Recruiting for Business Success

In-Store Learning Tool

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When to use this tool

Review this guide to:Prepare to fill a job opening

Help you find good employees

Choose the right questions to ask

Assist with selecting the best person for a job

Remind you of all the steps to complete for hiring

Decide whether to promote from within

Train new managers in good hiring practices

How to use this toolRead it through

Use the checklists to help you get organized

Fill in your own best ideas for next time

The purpose of this guide is to provide a sample of best practices in retail recruiting.

It is not intended to provide legal advice.

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WHAT'S INSIDE

Step 1Get Ready

Why Take the Time?

Step 2Find Candidates

Step 3Uncover Their Potential

Step 4Select the Best ‘Fit’

Step 5Start Them Off Right

5 Steps for

Hiring Right

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WHY TAKE THE TIME?

As a store owner or manager, you wear many hats. Your days are long. Your time is precious. Hiring new people can be time-consuming. And it’s often hard to know if you’ve made the best choice until after the person starts working.

The suggestions in this tool are designed to make things easier for you. We collected the most effective strategies from independent retailers and company-owned stores to help you attract and hire the best people. If you have the right employee with the right skills, interest and attitude - - chances are they’ll enjoy what they do, stay longer and help you reach your business objectives.

Benefits of Hiring Right the First TimeEmployees ‘are’ the business to your customers.

When you have helpful, skilled employees, your customers want to come back because they get the customer service that differentiates you from the competition.

You can delegate responsibilities to competent employees, freeing you up to manage your business and do other important things.

Your business can’t grow or expand without them.

A good cultural fit adds to a positive work environment which makes the day go faster and more enjoyable for all employees.

They can help you achieve your business goals and contribute fresh ideas to help your buisness become even more profitable.

Having good people helps eliminate some of the worry and stress involved in managing a business. You can take some time off to balance your work, family and personal time.

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Studies show that the businesses with more effective hiring systems ranked higher

in financial performance, productivity, quality, customer

satisfaction, employee satisfaction and retention.

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WHY TAKE THE TIME? (con't.)

Hidden Costs of Bad Hires

Lost Customers – If your employees lack skills, knowledge and customer service skills, customers won’t want to come back.

Bad word of mouth – one bad experience might result in potential customers not even coming into your store.

Added costs – Turnover costs you time and money – final payouts, ad costs, training time, etc.

Unstable work force – When you have employees who are ineffective, not working as a team, not doing their share of the work, it lowers productivity and could create resentment in other employees.

Security Issues – Bad hires can be very costly if there is internal theft.Lost time, energy and opportunities – When you have ineffective, poor performers working for you, you have to work harder and you might miss opportunities and profit potential.

STEP 1 - GET REA

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STEP 1 - GET READY

Preparing to hire

Take a moment to note how you’re doing on things that help you get ready to fill a position:

1= Never 2= Sometimes 3= All the time

1 2 3

I can explain the key job responsibilities and/or have a written job description.

I look at the current skills and experience of the team and identify what would |complement them.

I look at my scheduling needs – e.g., early mornings or week-ends.

I am aware of federal and provincal labour laws.

I consider other retail businesses that have good staff and try to analyze what they do that I like.

I ask other employees what skills and characteristics are needed.

I have a good understanding of the questions I will ask the candidates.

I identify which qualifications are ‘musts’ and which are ‘nice to have’.

I have an understanding of what other jobs similar to these are paying so I stay competitive.

I keep track of the best sources for recruiting so I can target my efforts.

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What I look for in a good employeeSome skills are harder to develop than others; it’s easier to train someone to use an automatic tint dispenser than to be responsive and nice to customers. Here is a sample of characteristics of good employees:

Characteristic/Skill MustsNice

To Have

Rank

Previous paint knowledge

Coachable – can take feedback

Experience working with contractors

Proven customer service experience

Interest in the paint and decorating business

Effective communicator

Neat, clean appearance

Reliable and punctual

Ability to handle problems calmly and efficiently

Strong work ethic, honesty, integrity

Organized

Team attitude – gets along with others, helps out

Speaks more than one language

Willingness to learn new skills

STEP 1 - GET READY (con't.)

