Match

Hire the right person-every time!

Why is it that so many companies accept mediocre hiring results as the norm? The answer is simple. It doesn't occur to them that, in fact, there is a process that virtually guarantees hiring the right person every time. To repeat: there is a process that virtually guarantees hiring the right person every time. That's what MATCH is about.

Based on author Dan Erling's experience with best practices from over a thousand companies, MATCH gives you a rock solid, practical process for hiring.

• MATCH takes you step-by-step through the lifecycle of hiring, from developing a job description through interviewing and making the decision, to negotiating salary and onboarding the new hire
• Applicable tools, stories, and foolproof techniques are woven throughout to insure your mission critical objective is accomplished
• The author is well-known in the hiring and recruiting industry

With MATCH, your hiring team will develop a systematic process that fits with the company's overall mission, giving your company the people it needs to succeed every time!

Preface the Awakening ix

Acknowledgments xv

Introduction 1

Match The Foundation 7

Chapter 1 Assume the Proper Mind-Set 9

Chapter 2 Begin with the Mission 17

Chapter 3 Assemble the Hiring Team 26

Chapter 4 Clarify the Corporate Culture 32

Match The Process 39
Phase I—Preparing the Recruiting Plan

Chapter 5 Create the Organizational Chart: Step 1 41

Chapter 6 Compile a Job Overview: Step 2 47

Chapter 7 Create the Competency Profile: Step 3 55

Chapter 8 Structure the Recruiting Plan: Step 4 77

Match The Process 89
Phase II—Implementing the Recruiting Plan

Chapter 9 Conduct the Phone Screen: Step 5 91

Chapter 10 Conduct the Face-to-Face Interview: Step 6 102

Chapter 11 Check References: Step 7 119

Chapter 12 Perform Background Checks: Step 8 128

Match The Process 131
Phase III—Executing the Hire

Chapter 13 Make the Decision: Step 9 133

Chapter 14 Extend the Offer: Step 10 137

Chapter 15 Receive Acceptance: Step 11 142

Chapter 16 Perform Onboarding: Step 12 146

Match The Process 153
Phase IV—Following Up

Chapter 17 Retain the Employee: Step 13 155

Chapter 18 Test the Return on Investment: Step 14 162

Chapter 19 Make the Process Stick: Step 15 169

Chapter 20 Foster a Culture of Effective Hiring: Step 16 177

Conclusion 183

Appendix I A Word about Contractors 189

Appendix II Sample Documents for Hiring a Controller 193

Appendix III The Cost of a Mishire: The Story of the Bad Controller 201

Appendix IV Onboarding Checklist 207

About the author 213

Index 217

DAN ERLING is a recognized name in the business community. Dan appears regularly as a media go-to expert for advice on hiring trends and recruiting methods. He is also a well- known public speaker and consultant. Erling has been recognized as one of Atlanta's up-and-coming young executives, running a forty-year-old regional accounting/finance recruiting firm (Accountants One) and maintaining partnership in a staffing firm (The Waters Organization). In 2004, Dan created the Search for the South's Funniest Accountant, which has become a successful annual fundraiser for Junior Achievement. He is a member of Financial Executives International (FEI); Georgia Association of Personnel Services (GAPS); and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). Dan lives in Atlanta with his wife of eighteen years, two kids, and two dogs. You can visit his blog on hiring and recruiting at www.danerling.com. In the current job market, those charged with the responsibility of hiring are faced with a flood of résumés for every job opening. The challenge is not only to find someone who can do the job, but to find the best possible match. This is critical because you're not only filling one job opening—you're contributing to the overall health and efficiency of a team that brings value to your organization.

So how do you find the candidate who is not simply working for a paycheck, but is truly invested in the work, passionate about contributing to the performance of their team, and focused on achieving the company's mission?

There is a process that virtually guarantees hiring the right person every time.

The secret is in systematically applying a series of objective hiring best practices to every open position. As President of Accountants One, Dan Erling has successfully presided over the recruitment and retention of thousands of long-term hiring decisions. From short-term staffing solutions to extensive searches for executive, VP, and C-level positions, Erling's system has contributed not only to successful hires, but to the overall health of the hiring organizations. Now, he shares his powerful hiring system in MATCH, showing you how to integrate this process into your company. This system covers the entire life cycle of the hiring process, including:

• Using powerful strategies to craft job descriptions that precisely fit your company's needs
• Building teams and departments that align with your mission
• Investing the necessary time and energy in recruiting, interviewing, and researching the right candidates
• Bringing new hires on board, monitoring their performance, and ensuring that hires are maximizing their performance
• Retaining top talent for long-term hiring ROI

Human capital is the most important investment you can make in your organization. With the proven system in MATCH, you can instill a consistent culture that recruits, hires, and retains talent that not only shines on its own, but integrates seamlessly into your organization's mission.

In the current job market, those charged with the responsibility of hiring are faced with a flood of résumés for every job opening. The challenge is not only to find someone who can do the job, but to find the best possible match. This is critical because you're not only filling one job opening—you're contributing to the overall health and efficiency of a team that brings value to your organization.

So how do you find the candidate who is not simply working for a paycheck, but is truly invested in the work, passionate about contributing to the performance of their team, and focused on achieving the company's mission?

There is a process that virtually guarantees hiring the right person every time.

The secret is in systematically applying a series of objective hiring best practices to every open position. As President of Accountants One, Dan Erling has successfully presided over the recruitment and retention of thousands of long-term hiring decisions. From short-term staffing solutions to extensive searches for executive, VP, and C-level positions, Erling's system has contributed not only to successful hires, but to the overall health of the hiring organizations. Now, he shares his powerful hiring system in MATCH, showing you how to integrate this process into your company. This system covers the entire life cycle of the hiring process, including:

• Using powerful strategies to craft job descriptions that precisely fit your company's needs
• Building teams and departments that align with your mission
• Investing the necessary time and energy in recruiting, interviewing, and researching the right candidates
• Bringing new hires on board, monitoring their performance, and ensuring that hires are maximizing their performance
• Retaining top talent for long-term hiring ROI

Human capital is the most important investment you can make in your organization. With the proven system in MATCH, you can instill a consistent culture that recruits, hires, and retains talent that not only shines on its own, but integrates seamlessly into your organization's mission.