Newsletter for the Board of Trade

HOW TO HIRE THE RIGHT EMPLOYEE

by Paul Paquet
 

With the Ottawa economy growing again, hiring is also back on the upswing. But for small businesses, hiring the wrong person can cause fatal disruptions. Janet Moore, the owner of Express Personnel Services, says that "it costs more to replace a bad hire than it does to wait and hire the right person in the first place."

Despite the impact one personality can have on a company, many employers are hiring skill sets instead of people.

"Too many companies emphasize the technical side over the interpersonal and situational analysis side," says Kevin O'Rourke, general manager of Ward Associates. O'Rourke says that companies should ask interview questions that will show whether the prospective employee will fit into the company's culture and shares the firm's ethics and beliefs.

"Instead of focusing on technical skills, you should be willing to develop the employee afterward," says O'Rourke. This willingness to develop staff is what separates a short-term hiring strategy from a long-term staff-retention strategy.

O'Rourke specializes in placing technology specialists and says that many employers in this sector just hire the skills they need to get the next product out. "When they're done, they just go out and hire the next set of skills they need."

However, O'Rourke says that companies that think long term will be more productive and more competitive, since they can hold onto employees who understand their business and who have developed company-specific skills. "This may sound funny from someone from a recruiting firm, but if you invest resources to retain employees, you won't have to hire from the outside."

One of the most important tips for employers is not to judge a candidate by his or her résumé. Avalee Prehogan, the branch manager at Robert Half, advises employers to remember that "sometimes a candidate gets a résumé professionally written, but other times a good candidate has a bad résumé, so you have to delve into the substance of the person and not eliminate someone for the wrong reasons."

Prehogan warns that even if you really like a candidate, "check out the references and then ask those people for other references."

O'Rourke says that the number-one mistake most employers make when using a recruiter is that they don't "clearly understand what the requirements of the position are and what the person in that position will be doing a year from now."

Prehogan adds that, once you have reviewed the requirements, you may not even need to replace a departing employee or hire a new one. "Maybe you can just divide up the work among the existing staff."

Given the legal complexity of hiring staff, and the enormous time and skill this task requires, you may want to outsource it to a specialized recruiting firm, even if you have your own human resources department.

Prehogan adds that sometimes, the ideal candidate may not be actively looking. "You can put an ad in the paper, but the best candidates are going to be too busy in their current positions or they're hesitant to respond to an ad because of confidentiality issues," she says. "Get recommendations and referrals."

Moore says that a recruiting firm can also guide you around some of the difficult legal issues that arise when you hire. We all know to hire people independently of their race, religion or national background. But some positions may require certain physical attributes that employers can ask about. Outside help can offer advice on what exactly you can legally ask.

There can be other legal complications, too. O'Rourke says that a surprising number of potential employees actually have no legal right to work in Canada. "Make sure that the person has obtained the authorization in advance," he says.

When it comes time for the interview, structure the meeting so that it puts the applicant at ease. "Some employers create a pressure cooker to see how the person will react," says Moore. "But the interview itself is a pressure cooker."

She suggests that the first meeting be one on one. If you must have a panel, save it for the second interview. "You should also have the person meet their future colleagues, because they can tell whether or not this person is going to fit in."

As for the actual questions, Moore says that "the 90s style of interview is to ask employees to give examples of their behaviour that illustrate their strengths." She also says you should ask about the candidate's long-term plans, but that you should make sure not to "give all the answers away up front by talking too much about your company and your expectations, otherwise they'll just feed back what they have just heard."

Prehogan's firm even provides eight sample questions. (See next page. )

When it comes time to hire, Prehogan suggests keeping four criteria in mind: the candidate's experience, personality, intelligence and education. "Those are the four key factors but there are also intangibles, like leadership style," says Prehogan. "Look at your requirements and where your priorities are, and see how the candidate compares against these."

Moore also suggests not hiring friends of friends, or of other employees. "These people can be very difficult to terminate."
 

EIGHT QUESTIONS TO ASK A POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE

Have you noticed that job candidates have all learned to answer such pat questions as "What is your biggest weakness?" Here are eight questions that get to the heart of the matter.

1. Why are you changing jobs? (This question can tell you if the candidate bad-mouths previous employers.)

2. What did you like best and least about your old job? (This encourages applicants to think beyond the mechanics of the job description.)

3. If you could improve something about your old job, how would you do so? (This tests creativity.)

4. What was the most interesting project or job you've had? (The reasons behind the answer can tell you about the way candidates address challenges.)

5. Describe the best person you've ever worked with. (This will tell you about the candidate and about the people they work well with.)

