Right now, your most likely inclination is to hire your front runner and call it a day. But not so fast...
It's Time To Look At Things Objectively
If you'll recall, several emails ago I advised you to avoid falling in love with a single applicant. The reason for this is that it's just too easy to let your emotions cloud your judgement during the hiring selection process...
...and that can lead to hiring an applicant that you personally "like" better than all the others, but who is actually not the best candidate of the bunch.
So, now's the time to step back and take a long, hard, objective look at these applicants. And for starters, we're going to go back and take a look at our notes from the initial interviews.
Review Time!
Remember that I told you to grade each candidate on a scale of 1 to 10 in the following areas:
- Punctuality
- Appearance
- Preparedness
- Presence/Personality/Enthusiasm
- Experience/Education
But before you go back and look at those scores, I want you to grade each of the applicants who made it to the second round again using those criteria. This score will be based on their performance during the second round of interviews.
Feel free to consult your notes from those second interviews to come up with a score for each applicant. Then, compare the scores you just came up with to the scores from the first round of interviews.
Did anyone improve significantly from the first interview to the second? Did anyone lose points? Why? Ask yourself what happened to cause a candidate to jump ahead or lose ground between their first and second interviews.
Identify The Nice Ones
Now, look carefully at the candidates who score highest in area #4, because those people are likely going to be the ones you're going to want to work with on a daily basis.
And if your front runner didn't score well in that area, consider whether or not you think you'll get along well with that person, working in close proximity day in and day out.
Personally, I'd much rather work with someone who is pleasant to be around but who might not be the most qualified applicant. Here's why...
You Can Always Train A Hard Worker - But You Can't Train Lazy
Next, ask yourself if you're selecting an applicant solely based on their qualifications and score in area #5. If so, be advised - the most qualified applicant isn't always the right person for the job.
That's because you can always train someone up to speed if they have the right attitude, but you can't train the lazy out of someone who doesn't like to work.
Also, remember that you're a martial arts instructor. It's your job to teach other people martial arts, right? So, if someone lacks knowledge, but they're enthusiastic and talented, that's easily fixed. But a bad attitude isn't, so choose wisely.
Avoid Egos At All Costs
If I can give you one hard and fast rule on employee selection, it's this:
- Egos spell trouble, so avoid hiring people with large egos at all costs.
Think back to your interviews and ask yourself if there were any prima donnas in the bunch. Did anyone stand out as someone who thinks they're God's gift to the martial arts world?
Employees with big egos are going to cause you headaches, I can guarantee it. They'll undermine your authority and they're most likely to try to leave with your students sometime down the road. For these reasons, I strongly suggest that you always pass on anyone who comes across as arrogant or egotistical.
- - -
Hopefully this gives you some insight into how to select the right candidate. I know this is a lot to consider. But, this is a big decision for your dojo, so it's worth it to take your time at this juncture.
Now tomorrow I'm going to start talking about what to do after they're hired. Trust me - the hard work has just begun.
Until next time,
Mike Massie
MartialArtsBusinessDaily.com
P.S. - Take my advice on the ego thing. Even if you have someone who is a world champion whatever, and you think it's going to make your school look like a million bucks to have them teaching for you... if they have a big ego, let them walk. You'll thank me for this advice later.
