Recruiting, Interviewing and Selecting Staff: Starting Off

on the Right Foot Kay Robinson, SPHR

Robinson HR Consulting, Inc.

Erin UleryDirector, Professional DevelopmentNational Summer Learning Assoc.

Our mission is to connect and equip schools and

community organizations to deliver quality summer learning programs to our nation’s youth to help close the

achievement gap.

Objectives Identify the competencies of summer

frontline staff Overcome the pitfalls of selection

errors Develop a failsafe recruitment

process Conduct a legal interview Learn to use "behavioral-based“ and

“situational” questions

Question What do you look for in a frontline

staff person?

Making the Most of Summer

Handbook, pg. 125

Program Improvement System

Program Infrastructure Purpose People Planning Professional

Development Partnerships

Point-of-Service Individualized Intentional Integrated

People Know who you’re hiring and why• Targeted recruitment• Standard interview/application protocol• Clear job descriptions and expectations

Empower your staff to manage the program• Advance, collaborative planning• Site-based management of materials, budget,

vendors, field trips• Frequent staff meetings and structured

feedback loop

What Makes a Strong Summer Learning Program Front Line Staff Member?

Experience working with youth- knowledge of youth development and education

Knowledge of the community being served

Invested in program outcomes- understands his/her role in achieving them

Active part of building program’s culture

Leader and role model for other staff and youth

Getting It Right Hire the right people . . .

Management is fun Hire the wrong people . . .

Management is tough Employee selection is one of

management's most important responsibilities

If you get it right the first time, you will have less turnover and less need to recruit in the future

Cost of Hiring Advertising Interview time Reference checking Unproductive work time (lost

opportunities) Hidden administrative costs Job morale of others

Common Selection Errors Lack of clearly-defined job requirements and

qualifications Untrained supervisors/poorly conducted

interviews Decisions made purely on a "gut feeling“ (me-

too syndrome) Decisions made on the verbal "selling skills" of

the candidate Hiring a warm body/accepting less than the best Not conducting reference checks Not defining the realities of the job

The Failsafe Recruitment Process

1. Plan2. Prepare3. Probe4. Preview5. Post-check6. Make Offer7. Post-hire

Phase 1 -Plan Define the position Determine selection criteria Decide if there are alternatives to

recruitment Assess success of recruitment

sources in the past (yield ratios) Decide where to advertise/source

candidates Develop specific ads

Selection CriteriaMust

Tangible Intangible

What can be trainined?Tangible Intangible

Alternative Staffing Restructuring job Part-time Outsourcing: vendors, partnerships Training for promotions Volunteer to Paid Staff Job sharing, flex-time

Question What sources do you use to find

quality candidates?

Sourcing Candidates Assess what worked in the past Make sure you are competitive Go for quality not quantity of candidates Consider employee referral program Network with colleagues Consider contacting local unemployment office Respond to applicants quickly (the good ones get

scooped up)

Phase 2 - Prepare Identify qualified candidates, screen

resumes/applications Create interview questions for each

position that you are hiring for summer

Create specific interview questions geared toward individual

Phase 3 – Probe Introductions – Build rapport quickly Provide overview of interview

process (agenda) Elicit information from candidate Describe position and organization Answer questions Close interview Inform candidate timing of decision

Question What is an unique question that you

use when interviewing potential front line staff?

Why Interviews Fail Fail to get enough information Does not match job with candidate Fail to evaluate resume Settle for superficial, rehearsed

answers Is only concerned with skills or

personality – not both Forgets the quality of the candidate

During the Interview Let the candidate do the talking Probe carefully for potential problems, but stay

legal and do not offend (gaps, demotions) Keep on track but do not be rigid Ask for clarification, use silence, ask for examples Look for cues (what isn’t said) Beware of biases Ask open-ended questions Start the reference-checking in the interview

Legal Issues

Age Race, Color, National origin Marital status Sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, number of

children) Religion Status regarding public assistance Disability (physical or mental) Workers' compensation claims Union membership Arrest records

Behavioral Interviewing

“More than a gut feeling”

A behavioral example is a specific life history eventwhich will tell you about the individual's skills. When you gain behavioral examples, you typically will hear references to names, dates, numbers, times, and locations and will have "real" information about a person's background.

