TACKLING LABOR ISSUES— FINDERS—KEEPERS
By Suz Trusty
Te article, “Finding and Keeping Employees in the Tight Job Market,” starting on page 14 of the March/April 2018 issue of Turf News focuses on the search for the best potential applicants. Tis year, we’re concentrating on the interview process. It’s the key to finding the best match from among those who apply.
Experts are divided on the best way to conduct in-person interviews. Many recommend developing a specific set of questions for a position and using those questions with each applicant you interview to more effectively screen all candidates. Others recommend beginning the interview by asking, “Tell me about yourself.” Most folks in our industry have shared they typically use a mix of those techniques, starting with “tell me about yourself,” and then tailoring follow-up questions based on that response. Te goal is finding applicants that have the skills to fill the position; can contribute to the business in a meaningful way; and will fit well with your “company culture” and core values.
Kellie Brown, marketing manager at Humantelligence, in her online article, “3 Questions to Evaluate a Candidate’s Emotional Intelligence,” states, “… the most often overlooked, and arguably most important, factor you should be looking for is emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence, a term coined by Daniel Goleman, involves self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill.” She reports this innate ability has proven to be more strongly connected to success in the workplace than IQ or relevant previous experience.
She recommends asking, “Can you explain to me a conflict you had at work that left you feeling aggravated? Tell me about a time your boss or colleague criticized your work. How did it make you feel and how did you handle it? And, What job skill do you feel you could use improvement on?” Ten evaluating their answers in terms of the five pillars involved in emotional intelligence.
Know What You Can’t Ask In her online article, “Illegal Job Interview Questions to Avoid,” Marci Martin, Business News Daily Contributing Writer, offers tips on what you can—and can’t—ask potential candidates. “In the U.S., the Equal Employment Opportunity Act (EEOA) prohibits you from asking questions that might lead to discrimination, or the appearance of discrimination. You can’t ask questions that in any way relate to an applicant’s: Age, Race, Ethnicity, Color, Gender, Sex, Sexual orientation or gender identity, Country of origin, Birthplace, Religion, Disability, Marital status, Family status, Pregnancy, or, in some areas, Salary history.”
Martin reports, “You can ask if they are eligible to work in the United States and if they are able to provide documentation of that. If you have a minimum age requirement you can ask if they are over the age to meet that requirement.” While you can’t ask specific questions related to health or physical fitness, she reports you can ask, “Are you able to execute the necessary job requirements of this position, and perform them well and safely?" She further states that in some areas, it’s illegal to ask, "What is your current salary?" And she suggests a better option is to determine the salary, or salary range, for the position and state it early in the interview. You don’t want to waste your time or theirs if the candidate is not interested in the position at that pay rate.
Making Finders Keepers Once you track down qualified applicants, screening the candidates to find the best fit for your company can be difficult. Hone your own skills using the information above to make the onsite, in-person interview an efficient and effective way to make the best match. Once you have your team in place, consider the tips from Jeff McManus, on developing that team in his article, “Weeders As Leaders,” beginning on page 14.
“Emotional intelligence, a term coined by Daniel Goleman, involves self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill.”
Suz Trusty is co-editor of Turf News. 12 TPI Turf News March/April 2019
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