Advice on hiring someone dependable from 3 hours away.

[jeremiahisnaked 64]

I'm in the process of hiring 2 people, one from North AL, and one from South AL. Ill remain in Montgomery to oversee them and guide the growth of additional employees. My family's law firm is dedicated to ensuring that disabled Vets and other Americans with disabilities have the same access and freedom in their day to day life as any other person. Any advice would be appreciated, I've got Mng and hiring experience, just not from out of town. Thanks!

[magsite20 1,664]

1^st off vets / retired military make good employees. 

 

A good check of references and claims on a resume can save some time later. To some degree just about all resumes have some embellishments but when someone will just tell a flat lie on paper who knows what they’d do or say when no ones around.

 

Last but not least is brush up on your job interviewer skills and watch the persons body language and eye contact while you’re deciding to hire or not. Sometimes there is more to see than what you’re hearing that you need to know about them before hiring them.

[jeremiahisnaked 64]

Thanks Doc! That exactly why I came here. Vets are high on my list of people perfect for this job.

[gunman1 1,753]

I'm a Navy Vet myself, and I participate in the hiring process for the shop I manage. I come from a long line of patriots, and have a soft spot for Vets. My experience is that we all have our shit, some more than others, and while I agree that MOST vets have a good work ethic, I've been bitten by a few along the way. The last one hired in my shop, (22-year retired Navy guy), fooled everyone except me, the guy was a fuken train wreck and it took two years of total hell for me to get rid of him, it almost did me in, I was close to quitting before HR did the right thing. Just be very careful of who you let in your house, as everyone will be affected by your decisions, put you emotions away.

[Matthew Hopkins 1,065]

whatever you do don't hire these guys. I mean just look what happen with a three hour tour with these boys in charge

 

[sunnybean 939]

Fourth Doc summed it up. You know what you want/need so make sure they know exactly what's expected and see how they react.

[magsite20 1,664]

A few last thoughts on this subject:

 

Depending on how many responses you think you’ll get for the positions and how you want to work it out you may find using a service like Kelly’s temps useful to screen the applicants down to a workable number before you do your follow up on references and interviews. You may even want to at 1^st have your choices work thru a temp service for a probationary period to see how they seem to work out before you hire them.

 

One of the things I’ve found useful is the beer test. While I’m interviewing the person I try to see if they seem like someone I’d enjoy being around in a social setting. Even if the person is fully qualified if I wouldn’t want to go have a beer with them after work why would I want to spend 8 hours a day with them. Granted drinking buddies don’t make great employees but neither do infuriating assholes.

 

There always seem to be 2 parts in a job interview: 1^st someone lies about their past, then 2^nd someone else lies about their future.

Edited May 20, 2014 by the 4th Doctor