Chapter 3: Recruiting the Best Staff for Your Facility

If a candidate will have to decide on another opportunity before you're prepared to make an offer, try saying the following

"I understand you may be entertaining an attractive job offer soon. Given our brief conversation and the early stages of our interviewing process, I think you are a very good candidate for the position. Before you commit to another company, would you consider giving me a call so I can try to speed up our process to take advantage of your availability? That way, if we determine we'd like to make you an offer, you'd potentially have a choice of employers."

For example, say you are planning to ask the applicant to tell you about situations in which he or she had to deal with a disgruntled customer. Identify the ideal components associated with the answer. When dealing with an unhappy customer, you should do the following:

- Apologize for how the customer feels. - Acknowledge the customer's perception of the problem. - If there are several ways to solve the problem, ask for the customer's input. - Proactively offer a reasonable range of solutions to the problem. - If you are uncertain how to fix the problem, seek out an employee who might be able to help. - If the problem is a condition of the business (e.g., the club doesn't open until 5:30 a.m. or no shaving is allowed in the steam room), state that the policy is a commitment the company has made to the members and that making occasional exceptions reduces the credibility and consistency of the company's overall image and product. - Reflect the customer's feelings and specific concerns, and confirm how you will fix the problem (if possible) and how you will follow up with the customer.

What are some of the methods for covering the responsibilities associated with the vacated position or changing the position

- Change the supervisory reporting structure or move the position to a different department. - Combine the responsibilities with those of one or more positions that are already filled. (This may mean there is an opportunity to advance or promote someone from within the organization or change compensation structures.) - Hire contract or temporary employees to fill the position for the short, medium, or long term. - Reorganize the position by changing it to full or part time, adding or removing job responsibilities, changing the pay rate, adding or removing benefit opportunities, and so on.

What acts cover the forms of profiling that are illegal

- Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 These two pieces of legislation form the foundation of employment protection provided in the United States, and managers and owners of clubs should be familiar with the information and laws associated with them.

What are some issues to address when dealing with wages

- Compensation methods and wage classifications (hourly versus salaried; full versus part time; performance-based compensation with opportunities for commission and bonuses versus base wages; opportunities for overtime; 90-day, semiannual, or annual) - Internal versus external equity - Benefit status (vacation eligibility, accrual schedule, personal time, and sick days) - Starting wages as low as possible without demotivating employees to provide room for increases - Setting expectations for range and timing of wage increases

What are some general questions to evaluate the quality of the candidate's answer including the following

- Did the candidate answer the questions succinctly? - Did the candidate stay on track while answering questions? - Did the candidate ask for additional information to improve the quality of his or her answer? - If the candidate did not know the answer, did he or she admit it?

Some important questions to answer before beginning the recruiting process include the following:

- How many people need to be hired to accomplish the job? Staff to member or supervisor to frontline employee ratios may need to be evaluated from productivity, customer service, or legal standpoints. - What are the hourly wages for comparable positions? - What is the availability of trained and untrained labor in a given market? - What is the turnover rate for this position? - How do the answers to the previous questions affect the wage position (i.e., toward the high, average, or low end of the market) for the job?

What are some of the issues to address for management support structure

- Internal and external training provided by the organization - New-employee orientation or mentoring programs to help new workers acclimate to systems, people, and procedures - Appropriate chain of command to facilitate effective and efficient communication - Ensuring managers don't have too many subordinates (typically, it is best to have 5 to 10 direct reports)

What are some issues to address with personal appearance standards

- Jewelry, body piercings, and tattoos - Clothing - Posture and body language - Makeup and hair styles

What are the type of questions relevant to a front-desk personnel

- Job Performance Criteria: - Candidates must be able to multitask and must maintain a positive and upbeat customer-centered approach in an environment that requires a constant shifting of attention. - Skills and Characteristics associated with these tasks: - Making appropriate eye contact, being unflappable, being patient but energetic, and having a quick mind are all important in these tasks. - Sample Question: - What are some situations in which you've successfully dealt with multiple tasks in a time-intensive manner while maintaining a high level of customer service?

What are some questions relevant to fitness specialist

- Job performance criterion: - Candidates must be able to administer a variety of health screenings and use the resultant information to determine participant goals and establish an appropriate exercise regimen. - Skills and characteristic associated with this task: - Knowledge of anatomy, kinesiology, physiology, and special health conditions and the ability to develop rapport are essential. - Sample Question: - A new member wants to lose 20 pounds (9 kilograms) before he attends his high school reunion in 2 months. He is 40 years old, has diabetes and arthritic knees, and is 30 pounds (13.5 kilograms) overweight. How you would approach this situation and develop appropriate exercise recommendations?

