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Choosing the Right Employee

Selecting and Hiring the Best Candidate During a Probationary Period

Feb 22, 2008 Joni Rose

Should the emphasis be put on the interview process to attain top talent? Candidate fit may be better assessed through a tighter probationary period review process.

There is a lot of emphasis put on the hiring process. Many companies conduct multiple interviews and some go to the extent of hiring background checking companies to do an extensive review down to where potential candidates went to elementary school. Is this where the focus should be when selecting a best fit candidate? Should the emphasis be on the initial interview and selection process or should more emphasis be put on the first few weeks they are on the job i.e. the probationary period?

The Probationary Period

If the probationary period was shortened to say one or two months (usually probationary periods are three or more months) and a stringent 360 degree performance review was performed at the end of that probationary period – would companies be better able to attain employees that fit? Certainly, it is a risky proposition for some candidates to accept the job knowing that the job could be over at the end of probation if they are not a good fit.

Then again, if candidates knew this upfront, would that increase the odds that candidates will not apply or decline an offer when they suspect the fit is not there? If the money put towards the selection process was instead diverted to severance packages to help weed out employees that don’t fit with the companies’ culture, values and/or processes and procedures, would that improve the hiring results?

Short Term Contract Employees

It is an interesting approach for sure as many companies pay little attention to a new hires performance and development until it comes time for the annual review. Another alternative is to hire only on a short-term contract basis at until the new hire’s performance has been assessed on the job and then can be offered a permanent role. One good example of this process in action is when companies hire co-operative education students as a way to attain fresh, young talent.

Cooperative education students typically work for four or eight month work terms and then return to study. If senior co-op students are hired i.e. students who are close to graduation, then they can be potential full-time hires after graduation. Many co-op employers keep the students on part-time after their co-op work term so that they maintain the contact in addition to retaining the employee.

The try-before-you-buy philosophy can be a great solution to hiring problems. If you are consistently finding you are making hiring mistakes, it may be because the selection process is too heavily weighted on the interview stage.

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