Sample Behavioral Questions

Tell me about a time when you worked with a colleague on a special project. What was your role? How did you go about organizing the project? What were the outcomes?

Outline a specific time when you encountered an unexpected problem and had to solve it. What did you do? What was the outcome?

Situational Interview A situational interview is a structured

interview that contains questions about how an applicant might handle a specific job situation.• What would you do if …• How would you handle ….

Sample Situational Questions

You are leading a small group discussion about ______________ when you see that two other children not in the small group, being arguing. Two seconds later, another child begins choking. What is your course of action?

While leading a whole group discussion, you notice that one child has not made eye contact with anyone and has not spoken since begin the group discussion. How would you engage that child into the conversation?

During the art activity, one child spills paint on the floor, just as a parent comes in and would like to talk to you. How would you react?

More examples…

While playing with the group of children, you notice that a parent who is not allowed contact with their child has arrived at the playground. What do you do?

This summer, you will receive a lot of formal and informal feedback to support your experience. Please describe a situation where you received constructive criticism. How did you handle it? How, if at all, did you incorporate the feedback?

Source: Leading Summer Learning Programs:Tips to Recruit and Select Seasonal Staff

Please share some examples

A behavioral example is aspecific life history eventwhich will tell you about theindividual's skills. When yougain behavioral examples,

youtypically will hear references

tonames, dates, numbers,

times,and locations and will have"real" information about aperson's background.

A situational interview is a structured interview that contains questions about how an applicant might handle a specific job situation.

Phase 4 - Preview Provide a realistic preview of the job• The good, the bad and the ugly

Provide outline of standards and expectations• And the values of the organization

Outline the culture of the organization and what gets rewarded• What makes a good fit and a successful

employee

Phase 5 – Post-Check Reference checks are CRITICAL If you have a third party assist, be in

compliance with FCRA If there are discrepancies, contact

the candidate Try to touch base with the direct

supervisor Document checks, especially when

you are unable to secure a reference

Typical reference check questions: Title/Salary/Primary Duties:

Strengths of candidate (technical and soft skills) 

Red flags or areas we need to be concerned about

Why left/would you hire back? What would make him leave a job?

What would the ideal job be for this candidate? What kind of boss will the candidate most likely succeed under? 

Issues (from interview) - job hop, level of responsibility, attitude, relationship building, team, etc. based on requirements of position

What one suggestion would you give the candidate in terms of helping him/her to be successful? 

What else do we need to know about the candidate?

Phase 6 –Make Offer

Review candidates against criteria, not against each other

Make offer and put in writing Inform other candidates the position

is closed Inform staff that position has been

filled

Making the Most of Summer

Handbook, pg. 125

What questions do you have?

Additional Resources: Summer Starts in September:

Program Planning Guide Leading Summer Learning Programs:

Tips to Recruit and Select Seasonal Staff

Next in the Series:Effectively Training Summer Staff March 31, 201011-12:00 ESThttps://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/716000673

Will your staff be prepared to make an impact on kids this summer?  Kay Robinson, SPHR, from Robinson HR Consulting and Erin Ulery, Director of Professional Development from the Association will examine effective training methods and strategies to help you make sure your staff can hit the ground running. They will also discuss what training programs to cover during the summer.

Save the Date!“Summer Changes Everything!”Conference

November 9-10, 2010 Indianapolis, IN

The only national conference dedicated to summer!

Join the Association! Friend of Summer Learning

Individual Organization/District

• Access to open web content including field news, research and interviews with experts• Ability to network with other

membersthrough online discussion groups• Discounts on conference,

publications,and professional development

services• Two hours of quality program consulting via phone

• Access to curriculum rating tool, and Excellence in Summer Learning Award winner profiles

• Free program planning guide

Thank You! Robinson HR Consulting • Kay Robinson Kay@robinsonhrconsulting.com

Program Planning/Membership • Erin Ulery

eulery@summerlearning.org