. “It’s not just us! How many times have we submitted applications and tried to follow up with calls or emails only to be met with radio silence from companies?” And my response to them is, “You make a good point.” Job ghosting isn’t done only by candidates; employers can ghost their applicants too, and it can be just as bad for business.
A key reason why employers ghost candidates is similar to why candidates ghost employers: they are no longer interested. After an initial phone interview, the employer may decide to move forward with some candidates and stop communicating with the others. A hiring manager could cease contact with applicants once the manager has made an offer to their top candidate and the offer has been accepted. Some companies may feel the need to mitigate the risk of litigation that they fear might come from an outright rejection, so they go incommunicado instead.
HR reps and hiring managers, who are also trying to keep up with other job responsibilities, might feel that they just don’t have the time to communicate with candidates at every stage of the hiring process. And the fear of being ghosted themselves can cause an employer to stop contact with candidates; not telling applicants that they didn’t get the job can be viewed as a safety net in case the company’s new hire is a no show on day one. Rather than closing a door on candidates that they may have to reopen, they leave the door open indefinitely by not communicating anything.
In both scenarios, the ghosted party can feel frustration, uncertainty, and perhaps a little resentment—not the impression a candidate or company wants to leave on others. But in the real world, the hiring process can be lengthy (for both applicants and organizations) and resources are often stretched thin. “Non-essential” communication can sometimes be viewed as the first thing to go in the process of hiring or being hired. But it doesn’t have to be, and fortunately, the following ideas can be used by companies to help ward off both forms of ghosting.
1. To stop employer ghosting within a company, business leadership must set and emphasize the standard that communication with job candidates is essential, not simply a courtesy. Incorporate communication checks within every stage of the hiring process, including documenting the interactions to ensure they are not overlooked.
Encourage HR associates and hiring managers to treat job candidates like customers in order to give them a positive experience with your organization, even if they are not hired. People who have a favorable association with your company will tell others about it, which can help attract high-potential candidates in the future. However, someone who has a negative experience with your organization may also tell others about it, including via social media, which could cause your next potential superstar to steer clear of applying for a job at your company.
2. Be very clear about the job’s requirements, salary and benefits, remote work policies (or lack thereof), and other relevant information that candidates need when deciding on what job to take. Don’t try to entice applicants by making the position seem like something it really isn’t. When candidates feel misled by the job ad or what’s been implied in the interview, it sets up a prime scenario for ghosting.
3. Use automation to your advantage. If you cannot reply to all of your first-round candidates individually, use an applicant tracking system or candidate relationship management software to manage communications. This can include setting up automated emails to detail the next steps of the hiring process and to request that candidates take assessments or sending automated rejection emails.
Also, use automated scheduling or self-scheduling to streamline the hiring process and shorten the hiring timeframe. These tools can minimize the back-and-forth emails or calls between employers and candidates when trying to set up interviews and start dates. Also, a shortened wait time minimizes the chance that candidates may lose interest and move on to other positions—possibly without telling you.
Additionally, automation can ease the workload of hiring personnel, allowing them increased time for more individualized communications as candidates move through the process and lessening the chance of employer ghosting.
4. Especially if there is a lag between receiving the candidate’s acceptance of your offer and their start date at your organization, check in with the new hire to maintain communication. Offer to answer any questions the individual may have, and ensure the new hire has the contact information for their manager and any other teammates who can offer assistance.
With Halloween fast approaching, let’s leave the ghosting to the trick-or-treaters. And if you need help hiring the right person the first time, contact Omnia today to make employee selection less scary!
With so many variables to consider when hiring, it can be hard to know how much weight to put on one over another. You know you want a candidate with pertinent experience, good references, the right educational qualifications (if applicable), and job-relevant behavioral traits. But how much consideration should you give to a candidate’s fit with your corporate culture? The answer is a resounding: It depends.
