Welcome to the July 20, 2005 issue of The Total View

Published by Success Performance Solutions, Written by Ira S. Wolfe

Visit our Human Resources Blog and Perfect Labor Storm Blog where we can post daily (and more often) human resource updates, news, and Perfect Labor Storm facts. 

What's Inside:

1. Why Is The Interview Such A Poor Hiring Tool....

...and why is it still the most commonly used selection technique?

Experts suggest five reasons:

1. Most managers listen for answers they want to hear, rather than listen to and observe how the candidate responds.

2. Most managers don't structure an interview with behavioral or situational questions iand prepare in advance.

3. Most managers don't prioritize and weight each question according to its importance to job performance.

4. Most managers don't probe. They ask one question, listen or observe a response, then move onto the next question. A good interviewer asks a situational question and the subsequent questions develop from the candidate's response. Asking questions gets you answers. Probing gets you the truth.

5. Candidates do a lot more interviewing than most managers and are more skillful at presenting a strong appearance than the average manager is at probing past their "front."

An interview does help evaluate "personal chemistry" and allows the manager to get a feel of how well they might get along and work together. That is if the interviewer can tell if the candidate is telling the truth or just putting on a good show. Regardless, the interview is a critical part of good selection, even if it doesn't always predict the candidate's future potential to succeed in the job.

So what's a manager to do? Follow the "whole person approach" to employee selection and these 5 steps.


              First, identify the critical core competencies you need to evaluate.

Next, write behavioral and situational interview questions.

Third, structure the questions by weighing each question's importance and creating a rating system for each response.

Fourth, confirm job fit with personality tests such as TotalView combined with behavioral assessments like Business Values and Motivators and CriteriaOne DISC.

And finally, do a through reference and background check.

For more information about "the whole person approach"

2. Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #425 to #426

Don't miss day-to-day updates on Perfect Labor Storm. Save the Perfect Labor Storm blog to your favorites.

Fact #425: When social security legislation was enacted in 1935, the ratio of contributing workers to each beneficiary was 41.9:1. That ratio dropped to 16.5:1 in 1950. The current ratio is 3.4:1. Social security trustees predict the ratio will drop to 2:1 in 2040. These numbers reduce the issue to this: how will we afford to fund the retirements of a growing population and care for an aging population? (Source: Social Security Administration)

Fact #426: “Replacement workers.” The ratio of entry-level wage earners to retirees has dropped from 9:1 in 1955 to 4:1 in 1995, with projections that the ratio will further decline to 2:1 by 2020. The labor market, which grew at approximately 1.2 percent a year in the 1990s, is expected to decrease to 0.8 percent from 2000 to 2010, and 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent in subsequent decades. Are you beginning to get the picture? (Source: Social Security Administration)

Don't be caught in storm without all the facts. "The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book: Why Worker Shortages Won't Go Away" is a must-read leading edge forecast that predicts workforce trends for decades to come. Order your copy today - Only $7.95.

3. "Fore" Styles To Improve Your Golf Game

What's your "best" mental golf style? What's your preferred style when preparing to take a shot, managing the course, or working with your golf instructor? Get your head in sync with your physical swing - Get your Mental Golf Profile at Success Performance Solutions.

4. The Manager's Pocket Guide to Motivating Employees

Hundreds of reports and statistics prove that a motivating workplace is essential to the success of an organization. This practical guide concisely outlines the steps to creating and maintaining a fun, energized and highly motivating work environment where employees want to work - and stay.

The author believes a smart manager can get 60% of workers to work harder. If a staggering increase in your productivity sounds good, The Manager's Pocket Guide to Motivating Employees is for you.

You'll discover proven tips for creating an environment which fosters motivation, including how to:

• - Hire motivated people
• - Convey the goals of your organization and how employees fit
  into the big picture
• - Generate enthusiasm throughout your staff
• - Set expectations and provide opportunities for growth

           And more.

And don't forget Undertanding Business Values and Motivators, too!

5. Interview for Success: A Half-Day Competency-Based Behavioral Interviewing Workshop

Competency-based behavioral interviewing techniques will give your company a strategic focus by allowing hiring managers to integrate job-specific, future-oriented competencies into their interviews. This workshop teaches participants to identify key competencies (characteristics that differentiate outstanding performers from average performers in a given job) and build those competencies into their hiring and selection process in order to attain this strategic focus.

More about Interviewing for Success

6.  A Practical Guide to Understanding and Managing Hispanic Employees

Hispanics make up a huge percentage of the workforce in the hotel, food, manufacturing, service and many other industries. As a manager or co-worker do you understand the motives and needs behind the behaviors? Do you want to learn how to create a more inclusive environment, and how to increase your effectiveness with cross-cultural communication to get results?

Inside this book you'll learn the secrets of:

- Overcoming the biggest barriers to cross-cultural communication and collaboration.

- Customizing your message to appeal to the different types of Hispanics in your organization.

- Helping Hispanic employees work through cultural shackles that keep them from contributing and succeeding.

- Establishing long-term organizational tranformation. This is not just a passing fad linked to the current popularity of Salsa music!

- Creating an environment of mutual trust, increased business literacy, personal accountability and ownership!

And much more - Purchase Motivating Hispanic Employees..

Only $24.95

Syndication available - call us.