6. What kinds of people annoy you most? (Again, the answer suggests how well the candidate will fit into the team.)

7. Describe an emergency that caused you to reschedule your time. (In other words, will the candidate burn the midnight oil for you?)

8. How can the company help once you join us? (Beware cowboys who say they need no help, but also watch for people who will need lots of hand-holding.)
 

COMMITTEE NEWS AND VIEWS

by Kim Kelly
 

Federal and Provincial Affairs Committee

(Chair: Howard Williamson, of Williamson Consulting)

The committee met at the end of May and discussed the pending bank mergers and their potential impact on business, particularly on small to medium-sized businesses. The committee decided to poll members to find out more about this.

Committee member Gaye Moffett, from GEM Health Care Services, updated the committee on recent changes to the provincial health system.

In addition, the committee reviewed a report on the ice storm from the regional municipality. This report outlined the region's observations and recommendations following the storm.
 

Municipal Affairs Committee

(Chair: Steve Simmering, of Simmering & Associates)

The proposed redevelopment of Lansdowne Park continues to occupy the committee. At a recent meeting, it reviewed the Board of Trade's position paper before presenting it to the Board of Directors.

The committee also reviewed the Board of Trade's proposed position paper on municipal restructuring.
 

Transportation Committee

(Chair: David Glastonbury, of Transport 2000)

The Transportation Task Force is monitoring several issues, including light rail transit, truck traffic on King Edward Avenue and proposed changes to taxi access to Ottawa International Airport. Special kudos to OC Transpo for introducing low-floor buses.
 

GET READY FOR THIS YEAR'S BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

For the fifth year in a row, the Board of Trade is celebrating local business through the Ottawa-Carleton Business Achievement Awards. This year, the ceremony will be held at the Ottawa Congress Centre on November 25, and the Board is expecting 900 people to turn out.

November may seem like a long way off, but it's already time to start thinking about nominations. These are due Monday, September 21, 1998, at 5:00 p.m. Any local business is eligible, in any sector, and you don't even have to be a Board member to participate.

Think about nominations for any of these five categories:

• Young Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by Arthur Andersen & Co.)
• New Business of the Year (sponsored by Bell)
• Company of the Year (sponsored by the Chateau Laurier)
• Exporter of the Year (sponsor still to be confirmed)
• Business Person of the Year (sponsored by Investors Group)

Business @ the Board wants to run a column featuring the latest news about our members, whether they're being hired, promoted or honoured by their peers. E-mail your info to <admin@themeweavers.com>.
 

THE GOOD LIFE ... Golfing

With golf season upon us, Business @ the Board turns to the ancient Scottish sport with some tips for improving your game. But when you talk to local people in the golf business, one tip emerges above all.

"Play more," says Mark Seabrook, president of the Canadian Golf and Country Club. "I see a lot of people taking instruction but not going to play the game. You should play a minimum of 27 holes a week to maintain or improve your game."

Glen Pitts, the operations manager at Chuck Brown's Golf Canada, agrees. "Equipment helps, but in the end it's not the wand, it's the magician."

Nevertheless, for those looking for something a bit more specific, we offer 10 tips you can use to improve your game.

1) Maintain the target line. The target is the pin, but if you can't see the pin, imagine a quarter on the fairway and aim at it. This may seem ridiculous, but think of it this way. If you shoot at a green that is 150 feet across, then you're effectively shooting at cups that are 150 feet across. Golf isn't that easy for a reason.

2) Use just two swings. The full swing goes from the bottom (address position) to the top of your comfortable range and then back to the bottom where you make contact with the ball. The less-than-full swing happens when you don't get to the top of the swing. Once you know exactly how far each club goes, make full swings until the yardage is shorter or you're in the sand. Then adjust with less-than-full swings.

3) Feel your swing instead of thinking about it. If you try to swing with a series of complex mechanics in mind, your confidence could suffer, and so will your swing. So instead of thinking, "tuck the elbow in," "force the heel down," "neutralize the wristcock," "make the club go inside-out," and so on, just relax and learn the swing that feels right.

4) Position the ball. When you swing, the lowest point of the bottom of the swing arc is on your sternum, which is in the centre of your chest, or it is between your balanced feet. This being said, sometimes there are variations. For the short irons (7/8/9 wedges), you might play one ball aft of sternum centre, while the long irons (1/2/3 and V woods) might have you playing one ball forward of centre.

5) See the ball come off the club face. Golfing is a game of hand-eye co-ordination, so you should watch the ball as your club hits it. But you shouldn't be looking at the top of the ball, so much as you should be looking at the point of impact.