When I was doing preliminary research for this blog post, I was surprised to find, all on page one of my search results:
Why Culture Fit Is Critical in Startup Hiring (Indeed)
Why It’s Important New Hires Fit a Company’s Culture (Business.com)
Move Beyond Hiring for Culture Fit (Gallup)
Don't Hire for Culture Fit (SHRM)
This rollercoaster of articles matched my own feelings on the matter. Hiring for a cultural fit can be good or bad. It can create a cohesive team, boost morale, and minimize communication struggles, but it can also be exclusionary, unfair, and limiting.
The contradiction comes from all the different ways a company can describe or think about its culture and how they approach hiring for a cultural fit.
Corporate culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and practices that define the way an organization operates and the way its employees interact with each other, customers, and other stakeholders. It is the collective personality of a company and encompasses various aspects of its working environment.
Corporate culture is created both by choice and by circumstance. Leadership can decide on what values, beliefs, and practices to promote and implement, but the nature and type of business contributes to the culture as well. For example, a company that deals extensively with providing a service to the public may naturally be more service oriented than a company that focuses on business-to-business sales. A large, multinational corporation will have a different culture than a small, community-based business.
Since culture is essentially the personality of a company, it would make sense to hire people who fit that personality. And in some ways, it does. Take hiring for a startup, for example. Working for a fledgling company comes with high risks and greater demands. In return, it offers more potential for quick advancement and impressive gains. For some employees, the risk and the possible rewards are highly appealing. For others, the pressure is too much. Hiring someone who is aware of and comfortable with that level of risk can reduce stress both for the employee and the other stakeholders.
Now consider the opposite situation: established organizations that involve hierarchies, set schedules for wage reviews, and complicated processes for advancement (think government agencies or established universities). A person who loves risk and competition and needs continued, rapid growth to stay motivated could wither in this kind of work environment. Meanwhile someone who thrives on security and structure would excel.
It’s logical and practical to look for evidence (via reference checks, interview responses and behavioral assessments) that someone can keep up in a dynamic corporate culture, can stay energized in a competitive culture, or can build relationships effectively in a community centered culture. But if you move beyond considering whether a candidate can stay motivated and productive in your culture to less concrete factors, (do they “click” with your culture? could you see hanging out with them?) this is where hiring for a culture fit can be negative and even put you in legal jeopardy.
The problem with using cultural fit as a reason to select or reject someone is that it paves the way to miss out on well-qualified candidates based on what amounts to a feeling. Or worse, it can be used (either consciously or unconsciously) to disqualify someone on the basis of gender, race, religion, disability or other protected status.
Ruchika Tulshyan from SHRM points to the case where an overqualified candidate had excelled in a lengthy interview process and was then told another candidate was selected because they were deemed a better fit. When asked for feedback, her interviewer had none.
“Considering that she had all the pedigree and all the best references but was then told she wouldn't fit the culture of the institution, she couldn't ignore the only noticeable difference she had with everyone on the selection committee and eventually the person they hired: her identity as a Black woman.”
Even if all the criteria that constitutes a good cultural fit are written down, by nature, some aspects of it are impossible to quantify. That ambiguity leaves candidates free to decide for themselves what about them didn’t “fit” if they aren’t selected (especially if “fit” is given as a reason, as in the example above). If a core value of an organization’s culture is “work hard, play hard” for example, how would you identify a match with that in a potential hire? How do you know your choice of one candidate over another is based on anything more than, “I could see myself getting a beer with that person.” In other words, “they remind me of myself. “
People are notoriously bad at seeing our own biases, and hiring primarily based on cultural fit opens the door to allow biases to interfere with more objective criteria. If the result of this type of hiring is that employees think the same, approach problems the same way, and share the same backgrounds and experiences, it can be a quick path to stagnation.
If growth, innovation, and evolution are goals of your organization (as they should be), then instead of a cultural fit…
A cultural add looks for candidates who bring something new and unique to the company's culture. It values diversity of thought, background, and experience. The idea is that these individuals can introduce fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and different ways of problem-solving that can benefit the organization.
