Do you work in human resources? If the answer is yes, then you should learn everything that you can about topgrading as an interview process. With this particular tool, you will be able to weed out any unscrupulous characters that might end up not being able to do the job you are hiring for down the line.
Before we discuss how you can use employee topgrading as part of the rigorous interview and recruitment process, let’s take a look at what this term actually means and how it applies to building harmonious office interpersonal relationships.
In this context, the chairman available refers to their viability and probable job competency. It also involves a 12-step process which includes the following:
Phase One: The Initial Assessment
In this first phase of topgrading, you will be able to formulate the criteria for what you want to see in a potential employee.
1. Forethought – Here, you start by thinking about the specific candidate that you are trying to look for. What qualifications do they need for the job? You should also define the type of personality and work ethic an applicant should have.
2. The Scorecard – Once you know the specific qualifications that you are looking for, you can create a scorecard for these qualifications during the interview. This will help you determine if an applicant is a right fit for the job much more quickly. Create a list of the most important criteria, and if you find any applicants who tick everything on the checklist, then you know you should hire them right away.
3. Utilize Your Network – Before outsourcing new recruits, you should look into your current talent pool for potential hires. This way, you will increase the chances of hiring someone you already know and trust. This will also cut down your training time, because you’ve hired someone who already has experience working for the company itself.
4. Work History Forms – Next, you want to make sure that your applicants fill out the work history form. This will include basic information about the applicants, as well as data on their previous salaries and reasons behind their dismissal from their previous employment. This document and the information provided can help you compare and contrast each applicant to gauge their competency when it comes to answering interview questions later on.
Phase Two: The Interview
This is the part of the hiring process where you get face-to-face interaction with the applicant and gauge whether or not he is right for the job.
5. Telephone Screening – This works to further enhance the interview process. It occurs in conjunction with the work history forms, where an applicant is asked to verify the information that they have written on the form through phone conversations. During this process, their calls are compared with those of other applicants to ensure the validity of their information.
6. Competency Testing – This particular type of interview works in conjunction with the scorecard from step two. The interviewer will then compare the actual skills of the applicant against their own scorecard of the ideal qualifications. If the points tally, the applicant will have passed this section of the interview.
7. The Topgrading Interview – The official interview can last up to 4 hours. It involves an in-depth review of the applicants’ work history, as well as each of their personal qualifications. It begins by scrutinizing their educational background, goes through each of their job titles and experience, as well as the many work-related situations that they have encountered. In the end, the interview should focus on how the company can benefit from the skills and personality traits of the applicant himself. Here, you can also be thorough by checking the references that the applicant provided.
8. Feedback – This section focuses on interviewer feedback. The applicant will be given 1 to 3 points of consideration for improvement. They will also have to enumerate the areas where the interviewee excelled. This process is done to help the applicant understand what he needs due in order to improve themselves as a potential employee in the future.
9. The Executive Summary Draft – This particular document refers to the extensive report that you should write after the interview itself. Here, you will be able to identify up to 50 behavioral traits that can help compare each candidate’s skills and professional aptitude. This will help you classify each applicant into the ABC class.
Phase Three: The Field Test
In this final phase, you will be able to find out how well the applicant actually performs in the field. You provide him with simulated tests that measure his professional skills in action as it relates to the job.
10. The Reference Calls – In the reference step, you will be able to gauge whether or not the applicant will be able to handle calls in the field. You can ask them to arrange valuable caller information according to fixed company systems within a certain timeframe. This step will ascertain their speed and accuracy in gathering information.
11. Applicant Training – This is the part where you personally train your chosen applicants about the integral points of company procedures. This step is usually reserved for no more than the top three applicants of your choosing.
12. Annual Measurement of Hiring Success – You ought to regularly have a benchmark for your interview success. In this step, you can use sales analytics to determine if you made the right choice in hiring certain applicants over others. You can also conduct interviews – both formal and informal – with other office staff to help you gauge whether or not the new recruit is getting along with his peers and colleagues. Reflecting on applicant performance on the job will help you refine your interview process.
With these 12 steps, you can certainly end up with the best applicants for any job that you might have in mind in the future. As with any manager, it is your duty to find the best of the best when it comes to potential members of the company that you’re working for. It’s worth it to take this job seriously.
Conclusion
These are the most important points that you need to remember about topgrading. It is crucial that you are able to do this when interviewing applicants, mainly because it will help you make an informed decision regarding who you should hire for your company in the future.
What are you waiting for? Go ahead and give the process a try. You’re sure to see better applicants and employees on the other end!