FROM THE BOARD 



Hiring This Year's Crew 



George Timm 



Most of us at this time of year are busy planning 

 for the coming spring. Among the many tasks at 

 hand are hiring part-time or new employees Part-time 

 or seasonal employees make up the bulk of our work 

 force, but how do we attract them to an 

 industry that is largely manual labor and 

 works outdoors in all sorts of weather? 



We follow a simple hiring procedure 

 that over the years has helped provide us 

 with people who want to be here and en- 

 joy the opportunity to work 



Several sources are used to attract 

 potential candidates. Among them are 

 newspaper advertising, posters around 

 town, and word-of-mouth or referrals. 

 While traditional advertising produces 

 many responses, referrals offer the bet- 

 ter candidates. Ask your current employ- 

 ees who they know; use your local 



chamber of commerce; contact the high 



school guidance department or career 



placement office. When talking with 



these people, ask them who they know who "likes 



the outdoors" or "enjoys meeting people" rather than 



who would be "a good weed-puller" or "plant sales 



assistant." 



Once a contact has been made, set the first inter- 

 view for a time you would normally start work or 

 before. ..say, 7:00 am. This tells you right away if this is 

 a morning person or someone who stays out all night 

 and would have a problem arriving on time every day. 

 Have the candidate fill out a simple application listing 

 name, address, work history, and educational back- 

 ground. Also ask a few non-traditional questions, such 

 as "What are your non-work interests?" or "What are 

 some of your personal goals and objectives?" Next, 

 take the candidate for a tour, during which you can give 

 a brief company history. 



Now comes the question-and-answer period (15-20 

 minutes). Give the prospect a written job description 

 listing responsibilities, duties, etc., to read while you 

 are reading over their application Ask questions like 

 "For you, what is important about working?" or "Tell me 

 about a favorite working experience." Try to match their 

 goals to the company. Review specifics such as hours, 

 clothing, lunch break, any equipment needed (pocket 

 knife, pruning shear, etc.) Close this part of the inter- 



Once a contact has 



been made, 



set the first interview 



for a time 



you would normally 



start work or before... 



say, 7:00 am. 



view by asking for their commitment to be a candidate 



for the position. If they say yes, then hand them a 



sheet asking for prior work references (three or four) 



and personal references (two or three). Have them take 



this with them to mail back to you once 



completed. Thank them for their time 



and say that you will get back to them 



once you have checked their references. 



Having the candidates mail back 

 their references forces them to expend 

 a certain amount of energy You'll find 

 that those people who take the time to 

 do this are more committed to your op- 

 portunity than if they'd been offered 

 a position at the conclusion of the 

 interview. 



Check references! I can't stress this 

 enough! I know we are all busy, but 

 this is one of the most important steps 

 in hiring quality people. Ask the refer- 

 ence to verify some of the information 

 the candidate provided. Ask the type 

 of work done, earnings, supervisory responsibilities, 

 how their performance compared with others, why the 

 candidate left, if the reference would rehire, what — if 

 anything — interfered with their work. ..strong points, 

 weak points. ..and, lastly, thank them for their time 

 and input. 



Call the candidate and arrange for a second inter- 

 view (10-15 minutes). At this time, you should reaffirm 

 the position's requirements and responsibilities and the 

 candidate's commitment. Ask for clarification of any 

 questions raised from your conversations with the refer- 

 ences. Ask if they have any questions. Be sure that the 

 candidate is willing to accept the physical nature of the 

 work, weather, bugs, etc. Ask if they're willing to com- 

 mit to the position's duties, hours, etc. Offer them the 

 position. 



By using these steps, we've been able to hire em- 

 ployees who are committed to our business. We've had 

 fewer people work for a week and decide this isn't for 

 them and have cut down on absenteeism. Try these 

 techniques yourself this spring and let me know how 

 well they work for you. 



George Timm is at Davis Brook Farm in Hancock and can be 

 reached at 603-525-4728. 



FEBRUARY . MARCH ■ 1998 



