The document discusses developing a fact-based selection system for hiring employees. It notes that current systems often hire the wrong people. An effective system uses multiple sources of information about applicants, including application forms, interviews, testing, and background/reference checks. The goal is to recruit, select, and retain a high-quality workforce by gaining full transparency into candidates.

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Why Stupid People
Get Hired

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“If you hire the wrong people,
all the fancy management
techniques in the world
won’t bail you out.”
– Red Auerbach, the winningest coach
in NBA history, former coach, general
manager & president of
the Boston Celtics

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Developing a Fact-based
Selection System

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Start With the End in Mind
The objective is to recruit, select and retain
a/the ______________ workforce.
If you don’t care where you are going, any road
will take you there.

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How do you rate today on a scale
of 1-10? How good are you at:
Recruiting
Selection
Retention
You can’t go anywhere until you know
where you are now.

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Let’s look at the facts:
The US Justice Department says 1/3 of all
employees are hardcore thieves
Leading national background checking
company says 25% of all resumes have
major omissions, fabrication, and
misrepresentations
US Department of Labor reports 50% of all
new employees are gone within the first six
months on the job

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Common Myths
The best applicants make the best
employees
I can tell when someone is lying
You can’t get references anymore
If you make it too hard to get the job the
good applicants will drop out

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Common Myths
I have to look at at least 3-5 people to
make sure I am hiring the best
I can just tell whether someone is going to
be good or bad
It doesn’t matter how good the applicant is.
What matters is how good the system is at
determining how good the applicant is.

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Edward Deming’s
two very important quotes:
1. “The system will always give you 100% of
what the system is designed to give you.”
2. “94% of all failures are due to systems, not
people.”
How good is your selection system?

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There are two sources of
information about an applicant:
1. The applicant
2. Anyone or any organization that knows
something about the applicant
The more you know the less you risk.

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There are 4 ways to get
information from the applicant :
1. Verbally
2. Written
3. Physically
4. Visually
The key is to learn to use tools,
not time.

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What are other sources of
information about an applicant?
5. Customers
6. Schools, teacher, etc.
7. Credit Bureaus
8. Government agencies
9. Medical community
1. Past employers
2. Present employers
3. Co-workers and
friend
4. Past and present
managers

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It all starts with an application
blank, not a résumé
Application blanks tell you what you want
to know
Résumés tell you what the applicant
wants you to know
It’s all about the waivers

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Positioning -
Let the applicant know what will
happen and what you want:
1. Gather information
2. Tell them about the job and the
company
3. Answer any of their questions
4. Set the expectation about getting the
truth

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Interviewing is more than just
asking questions
Start with a structure
Use tools not time
Listen, listen, listen
Keep it legal
Ask the right question
Ask the hard question
Don’t fall in love
Take notes
Don’t only look for reasons to hire,
look for the reasons not to hire.

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Using all other
sources of information
Interviewing 40%
Testing 40%
References/Background
checks 20%

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Follow the formula:
Interviewing 40%
Testing 40%
References/Background
checks 20%

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Mel Kleiman, CSP &
President, Humetrics
Like what you heard? You might find these books
by Mel of interest…
Hire Tough, Manage Easy ($15.95)
How to recruit & select the best hourly workers. Includes a complete tool kit.
Recruit Smarter, Not Harder ($15.95)
Attracting great people is easier than you think.
267 Hire Tough Interview Questions ($12.95)
Everything you need to ask for what you need to know.
So, You Got the Job… Now What? ($10.00)
This booklet tells every new, hourly employee everything you’d want to tell them if only you had the time.
180 Ways to Build a Magnetic Culture ($10.00)
How to keep your best employees happy and on-board.
For more information or to order,
call (713) 771-4401 or visit our website at www.melkleiman.com

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“You can dream, create, design, and
build the most wonderful place in
the world, but it takes people to
make the dream a reality.”
– Walt Disney