Picking the Crayon for Picking the Crayon for Your Crayola BoxYour Crayola Box

Picking the Crayon for Picking the Crayon for Your Crayola BoxYour Crayola Box

Successful Techniques That Yield Successful Techniques That Yield Higher Payoffs And Reduce the Risk Higher Payoffs And Reduce the Risk

From Personnel Searches.From Personnel Searches.

Vickie Crupper, Missouri Conference, March 2007

Defining Your Needs• Start with what

you already have.• Define the job. • What

characteristics make a person successful in that job?

• Look at the long term needs.

• Build a Better Dog Catcher.

Defining the Job

• Four business qualities of a humane society or shelter.

• Four goals a shelter or humane society would have.

• Four competencies of a dog catcher.

Review the Job Description

• Job Title?• Basic Functions?• Nature and Scope?• Key

Responsibilities?• Education/

Experience Requirements?

Refine the Job Description

• Develop a job description for your dog catcher.

Competency CheckScore each competency 1= low, 5= high

Future

Current

Competency 1 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Competency 2 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Competency 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Competency 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Position Requirements: Profile the Job

• Define the “must haves”

• Identify the “nice to haves”

• Be Detailed.

Scanning the Box

• Applicant Resume and Cover Letter

• Prescreening• Focus

Using the Coloring Book to Find the Right Picture

• The best predictor of future behavior and potential success is past actual behavior and tangible deliverables.

• Questions should always focus on job related issues and tasks.

• Assessment accuracy is always increased when you are well prepared and use several sources.

• If the interview is conducted in a professional manner, the likelihood that the applicant will accept the position increases.

Sharpening Your Skills

• Ask job related questions;

Describe a situation in which your knowledge of feral cats was used.

• Ask questions that get at motivation, using facts from the resume/coverletter.

What inspired you to first begin working as a dog groomer?

• Establish objective questions that could be asked by anyone, and still achieve the same results.

Give me an example of a recent situation involving an animal in crisis and what you did to resolve the situation.

Was that the Sharpest Question?

• You have a very unusual name. German ancestry?

• Here at Casino U, our young and talented workforce is setting new industry standards. How do think you would fit in?

• Can you think of anything that would prevent you from getting to work on time?

• What are you, about 40?

• Give me your ideas on the best way to motivate someone not interested in doing their work.

• I see you were in the military. What type of discharge did you receive?

Was That The Sharpest Question?

• You have a very unusual name. German ancestry? - Ethnic Origins

• Here at Casino U, our young and talented workforce is setting new industry standards. How do think you would fit in? - Age

• Can you think of anything that would prevent you from getting to work on time?

• What are you, about 40? - Age

• Give me your ideas on the best way to motivate someone not interested in doing their work.

• I see you were in the military. What type of discharge did you receive? – Military discharge.

Get the Best Crayon For You

• Ask questions that elicit a response.– Would you say that you have a passion for animals? OR– Describe for me your reaction to seeing an injured pet

laying on the road.– How was your day? OR– Tell me about your day.

• Use probing techniques– Paraphrase: If I heard you correctly…– Pause for effect: Silence can be golden, and enlightening– Directed feedback: So, did you ever have to confront an

abusive owner?– Non-Verbals for encouragement: head nods, smiling, etc.

Pulling It All Together

• Use an Interview Worksheet.• Introduce all participants.• Script your session.• Entertain questions from

the candidate.• Explain next steps.

• Analyze and interpret notes from the interviews.

• Rank candidates based upon your behavioral rating scale.

• Make your decision.

Final Tips to Build Your Box of Crayons

• The 80% Rule• Focus• Avoid Instant Judgments• Take Notes• Use Your Eyes