To ensure a high percentage of qualified respondents, a job advertisement should include the following

- Managing response. In general, an advertisement should limit the number of respondents by tightly defining the parameters of the opportunity to encourage the largest possible response in the hopes of engaging candidates who might typically be screened out. Sometimes, through conversation or review of résumés, unlikely initial candidates become worthy of consideration. • Number of words. The number of words is directly related to the cost of print ads; therefore, brevity means money saved. However, not adequately describing the job circumstances can lead to an inadequate response. Use active words to describe and clarify work responsibilities to inspire greater response. • Headline. Headlines differentiate ads and help attract appropriate candidates, so keep them interesting. • Section. If applicable, choose the appropriate section (e.g., service, housekeeping, reception) for your ad. • Contact method. Giving candidates several ways to respond to ads can increase response. Be careful when using a phone number as a response option; being swamped by phone messages from unqualified candidates can result in wasted time. For jobs that require phone skills, it may be appropriate to get first impressions of candidates by phone, but be sure to include enough information to limit the calls. • Necessary skills. It is essential to describe the required skills in detail. If degrees or certifications are required, be sure to include that information as well. • Required experience. Ad response can be increased or decreased by simply using the words preferred or required. If there are no other factors that trump that requirement, list it to affect response to the ad. • Wages and benefits. Depending on the type of position, you can provide specific wage information in the ad. A phrase such as "compensation commensurate with experience and education" can broaden the response and allow for negotiation toward an appropriate compensation package. Providing a range of wage or salary options is also appropriate, as is using the phrase "to start" to indicate room to increase the wage as the employee increases tenure or value within the organization. If there is an absolute wage that the job pays (e.g., $8.50 per hour), be specific about it. • Work schedule. Be specific about the required work days and hours to receive responses from people who can work at those times. • Number of days to run ad. Pricing is usually based on the number of days the ad runs. The best value in terms of cost per day is typically an ad that runs 7 to 10 days. It is usually possible to stop the ad and recoup some of the cost if you receive enough résumés, calls, or applications. • Days to run the ad. Many people look for job advertisements on Saturdays and Sundays, but these are also the most expensive days to run ads. Running the ad for a week beginning on Saturday provides the most exposure early in the run, which allows you to evaluate the response and make decisions about continuing the ad for the duration of the week. • Special touches. Several techniques can make an ad more noticeable, such as bold lettering, an outline or frame around the ad, and a large font size. Each of these incurs an additional cost. Choosing the most compelling aspect of the ad to highlight can be effective in increasing qualified response.

Professionalisms Associations such as who provide solar data for different types of positions in the fitness field

- National Strength and Conditioning Association - American College of Sports Medicine - American Council on Exercise

What are some issues to address with physical requirement

- Precise physical expectations (e.g., up to 2 hours of uninterrupted standing) - Ability to lift heavy loads (e.g., for putting away weights) - Ability to bend, twist, kneel, and lift throughout the day - Ability to work outside in the heat or cold - Potential exposure to chemicals (e.g., working in the maintenance department or around a pool)

In creating a job description, the organization should sufficiently address the following elements

- Qualifications - Wages - Performance Expectations - Management Support Structure - Career Advancement Within the Organization - Personal appearance standards - Physical Requirement

Establish a professional environment and circumstances for the interview as follows

- Select a private, quiet room that is tidy and well organized. - Provide comfortable furnishings, including a table and at least two chairs. - Offer the candidate a beverage (some will be nervous, which can lead to a dry mouth). - Allow adequate time (a typical first interview could take 5 to 30 minutes). - Avoid interruptions from phones or other personnel, if possible.

What are some questions relevant to membership salesperson

- job performance criterion: - Candidates must be able to be on their feet for extended periods of time; lift up to 40 pounds (18 kilograms); travel up and down stairs; and bend, twist, and reach when vacuuming, dusting, collecting trash, and cleaning windows. - Skills and Characteristics associated with these tasks: - Candidates must be in good physical condition and have good strength and flexibility. - Sample question: - What physically demanding jobs have you had in the past? Indicate the specific tasks associated with these jobs.