STEP 2 - FIND

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Finding the right employeesNewspaper ads are a good idea, but there are many other ways to find the right employee. By targeting your search, you can find candidates who already have an interest in decorating, painting, do-it-yourself projects, etc. They’ll be easier to train and more enthusiastic about learning the job and the business.

Take a look at the ideas below. Note which ones you want to try and keep track of how many good candidates come from each. Next time, your search will be even more effective.

Search Suggestions TriedR

# Candidates

Ask your best staff for referrals

Post a help wanted ad in the store.

Ask your personal network of friends, customers, local retail business owners/managers for referrals

Look at applications already on file from previous searches

Use the Internet, especially local job sites. (Ask your network which ones people use most.)

Post an ad on design school/trade school bulletin boards (physical or Internet)

Place a job ad in an industry publication

Contact industry-related associations

Participate in a Job Fair at a local college or high school

Get involved with community projects – motivated people volunteer

Recruit through temporary/permanent job placement agencies. (Check their fees.)

Let your supplier reps in your local area know - they network with many different people in the same industry.

Take note of employees that impress you when shopping in other stores and customers that shop in your store. Ask them if they’d be interested in working for you.

STEP 2 - FINDING GOOD CANDIDATES

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STEP 2 - FINDING GOOD CANDIDATES (con't.)

Create an Employee Referral ProgramConsider giving employees an incentive for referring qualified candidates. For example, $200 if he or she is selected for the job and stays for more than 6 months or a year.

Although this is an effective means of finding candidates, be aware that sometimes employees may resent you not hiring their recommendation. You’ll also need to manage how friends work together on the floor.

Help Candidates Make the Match Stop and think about what is going on in your local labor market and where potential pools of candidates might be. Remember that potential applicants might not see themselves as a paint store employee - for example call center or warehouse employees probably think of themselves as call center agents or warehouse workers. Word your ads to help potential candidates make a match with your company.

H E L P WA N T E D Interested in paint and decorating?

We need retail paint associates. Must have great customer service skills

with some knowledge of color and design. Excellent training provided!

STEP 3 - UN

COVER TH

EIR POTEN

TIAL

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Once you have promising candidates, it’s time to uncover their potential to see if they are the right fit for your business.

Remember to look for the:

Capability – The knowledge and skills to do the job. Commitment – The attitude and motivation to do the job effectively. Chemistry – The personality, values and work styles that best “fit” your team.

Telephone/paper screeningOnce you’ve identified what an employee MUST HAVE and what’s nice to have, you can do an initial screening on the telephone and/or by looking through written applications and resumes. It can save you lots of time. Make a list of “knockout” questions you (or someone you designate) can ask, such as:

Why do you want to work in a paint and decorating store?

Give me the highlights of your retail experience.

Are you able to work the hours of…..? Weekends?

What are your salary expectations?

Do you have a current driver’s license? (only if required)

Are you able to lift x pounds? (only if required)

Screen out anyone who doesn’t meet your minimum qualifications. If you’re interested, ask them to complete an application and make an interview appointment. Note the person’s name and phone number so you can reach them again.

Hiring MUSTS (from a survey of successful Benjamin Moore® retailers)

Use every possible interaction (customers, employees, friends, professional groups) to find future employees

Check references (a phone call or two can uncover important information)

Pay enough to get and keep good people (consider offering benefits)

Listen to your first impressions

Always interview with at least two people to get a second opinion

Recruiting is an on-going process - - don’t wait until you need someone to start looking.

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STEP 3 - UNCOVER THEIR POTENTIAL

STEP

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Asking the right interview questions

Avoiding common pitfalls in interviewing

Not being prepared – plan for your interview

Allowing interruptions while you’re interviewing someone. (You may lose your focus and the candidate may not think you are taking him/her seriously.)

