http://www.businessweek.com/careers/content/oct2000/ca20001013_818.htm

But numbers of plentiful employees may wane quickly now that economy is picking up. According to Working Knowledge, a publication of Harvard Business School, by 2010 there could be 10 million more jobs available than there are employees in United States. So, any company that finds a tried-and-true method of hiring right employee will be ahead of game. The same test that could help you narrow field would be just as important when there are fewer candidates from which to choose.

http://workingknowledge.hbs.edu/pubitem.jhtml?id=3803&t=organizations

Some companies have avoided implementing personal profiling as a hiring tool because of misconceptions surrounding industry. It’s easy to understand why. A search on web for information about personal profiling brings results ranging from psychological groups to psychics! Here are some myths about using personal profiling in mainstream business:

Myth 1: Personal profiling is only geared toward hiring upper management.

Many corporations are using profiling to determine best hires for every position, especially in organizations that are interested in making sure new hires fit into corporate culture. Products available for instant online access and results, like DISC assessment, can help tremendously in hiring process. Personal profiling can help ensure that any candidate is right for job or can work with particular personality types.

Myth 2: Personal profiling is too expensive.

Although you can spend thousands of dollars on a battery of tests for an upper-management position, some tests, like DISC, are cost-effective enough to be implemented on a daily basis. You spend a lot of money and in time alone interviewing candidates, so using DISC personal profiling test could keep you from going through it all over again for same position next year! When you look at all costs associated with losing an employee – from lower productivity to time spent to rehire and train a new worker – many companies could actually save money implementing a pre-employment test.

Myth 3: Personal profiling really isn’t geared toward small business.

Actually, small businesses may benefit most from conducting personal profiling assessments. Nowhere else in industry does time spent in human resources management chip away at bottom line more than in small business. When small business owners hire a new employee, they’ve got to make sure they’ve got right candidate – it’s too expensive to make a mistake. When a small business owner is running classified ads, spending time reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates, it takes significant time away from running business. Diverting entrepreneur away from business at hand to hire employees can seriously affect profits. Also, especially in small business environment, it’s important a new employee work well with owner and other members of a small staff.

Myth 4: Personal profiling takes too much time.

Granted, some personal profiling tests do take a lot of time. Some can require candidates to answer hundreds of questions. Shorter tests, like DISC, can yield a lot of information with fewer questions. The DISC assessment, for example, only has 24 questions and can be completed in 15 minutes. Because first phase of test is taken online, results take mere minutes. The interview with a specialist to interpret DISC’s results takes anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. That’s less than three hours – a fraction of time it took to recruit candidates, read resumes and interview applicants!

Myth 5: People can cheat on a personal profiling test.

Personal profiling test questions have no right or wrong answers, and many, like DISC assessment, don’t have a lot of questions that might be perceived as negative to encourage a candidate to not be truthful. Most human resources managers use personal profiling tests as just a part of their evaluation of a potential new hire, and even experts say that companies should never base their hiring decisions on test alone. In reality, there are a lot of ways an unscrupulous candidate can cheat entire hiring process – from padding their resume to not telling truth in interview. Adding more pieces to process may help trip them up!

Hiring decisions are rarely easy, and whether it’s feast or famine – large pool of candidates today or slim pickings predicted in future – a personal profile assessment would be an excellent tool to help hire best person for your organization. It doesn’t matter if you are a Fortune 500 company or a mom-and-pop retailer – everyone saves time and money when right candidate is hired first time. ********** Copyright 2004 Kate Smalley, Connecticut Secretary http://www.connecticutsecretary.com **********

•Tell your coach candidates what you perceive your goals are right now. Also tell each candidate what you are willing, and not willing, to do to meet them. Ask them what they can do to help.

•Discuss upfront how you and your coach will work together when you don’t agree. A good coach will push you in directions that you don’t agree with or that make you uncomfortable. Sometimes a good coach will tell you about certain negative behaviors you have that you don’t necessarily want to change. Ask how you and coach will deal with these issues.

•Trust your gut. Some business owners prefer a coach with a similar style, while others want to possess characteristics they observe in a coach who has a different personality. Go with one you think you can best work with.

So you’ve selected your coach. What comes next? Most coaches will want to re-evaluate your goals with you first. You’ll also discuss strengths, weaknesses, problems and concerns. Next you will likely develop a plan of action. Here are some things to remember when working with a coach:

•Nothing will change overnight. Commit to at least a year of coaching before you re-evaluate its effectiveness.

•Make coaching a priority. Business owners tend to put business at hand over every other function. However, coaching can help you cut down on time it takes to do business. Make coaching priority.

•Be willing to consider doing things differently. Note that I’m not saying to actually DO things differently. There’s a difference between that and considering possibility. Most of us need to ease ourselves into transitions and changes. Being willing to change is first step.

•Be honest with your coach. You’ve chosen a coach who you feel will be honest with you, and you must reciprocate. In fact, not being honest will most likely be a waste of time for both of you. It’s important that you develop trust with your coach.

•Take crisis issues to your coach. As top person in your organization, your coach can be your sounding board for dealing with tough problems. It never hurts to get a different perspective.

Working with a business coach is a rewarding experience. You’ll learn about gifts and talents that you never even knew you possessed. You’ll face issues that you hoped would never see light of day. And both you and your business will grow in ways you never thought possible! ******************** Copyright 2003 Kate Smalley Connecticut Secretary http://www.connecticutsecretary.com kms@connecticutsecretary.com ********************