Best Practices in Hiring and
Retaining Talent
2012 Florida Tax Collector’s
Association Fall Conference
Presenter:
Cory Godwin, Chief Deputy Tax Collector
Walton County
A Surprising Finding…
The typical interview increases the likelihood of
choosing the best candidate by less than 2%.
In other words, if you just "flipped" a coin you would
be correct 50% of the time. If you added an
interview you would only be right 52% of the time.
Begin with a commitment…
We will always:
Hire the Best and Brightest
Hire based on our Core Values
Step One:
Recruiting and Planning Meeting
A Team Approach
The Team will…
 Use the job specification, and experience of
other employees who have worked successfully
in a similar position, rank the most important
qualities, experiences, education, and
characteristics that your successful candidate
will possess.
Develop and Prioritize Key
Requirements
 Special Qualifications
 Traits
 Characteristics
 Experience
 Skills
Create a wish list for the perfect team
member
 Start with Job Description ( Be as specific as possible)
 Don’t write job descriptions that just anyone would
apply for.
 Incorporate your values into the description
Reaffirm or Revise the Position
Description
 Develop a plan focused on whether to “buy, build or
borrow,” review position description and identify
KSA’s, experience and competencies necessary.
 Workforce planning and individual recruitment
promotions by inventorying employee skills,
competencies, experiences and career interest, and
deliver talent inventory reports regularly .
Revisit your application
Ask personality questions
Develop the Job Ad
 Be creative
 Gain attention
 Stand out
 Resist traditional “government” job posting models.
Zappos Job Ad
The Zappos Family currently has career opportunities in 2 fabulous locations. One location is in the
“City of Sin. ” Yep, Las Vegas, Nevada. Our other location is home to the Jim Beam Distillery and the
Zappos Fulfillment Centers. You got it, Shepherdsville, Kentucky. We do not currently have any work
from home opportunities. (Sorry!)
Please check out the Zappos Family’s 10 Core Values before applying! They are the heart and soul of
our culture and central to how we do business. If you are “fun and a little weird” - and think the
other 9 Core Values fit you too - please take a look at our openings, find the one or two that best fit
your skills, experience and interest!
Why consider opportunities with us? In January 2011, Zappos.com, Inc. and its affiliates were
named #6 on the 2011 Fortune: 100 Best Companies to Work For List.
And… we’re hiring like crazy right now, and looking for smart, forward-thinking problem solvers to
join our world-class, and fairly wacky team.
PS: At the Zappos Family of Companies, over-sized egos are not welcome. Over-sized Eggos,
however, are most welcome and appreciated!
Oh, and one more thing! Cover letters are sooooo old-fashioned, don't you think? Show us who
you are with a cover letter VIDEO! You will be able to upload one when applying for a position.
Example Clerk Job Ad
The Walton County Tax Collector’s Office is seeking applicants that are highly motivated team
players for two vacant Clerk I positions. Successful candidates may be assigned to any Walton
County Tax Collector’s office. The positions are responsible for attending to the needs of the public
and assisting with various transactions, including but not limited to Hunting & Fishing Licenses,
Vessel and Motor Vehicle Titles & Registrations and Property Taxes. These positions require a high
school diploma or equivalent, six months cash handling experience capable of processing cash,
check, debit/credit transactions in a cashier service function and working with the public, ability to
type 35 correct words per minute, must have knowledge of basic procedures and principles of
mathematics, business English and general office duties. Proficiency tests will be administered.
Applications can be obtained from the Tax Collector’s website at www.waltontaxcollector.com.
Completed applications should be submitted to: Debra Wooten, Human Resources Manager,
Walton County Tax Collector’s Office, PO Box 510, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435, Fax: (850) 892-8107.
EOE & Drug Free Workplace.
Annual salary is $__________ plus membership into the Florida Retirement System and access to
various life and health benefits.
Deadline to submit an application is Thursday, May 26, 2011.
Determining Salary Range
 Comparative Compensation Study
 Industry
 Local market
- Private sector
- Public sector
Posting/Advertising
• Traditional newspaper classified/ JobsPlus postings
• Online website posting
• Network and post jobs on online social media sites such as
Twitter and LinkedIn. Ask your employees to publicize the
position through their online social media networks.
Power of Social Media
• Over 800 million Facebook Users
• Over 70% of the Fortune 100 use LinkedIn to save time and hire the best
candidates.
• LinkedIn has over 100 million users.
• http://www.linkedin.com/jobs/post?trk=tab_hire
Other Strategies
 University Career Centers
 Professional Association Websites/Social Media
Groups
 Certified Public Managers
 SHRM
 NACO
 FGOA
 Etc.
As Applications/Resumes Arrive
• Acknowledge immediately
• Send postcards or emails to each applicant to acknowledge
receipt of the resume. (State that if the candidate appears to be
a good match for the position, relative to your other applicants,
you will contact them to schedule an interview. If not, you will
keep their application/resume on file for a year in case other
opportunities arise.)
Screening
(Creating a Qualified Pool of Candidates)
 Letters and resumes matter
 Conduct scheduled initial phone interviews
 Compare against prioritized qualifications and criteria
previously established by the team.
 Determine salary requirements, if not provided
Advance Screening
 Jobs Skills Testing
 Predictive Index
 Meyers-Briggs Personality Testing
 Career Scope Testing
Meyers-Briggs Personality Testing
 Personality Styles Matter
 Cultural Fit
Predictive Index
 The Predictive Index (PI) is a scientifically validated management tool that
offers fresh understanding of the individual needs and drives that make
people work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDE0DYy91a4&feature=player_embedded#
at=50
How it Works
 One of the key issues all businesses wrestle with is employee
turnover. The PI helps managers identify what behavioral traits
a job requires.
