Time is arguably the most valuable asset to any company and so wasting it in any facet should be avoided at all costs. One aspect of any company that is quite time consuming is sourcing new employees. Between creating job postings, sifting through resumes, scheduling interviews and conducting interviews, a lot of time is spent. In order to make sure it’s time well spent, here are 6 tips for interviewing potential janitorial staff without wasting time.
1. Make Job Postings SPECIFIC
Ambiguous postings cast too wide a net. Be specific in your job posting, clearly outlining the requirements for the job and the availabilities you are looking to fill.
2. Have a Script and Stick to it Every Time
Life may not be scripted, but preliminary interviews should be. Having a simple dialogue prepared for interviews helps you stay on task, get the information you need to find and give you a general rubric for comparing interviews.
3. Conduct Phone Interviews
This idea is not a new one, but before asking someone to come all the way to meet you in a 1:1 setting at the office, you can do a preliminary screening on the phone. Within a short 15-minute time frame you can suss out whether or not this person is the right kind of candidate that you’re looking for.
4. Host a Group Information Session
Instead of repeating yourself over and over, once you have a group of potential candidates have the group of them come in for a general information session. Here’s where you can talk more about company ethos and mission, information the candidates should know about the type of work you do, the clients you service, the competition out there and company benefits. Group sessions are also a great way for you to observe the candidates and take some notes about them regarding punctuality, participation, attitude, and overall disposition.
5. Schedule and Execute Group Training Sessions
Again, group sessions are a great way for you to maximize on your time and also see the candidates interact and engage with each other. Group training sessions include going further into the specifics of the work they’ll do on the job, the technologies they’ll be using, and how to use them. These sessions should include some hands-on practice, time for questions and even a little quiz to test their knowledge on the janitorial products and services you use and provide.
6. Trial Shifts on the Road
The final step in the interview process is to have the selected candidates actually get out there put their new skills and knowledge to use. These trial cleaning shifts are essential in truly being able to assess if the candidates will be an asset to your team or not.
While there isn’t any interview process that is thorough and quick, by using tips like these, you can certainly streamline the process so that the time spent is well worth it and you get a janitorial team that is the right one for your company!