Describing the position first. (When you do this you don’t learn as much because the candidate will give you the information you want.)

Asking ineffective questions. (Use open-ended questions that start with What, How, Why, Describe, Tell me - - to let the candidate describe actual past behaviors.)

Speaking more than listening. (You’re not giving yourself an opportunity to learn if this candidate is right for the job.)

Letting your biases get in the way (Give every candidate a chance, an older person might make a reliable counter person or a young man might have an eye for color selection.)

Your interviews will be most effective if you think through the questions beforehand. Make sure the questions are always job-related. To make it easier to compare candidates once the interview process is over, ask each candidate the same questions to record thier answers/comments.

Think about what you’re looking for and develop questions that will uncover a candidate’s skills, behaviors and attitude.

The candidate must convince you that they can do and will do what is required to succeed. When appropriate, ask them to demonstrate the skills they claim to have.

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STEP 3 - UNCOVER THEIR POTENTIAL (cont'd.)

TIP:

Use the 80/20 rule, listen 80%, talk 20%.

STEP 3 - UN

COVER TH

EIR POTEN

TIAL

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Capability: Knowledge, Skill & Ability questions:What education/training do you have that’s relevant to this position?

Describe your experience with handling phone requests. (computers, customer service, sales, etc.)

Tell me of a time you how you had to handle a difficult problem or complaint.

Have you been involved with a painting or home decorating project? Describe how you went about it.

Describe your responsibilities on your most recent job.

This job requires you to be able to lift up to 50 pounds and stay on your feet for 2 hours at a time. Is there anything that would interfere with you doing these things?

Using a paint calculator table, figure out how many gallons would be required for a 900 square foot apartment.

Let’s hear your French language skills, tell me about...(if applicable)

Commitment: Attitude, Characteristic questions:What did you like most about the jobs you’ve had? What didn’t you like?

What does good customer service look like to you?

Give me an example of a time you went above and beyond the call of duty to get the job done.

Tell me about the biggest project you’ve worked on. How did it turn out?

Give me an example of how you handled a customer complaint in the past.

Tell me about something you have learned in the last 3-6 months – What motivated you to learn this?

How do you like to receive feedback?

[Case study] Tell me about a time a customer asked you for/about xxx and you didn’t know the answer. What did you do?

Chemistry: Culture and Organizational Fit questions:Teamwork is usually a critical element for success. Describe your experiences in your previous jobs as it relates legal advice.

Have you worked policies and procedures in your last role? How did this work?

Describe the atmosphere in your last job.

STEP 3 - UNCOVER THEIR POTENTIAL (cont'd.)

STEP

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Use an Interview ‘Panel’Consider asking one or two other key employees to be part of the interview team to get additional opinions about candidates from people they’ll work with most closely.

Use Role Playing or Task AssignmentsThink about ways job candidates can demonstrate their skills rather than just talking about them.

Ideas:

Give him/her a list of things to find in the store and see how they go about it

See how quickly they can learn to tint paint

You (or another employee) can act as a customer asking for help. Each candidate can show their customer service style.

Spend more time with candidates that are the best match, but be consistent with how you treat each of them.

During the interviewCreate a welcoming atmosphere. Help candidates feel comfortable and relaxed.

Don’t conduct interviews in the middle of your store or even behind the counter. Find a quiet place where you can talk for a while or go to a quiet restaurant or coffee shop nearby.

Take notes during and/or after each interview so you can refer to them when you’re choosing your candidate. Let the candidate know why you are taking notes.

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STEP 3 - UNCOVER THEIR POTENTIAL (cont'd.)

TIP: The Right Attitude

Think about the behaviors that are important to you and be sure to ask each candidate about them.

For example if you expect employees to stay beyond their shift during busy times, let them

know upfront.