6) Have confidence. Golf may seem like a physical game, but it is very much a mental game. Your state of mind, and your belief in yourself, will greatly affect your success. We've all seen golfers get off to a bad start and have an equally bad finish. As Jack Nicklaus once said, "Stepping up to the ball for a shot without adequate deliberate dedicated mental preparation is indeed a form of quitting." Spend 70 per cent of your time getting ready.

7) Stand properly. Stand comfortably, with your chin tall, so that your spine is in a strong rotation position. Bend your knees slightly and evenly spread your weight between your two feet, although when you are ready to trigger your backswing, you should put a little more weight or pressure on the inside of each foot than on the outside. And remember to relax. Keep your shoulders loose and keep breathing.

8) Hold the club properly. For right-handers, have your palms opposed, with a firm left hand and a gentle right hand. You should be gripping with your fingers instead of with your fists. Don't point your thumbs straight down the middle top of the grip. When you're ready to go, you should be able to see at least one knuckle, namely the biggest one on the index finger of your swinging target hand.

9) Position your feet as if they were gun sights. Generally, the longer the club, the farther apart your feet should be. Your brace foot, or the one you push off of, should be square to a target line formed from the centre of the ball to the centre of the cup. The foot closest to the flag should point about a fifth to a quarter of the way to the pin, so you can open the swinging door easily toward the pin and finish fully tall in comfort.

10) Have a mantra. The IRGO Golf Academy suggests that, as you swing, you say to yourself, "3 o'clock...SWEEP...AND...SEE IT...PIN." In other words,

• 3 o'clock: look at the back of the ball;
• sweep: swing the club head back to your top of the swing;
• and: say this before dropping your hands under your armpits;
• see it: think this as you hit the ball;
• pin: watch the ball sail toward the target.

For much more, see <http://worldgolf.com/protips/index.html>.

Each issue, we'll be offering you a different take on "the good life."
 

If you're looking to improve your golf game, why not join the Board of Trade for its August 25 golf tournament at the Canadian Golf and Country Club. Tickets are $160+GST per person, and include lunch, dinner and more. If you'd like to sign up, or if you'd like to donate prizes or sponsor a hole, call Kim Kelly at 236-3631 (ext. 26).

PARKING FOR PENNY PINCHERS

by Laura Byrne Paquet
 

Let's face it: when it comes to parking, most of us would love to save a few bucks. It always hurts to shell out big money for temporary custody of a tiny rectangle of asphalt or, worse, for a parking ticket.

But with a bit of planning, you can easily avoid most high fees and tickets when parking downtown. Here's how.

1) Be willing to walk a bit. Just like any piece of real estate, a parking lot lives or dies on three factors: location, location and location. The lots closest to Parliament Hill and major office towers can charge the most. That's why one on the southeast corner of Queen and Kent can charge $7 an hour, while one at Bank and Gladstone charges $5 a day.

2) Seek out the well-located deals. Not all downtown lots are expensive, especially for short-term and early-bird parking. For instance, the city lot on the north side of Laurier, just east of Bank, charges $2 an hour, as does the underground garage at the World Exchange Plaza. All-day rates in such lots can top $10, however.

For good deals on all-day parking, try the garage under the Albert at Bay Suite Hotel ($6), the garage at Place de Ville ($7 if you arrive before 9:00 a.m.) or the lot on the southwest corner of Bank and Laurier ($7.75, early-bird rate).

In the Byward Market, there are a number of good deals, including the city garage on Clarence east of Dalhousie, which charges $1.20 an hour with a $5 maximum, and the lot on the northeast corner of Rideau and Cumberland, which charges $5 a day.

3) Know where the long-term meters are. On Laurier west of Lyon, for instance, you can park at a meter for two hours between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. for just $2.

4) Take your chances on street parking. Yes, Virginia, there is free parking downtown. You just have to be very careful. Parking restrictions can be complicated, and the city is quick to ticket anyone who violates them.

Many residential side streets offer one-hour parking during business hours, while some further away from downtown have two-hour parking. Strangely, a few blocks of Bay, south of Somerset, appear to be the only downtown blocks with three-hour free parking. As a rule of thumb, most Centretown streets east of Cartier, south of Somerset or west of Lyon offer some free street parking. In the Market, Cumberland north of Clarence is a good bet.

When parking on a residential street, have a bit of sympathy for the people who live there and don't overstay your welcome.

5) Schedule meetings after hours. After 5:30 p.m., parking is free on most downtown streets, and rates in most lots drop substantially. Don't forget, however, to take nearby after-hours attractions into account. For instance, forget about parking anywhere near the YM-YWCA on Argyle in the early evenings; keen members absorb all the available street parking within minutes of 5:30 p.m.

6) Consider the alternatives. Do you really need your car? If not, think about taking the bus, walking or cycling downtown. You'll save money, help the environment and even get in a little exercise.