7 Steps To Hire The Best

You can use this step-by-step method to hire applicants who are likely to be “superstar” employees:
- highly productive
- low-turnover

Important: Focus on hiring applicants you rate positively on all seven prediction methods.

5th Prediction Method = Realistic Job Preview
If you decide applicant did well on 1st – 4th Prediction Methods, then do Realistic Job Preview: For RJP, the applicant spends 1/2- 1 day watching an employee doing the job. Benefit: Applicants who received RJP are less likely to (a) accept job offer – but, if they accept, (b) turnover. Reason: The RJP assures they know what they are getting themselves into!

6th Prediction Method = 1 Executive Must Approve All Hiring
If the applicant did well on 1st – 5th Prediction Methods, then one executive at your company reviews Applicant Rating Summary Form. Your company’s quick Applicant Summary Rating Form
* summarizes ratings – positive, average, or negative – on 1st – 5th Prediction Methods
* “forces” managers to actually use your structured hiring steps
Important: If the applicant’s ratings on 1st – 5th Prediction Methods include
+ all positive ratings, then executive may approve hiring applicant
- average or negative ratings, then the executive may not allow applicant to be hired

7th Prediction Method = Reference Checks
If your company decides the applicant did well on 1st – 6th Prediction Methods – plus accepts job offer – then you conduct Reference Checks. If they prove
+ positive, then your company keeps applicant as an employee
- negative, then you take appropriate action

How Much Time Do You Need to Hire the Best?
Many managers moan they are time-crunched, and ask how much time these seven steps require. Two answers:
1. If an applicant does well on 1st – 7th Prediction Methods, then you invested 2 – 3 hours to hire the best
2. Ask yourself: How much time – and money – did you waste when you hired average or below-average applicants? You wasted many hours – plus salary, benefits and low productivity – because you failed to invest only 2 – 3 hours to hire the best!

About the Author

Michael Mercer, Ph.D., is America’s Hire the Best Expert™. Dr. Mercer authored five books, including “Hire the Best -- & Avoid the Rest™”. Many companies rely on his pre-employment test – “Abilities & Behavior Forecaster™ Test” – to help hire the best.