Seek out candidates whose experiences, accomplishments, education, or ideas can add something new and different to your company, resulting in an even more effective corporate culture. Challenge your possible biases. If your first thought is that someone won’t fit in, explore why you think that, and make sure the reason is based not on assumptions but the information you have about the candidate from reviewing credentials, speaking to references and hearing their interview questions.
Focusing on finding a cultural add doesn’t mean changing your core values and principles. Your company literature, website, social media, and job postings should make the critical aspects of your culture clear. This allows applicants to determine for themselves if they feel they would fit in or if they have something new to bring to your organization. Inviting new perspectives allows the organization and culture to evolve. That is beneficial for everyone!
For more information about how Omnia and our behavioral assessments can help you find the perfect addition to your corporate culture, contact us, or reach out to your Customer Success Manager.
You’re ready to stand out in the community and create strong member relationships, but what’s the best way to get there? First, you have to be ready to provide members with what they want, like incentives, digital engagement, and financial education. Along with meeting member needs in a modern way, you need to stay focused on the usual day-to-day needs of the organization. That starts with hiring the best people. The success of any credit union, or really any business, starts with its people. Your employees represent your core values. They turn vision into reality. They make it all happen. That’s why a strong selection process and a solid pre-employment assessment strategy that uses data-backed decision tools like behavioral assessments and cognitive ability tests will set your credit union up for success on all levels.
Myth: We have to just accept high turnover
A common misconception often accepted as fact is that frequent employee turnover is normal, so when the hiring gets tough, it almost doesn’t matter who is hired since the employee won’t stay long anyway. It’s tempting, when that open position is staring everyone in the face and making things harder on the rest of the team, to just quickly find anybody to fill it and hope they’ll stay long enough to alleviate even a little bit of the pressure. Unfortunately, this mindset often creates bigger problems, like inefficiency and expense, making the normal business problems your credit union faces even more challenging.
When working with the unknown, like job candidates you’ve never met before interview day, it’s best to collect as much information as possible to help you make solid hiring decisions. Using data-backed hiring tools is your first defense against making a wrong hire. Instinct and personal judgment can play a small part but should never be the only tools used to select people; too many things can easily cloud our judgment, and some candidates are very good at hiding their faults until it is too late.
When you are ready to start looking for your next great credit union employee, consider these 7 easy tips:
It’s easy to think a formal hiring system is unnecessary. After all, too many bureaucratic layers create unnecessary problems, while everyday business needs can get in the way of following the system perfectly. As a result, rigid selection practices can feel impractical or inefficient. And there is certainly some truth to that; strict processes can be as problematic as no process.
A formal, structured process is crucial, but you need one that works for your culture and is not weighed down by bureaucratic layers that unnecessarily burden the process. Find a balance between haphazard and inflexible. Extremes never work; find a balance that works for your credit union. Having a plan will go a long way toward avoiding long-term problems, like excess training time, performance problems, and unnecessary turnover.
The goal should always be to hire the best. You want talented, capable, dedicated employees. Never settle if you can help it. Of course, this is the real world and sometimes the candidate pool is shallow, but if you start with the mindset of wanting the best and you do the steps to uncover all you can, then you’ll have more hits than misses.
Listing out your needs and the reasons behind those needs will help you set priorities and see your expectations, strengths, and weaknesses in a brighter light. Think about the specifics of your work environment and credit union culture.
Is your credit union fast-paced and hectic with constant little fires to put out? If so, you should avoid hiring people who tell you they hate being rushed or interrupted or that they get overwhelmed easily. While patience and diligence are admirable qualities, they could be liabilities in a turbulent environment. Of course, certain roles might need those traits regardless of the overall culture, so consider all the factors, like the culture of the individual department, the manager’s leadership style, and the basic demands of the job itself. One-size-fits-all is another myth.
It's also a good idea to stay up to date on the latest hiring trends to stay competitive within your community’s job market.
