Are you guilty of turning a job interview into a social situation? Do you encourage boomerang employees (former staff members that keep coming back) at your shop? There is a better way to recruit and retain the kind of employees you want running your shop, says employment specialist Cathy Fyock, who led the session "Finding and Keeping Great Employees," during SAF Palm Springs 2007.

"It is hard finding qualified, dedicated, hard-working employees," Fyock, of Innovative Management Concepts in Crestwood, Ky., acknowledges.

To avoid what she calls "warm body hiring," Fyock says to determine — before an interview — what qualities you want in an applicant. For instance, do you want a team player? Is flexibility an important trait? How vital is the kind of education or experience they possess? Should they exhibit good customer service skills?

Make sure top candidates possess the key traits you're seeking; that way, you won't settle for the candidate who's a bad fit for the job — but the only one who applied.

During the interview, don't put yourself in the role of psychologist with questions like 'what was your childhood like?' Fyock says, because "you're not Sigmund Freud." Instead, ask indirect questions about the applicant's ethics to help paint the picture. "Think about a time when you saw someone do something you disagreed with," is a statement Fyock says gets at the heart of the issue — the individual's ethical values — without being intrusive (or too predictable).

Want to learn more helpful hiring techniques? Look for a complete wrap-up of Fyock's advice in the December issue of Floral Management. Check out Floral Management's previous articles on finding great employees and doing background checks on applicants. And, for more specific links on hiring trends, read E-Brief's previous coverage on older adults and holiday help.

--Cassandra P. Foster
cfoster@safnow.org

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