DON’T ask about…

Age, Gender

Ancestry/ethnicity/race

Family/marital status

Religion

Sexual orientationSources of income (other than

past or present employment)

Disability

Political beliefs

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STEP 3 - UN

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Closing the interview End each interview by:

Asking what questions they have about the job

Making sure you have accurate contact information

Asking, “If you’re hired, when could you start working?”

Getting contact information for three work references

Telling each candidate your next steps (see After the interviews below) and when/how they should expect to hear from you

Make sure the candidate walks away with good feelings about your store – remember that they are a potential customer and referral for you business.

After the InterviewsReview your notes, compare candidates and eliminate any you definitely wouldn’t hire.

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STEP 3 - UNCOVER THEIR POTENTIAL (cont'd.)

What if no candidate meets my ‘Must have” criteria

Continue recruiting and interviewing. Review resources used already and identify additional

Re-evaluate the job itself. Does the person need to be able to do everything?

Re-examine your competencies

Don’t let a bad hire happen - it will not save you time in the long run! (Review hidden costs of a bad hire on page 3.)

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STEP

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For your �-� top candidates:Be consistent with each candidate:

Contact their references

Verify when they worked there and what the job was

Ask if they would hire the person again

If it’s a close tie between candidates hold a second interview with some of your store staff to see who fits best with your team.

Make an offerOnce you’ve decided on the right candidate, call the candidate and extend a verbal offer. This verbal offer should include salary, schedule of hours, benefits and probation period if appropriate.

If the candidate accepts the verbal offer, advise them that a formal offer letter will be forwarded. Your offer letter should include:

Job title

Title/name of immediate supervisor/manager

Job location (if more than one store)

Salary/benefits/bonus/commission information

Starting date

Vacation/time off entitlement

Deadline for acceptance of position

Any employment conditions, e.g., reference check.

If you have a trial/probation period, the duration and expectations.

First review date/performance appraisal process.

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STEP 4 - SELECT THE BEST ‘FIT’

STEP 4 - SELECT TH

E BEST 'FIT'

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If appropriate, advise the candidate that the offer of employment is contingent upon successful references.

With any employee you are proposing to hire, verify that they are a Canadian citizen or have the proper documentation to work in Canada.

Once the candidate has accepted the position and appropriate reference checks have come back acceptable, you should notify the other candidates who were not chosen for this position. Call them personally or send a simple thank you letter such as (Thank you for your interest in the ___ job. We have selected another candidate. We’d like to keep your application on file for future openings.)

Keep applications on file for next time.

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STEP 4 - SELECT THE BEST ‘FIT’ (con't.)

STEP

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You’ve done all the right things and you’ve got the right person for the job. Good work!

Now get them started on the right foot…Prepare a training schedule of what they will learn and be expected to do on Day 1, Week 1, Month 1 etc..

Show them where they can keep their personal belongings while at work

Introduce the new person to the other employees

Go over the role and responsibilities of the job

Arrange a tour of the store, especially the areas she or he will work in

Have him or her complete necessary paperwork

Review employment handbook or policies if you have them

Set clear expectations for them

Assign an experienced employee to mentor a new hire and provide the mentor with checklists of what to cover

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STEP 5 - START THEM OFF RIGHT

TIP: Use a Checklist

Walk through the store and explain the layout

Walk through the back room and explain the order

Demonstrate and have them practice how to tint paint

Review bases

Color computer

Spectrophotometer

Adjusting colors

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STEP 5 - START TH

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Give them learning assignments (reading labels, using Learning Palette tools) and time to learn

Create realistic goals for the new employee to achieve, follow-up and encourage them to meet their goals.

Divide the OrientationMake sure you don’t overwhelm the new employee by trying to show them everything at once:

Ideas:

Let them get good at one thing/area, then move them onto the next.

Make sure they feel comfortable to ask questions.

Provide new employees with a notebook for their personal insights - a blank telephone book with A to Z tabs is an easy way to file and retrieve notes (e.g. primer types would be kept under P)

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STEP 5 - START THEM OFF RIGHT (con't.)

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©2007 Benjamin Moore & Co.

www.benjaminmoore.ca