The job post is the crucial first impression you make on a candidate. It’s also a great tool for instantly eliminating people who are not the right fit for the job or your credit union.
Start with being crystal clear about the job. Highlight exactly what the job is, what it entails day to day, and what personality traits are best suited to it. It’s amazing how many candidates are hired and later state they felt misled about the role. Honesty is your best employee retention tool during the selection process. It’s perfectly okay to scare people off from the job in your post. The whole process is about funneling down to the best candidates. The right candidates will want to put their hat in the ring, and the wrong candidates will turn away. If you aren’t honest though, you’ll hire the wrong candidates, and they will quickly feel resentful of the perceived betrayal and leave or perhaps stay but do the bare minimum, known today as quiet quitting. Scaring off the wrong type will help your retention efforts in the long run.
Your job post needs to clearly show who you are as an employer and company. Emphasize your identity and brand. Be daring. Today, employees want to work for an organization that matches their personalities. If your credit union is playful, lighthearted, and full of laughs, make sure your post reflects that. Use humor. But if your credit union is buttoned up, formal, and serious, then be serious and formal in your post. Staying true to who you are will help you attract like-minded people, and people who are compatible with your identity are more likely to stay.
After posting the job, the resumes should start rolling in. Now you can discard the ones that clearly do not meet your needs and whittle down your candidates. Keep in mind that, as you dig deeper into each person’s background, you may uncover more than just a few unpleasant surprises. Research shows that up to 40 percent of resumes include some false or inflated facts!
A pre-employment personality assessment will give you an even closer look at a candidate’s potential. Do their traits coincide with the traits needed for the job? How will they interact with their peers and supervisor? To hold on to strong, productive employees, make sure the people you hire are a match for the demands of the position. Omnia helps to set the “job personality” which shows the traits of an ideal candidate; this way you can see how a candidate’s traits align with the best traits for the job.
The best part is that a behavioral assessment is not a test; there is no such thing as pass or fail. The Omnia behavioral assessment uses the candidate’s responses to a simple word association checklist. It’s a quick yet powerful tool that provides extensive insight into a person’s strengths, motivators, weaknesses, and fit to the role.
To minimize the risk of a bad hire, make sure the potential new hire has the skills they claim to have, especially the ones needed to do the most basic aspects of the job. Use hard skill proficiency tests that are job appropriate (this is important) and designed to demonstrate abilities. It might be a bookkeeping test, a Microsoft Excel or Word test, a cognitive ability evaluation, or a banking terminology quiz. Don’t assume that the person interviewing for your IT position knows how to turn the computer on. Sometimes, people say they know how to do something just to get their foot in the door.
A background check protects everyone: you, your employees, and your credit union. Crime and violence are, sadly, not uncommon in the workplace. Make sure there are no issues from your candidate’s past that make you leery. Negligent hiring can be alleged if an employer fails to exercise reasonable caution when hiring a new employee. Employers could be held liable for illegal or violent action taken by employees who were not subjected to reasonable pre-employment screening.
Self-awareness is a powerful leadership tool. Consider your own management style and encourage all other managers to do the same. To effectively motivate and inspire your employees, it helps if you have a great grasp on what makes you tick.
Do you prefer it when employees consistently ask for your guidance, or are you more in tune with those who regularly make their own decisions? Do you closely oversee every detail big and small, or do you expect your team to fill the gaps for themselves?
While it might sound nice to surround yourself with people who are completely in sync with your own work approach, that’s not always realistic or even wise. Different roles require different traits. The power is in knowing how to adjust your style to meet the individual needs of your employees. It’s one of the strongest employee retention tools you can use.
It might seem completely daunting, and maybe sometimes it will be, to hire and lead a productive, cohesive, and dedicated team, but it is possible. Know what you want, stay true to your non-negotiables, and seek out employees who align with those needs. Don’t settle. Employ people who have the potential to exceed your expectations.
How to Preserve Your Credit Union Reputation with Succession Planning
Enhance Workplace Effectiveness through Behavioral Assessments
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