 You compare an individual's PI results (behaviors) against the
job needs to make better selection and hiring decisions.
Pre-Interview
 Provide copy of the job description at arrival
 Solicit feedback from employees who greet and observe
candidates as they arrive. “The secret interview team member”
 Focus on reviewing the interview questionnaire for fit to
position or formulating an interview questionnaire for fit to
position
The Interview Environment/Location
 Determine a location that will put the candidate at
ease as much as possible. This will help the candidate
to be his/her self and allow the interview team to
receive a better read on his/her personality.
 Remember the goal is to assess a candidates best fit
for an organization.
The Interview Process/Questions
 Conducting in-person interviews to assess the
applicant’s business and behavioral attributes critical
to the organizational culture and business strategy
 Body language cannot be read over the phone
 We communicate only 20% with our words.
Post Interview
 Arrange for post interview office tour. This phase will
also expose the candidates to other employees and
potential career paths
 Reach consensus on whether the organization wants
to select any candidate (via informal discussion, a
formal discussion meeting, HR staff touching base
with interviewers, candidate rating forms, and so on).
If dissension exists, the supervising manager should
make the final decision.
Reference and Background Checks
 Anyone who has stated qualifications dishonestly or
who fails to pass the checks is eliminated as a
candidate.
Follow Through
 Inform all candidates of decisions in a timely manner,
including and especially….elimination.
 Through the entire interviewing process, HR, and
managers, where desired, stay in touch with the most
qualified candidates via phone and email.
Don’t Cut Corners or Settle
 If no candidate is superior, start again to review
your candidate pool and redevelop a pool if
necessary.
Your Hired!
 Talk informally with the candidate about whether he or she is
interested in the job at the offered salary and stated conditions.
 Make certain the candidate agrees that they will participate in a
background check, a drug screen or a Confidentiality
Agreement, depending on the position. (This should be signed
off on the application.) If so, proceed with an offer letter.
The Onboarding Process
Onboarding is….
 Organizational – makes new employees familiar with the
organizations mission, vision and culture and familiarizes them
with policies and procedures, health and safety and key
personnel.
 Departmental – helps new employees learn the practical
knowledge about day-to-day functioning, under the guidance
of a “Buddy”.
Make it a Manager’s Special
 Give ownership of the process to your managers
 “Road Map” the process; this gives your managers the
information and tools necessary for a successful onboarding
experience.
 Incorporate the “Buddy” program into the process
 Make it FUN!! And reaffirm the employee’s decision of this is a
“Great Place to Work!”
Onboarding Focuses on:
 A stronger employee welcome
 Affirmation that the employee made the right job choice
 Affirmation that the employee fits into the organization; and
 Enhancing long-term relationship building
19 Effective Strategies
1. Great companies have great employees, so commit to hiring only
the best!
2. Make sure you have written job descriptions. Verify with those
performing and supervising the job that these job descriptions are
accurate.
3. Think “outside the box.” Don’t limit your sources for good
employees.
4. Avoid hiring someone who averages more than one employer
every two years.
5. Use a rating system so that early candidates are not forgotten in
the interview process.
19 Effective Strategies
6. Where possible, promote from within to maintain employee
morale.
7. A person with an extensive self-employment background is very
likely to go back to self-employment as soon as possible. Hire this
person as a consultant.
8. Workers with a disability often do a better job with greater loyalty
and fewer absences.
9. Use a temporary employment agency instead of hiring an
employee in haste.
10. Conduct a pre-hire character assessment.
Resource: www.zeroriskhr.com.
19 Effective Strategies
11. Try to have the person leaving the position and future co-workers
interview their applicants.
12. Test the technical skills and industry knowledge of every job
applicant.
13. Evaluate a potential employee’s energy levels. Checking them
at different times of the day.
14. Carefully investigate any significant gaps in employment.
15. Get outside agencies to help if you don’t follow a powerful hiring
process.
19 Effective Strategies
16. Use pre-employment questionnaires and interview extensively.
17. Test every new employee for drug use.
18. Check an applicant’s background and all references thoroughly.
Resource: www.infolinkscreening.com.
19. Memorialize the terms of employment using offer letters and
consider employment contracts.
Employee Retention
How to keep them…
• Clearly state expectations for day to day work
• Quality of Supervision – People leave
managers/supervisors more than workplaces
• Ability to freely speak one’s mind
• Talent and skill utilization
Employee Retention
How to keep them…
• Perception of fairness and equal treatment
• Tools, time and training
• Learning and development opportunities
• Welcomed, acknowledged and appreciated
SHRM and CareerJournal.com Survey
The survey results include responses from 451 HR
professionals and 300 managerial or executive
employees.
Employees cited the following three top reasons they
would begin searching for a new job:
• 53 percent seek better compensation and benefits.
• 35 percent cited dissatisfaction with potential career
development.
• 32 percent said they were ready for a new
experience.
SHRM and CareerJournal.com Survey
The following three are the most common
programs employers are using to retain
employees:
• 62 percent provide tuition reimbursement.
• 60 percent offer competitive vacation and
holiday benefits.
• 59 percent offer competitive salaries.
Contact Us…
Cory A. Godwin
Chief Deputy Tax Collector
Walton County
850.892.8121 Work 850.855-0769 Cell
cory@waltontaxcollector.com
www.waltontaxcollector.com
Facebook.com/waltoncountytaxcollector
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