DOES THE FLU ATTEND CLASS TOO OFTEN? If we seek solace in investing time and resources to properly train and continually educate staffs, then why are we actively seeking bottom rung prospects? I surmise that playing the numbers game does more damage to the image of the industry — not to mention the potential det-riment to the built environment and building occupant health — than it does help. The solution to this growing problem is not reducing our pool of prospects; rather, we can find resolution in more thoroughly vetting candidates to ensure their work ethic and ideals align with your corporate culture or the general attitude of your orga-nization. According to David Kelly, regional director for Jani-King Baltimore, it is always good to screen candidates for attitudes and behav-iors that business experience indicates will make a candidate successful. In noting that certain key skills can be learned through initial training and ongoing education, Kelly says, “Key attitudes we hire for are honesty, self-discipline, coachability and, among others, tenaciousness.” Be Nontraditional Insanity can be loosely defined as, “Continuing a particular pattern of behavior and expecting the results to be unique in each outcome.” Why, then, are you continuing down the same beaten path when looking to fill empty positions — especially knowing that your current techniques have not been overly fruitful and have lead you in a hiring circle? Instead of following convention and sim-ply doing what everyone else does or that which you have done in the past, break the mold and be nontraditional. Make your hiring practices fun and fresh by: ■ Incentivizing current employees’ recruitment of new workers ■ Asking thought-provoking questions not usually queried ■ Conducting interviews in less common settings like a park or while walking through your facility ■ Letting the potential new employee do most of the talking and see where the conversation leads ■ Analyzing body language and focusing on the persona an individual exudes ■ Looking to social media outlets to find new prospects. “Social media is appropriate for recruit-ing managerial, sales or administra-Questions Not To Ask According to the Wall Street Journal , there are a handful of questions you should never ask during an interview. These questions can elicit dishonest answers and can pry too deeply into a candidate’s personal life, and you certainly do not want to violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act or the Civil Rights Act. Interview questions to avoid include: ■ Where do you see yourself in five years? ■ What kind of people do you have difficulty working with? ■ What else can you tell me about your current position? ■ Do you have a spouse or any children? ■ What are your spiritual beliefs? ■ What did you not like about your old boss? You should always try and avoid any inquiries that can be viewed as discriminatory. Not only can such questions make people uncomfortable, but they can also get you in trouble. Not hiring a candidate based on any of the following criteria is illegal and can be grounds for a lawsuit: ■ Race ■ Nationality ■ Age ■ Religion ■ Sex ■ Residence ■ Disability ■ Marital status. TOUGH JOBS DEMAND SMART SOLUTIONS NI-20374 Product Information no. 204 on page 24 14 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • March 2013
CMM – Archives Mar 2013: 14