The procedures for assessing the applications generally follow these steps

1. Review of applications and résumés 2. Phone screening 3. In-person interviews 4. Background and reference checks 5. Comparison of candidates Job offer

List the five variables to consider in choosing the appropriate job applicant

1. technical nature of the skill set required 2. aaliaxble recruitment budget 3. urgency of hiring needs 4. geographic reach 5. compensation range

Importance to employees with qualifications

Applicants can determine whether a job is appropriate for them and what training, experience, or education might be necessary to become eligible for the position.

What are the performance expectation for a front-desk position

Constant attention to proactive customer service is essential to creating a consummate member-focused environment; this includes all aspects of service delivery, such as appropriate phone etiquette (greetings, transferring calls, voice tone, and grammar). The applicant must have a warm and friendly communication style that facilitates a personalized relationship with each member and must be respectful of members' preferences (e.g., being addressed by first or last name).

Importance to employee with wages

Defining pay guidelines helps employees understand the structure of the company and their current place within the hierarchy of the organizational structure. In addition, guidelines for pay advancement give workers clear pathways to increase their compensation.

What is an example of an opened ended question

In your last position, what level of input did you have in the design of the member use tracking system? What did you think were particularly effective components of the system, and what do you think could have been improved?

What is an example of a closed end question

Is your CPR certification current? Do you possess any national personal training certifications?

Importance to employee for performance expectations

Performance expectation make priorities clear and eliminate uncertainty during performance reviews

What are some issues to address with performance expectations

Performance review structure, including objective, subjective, results-based, and process-based performance criteria time frames for achieving goals and objectives Appropriateness of tying performance goals to potential salary adjustments and bonus rewards

Importance of organization with wages

Positioning wages appropriately within the marketplace is also critical in determining the quality of employee candidates the company attracts. Organizations may decide to pay more than the average for some specialty positions and less than the average for others that it deems less critical to its success. It is also important to ensure that employees' salaries are positioned proportionately within the club based on levels of responsibility and accountability.

importance to organization with qualifications

The organization needs to define the criteria used to choose the candidate who has the greatest chance of being successful.

What is necessary to ensure that the right number of people are assigned to a given task and that those people produce the best work possible in the most efficient and effective way

Understanding the mission, vision, and culture of the organization; the appropriate salary ranges based on selected benchmarks for the fitness industry; and the overall marketplace is necessary to achieve this goal.

What helps shape an offer that motivates desirable candidates

Understanding the wages, benefits, and other forms of compensation competitive clubs also ^ this helps because it helps evaluate past, current, and predicted future trends so they can be put into perspective and necessary actions can be planned and undertaken.

Job preview help ensure

a good fit between the organization and the candidate

Who should you consult with toensure that you comply with all federal and state regulations in developing an appropriate form

a reputable labor attorney

Close-ended question can be answered with

a simple yes or no

Open-ended question should require more than

a single worded response and invite people to expand on their answers

A job preview gies the candidate

a snapshot of what it might be like to work at the company and allows you to observe the candidate's response to these conditions.

The natural evolution of employees seeking more challenging opportunities in other organizations can be a healthy indication of

a stable company in which upward movement may be limited because of long-tenured and productive employees.

What do rating systems do

add a degree of objectiveness to a process that can be subjective. useful when you are having difficulty choosing among several qualified candidates.

Many consulting firms work with small businesses to provide

advice about applications, such as where to get them, what information should be included, why candidates have to fill them out, and legal protection for the company.

Importance to employee of management support structure

an established manhunt support strutter provides a framework so employees how who to turn to regarding critical aspects of the operations defining the chain of command allows all employees to understand the available resources and how their jobs fir into the organization

Managers shield review the referred qualities listed in the ob descriptions to ensure they are

appropriate, fair, and legal; this will contribute to further refinement of the job description

When closing the interview

ask the animate if there is anything that you haven't asked that he or should would like you to know

Many companies require what before employees can be hired

background checks - range from criminal conduct reviews to credit checks to drug and alcohol screenings.

What is a key to success for most managers

being able to spot, recruit, and hire talent

To conduct a brainstorming session for interview questions, begin by

choosing the group of employees who will e infield in the project

Situational questions create

circumstances that candidates must react to and can give insight into the problem-solving abilities of candidates.

Importance to employees for personal appearance standard

clear communication of company standards reduce unnecessary conflict and provides clear and concise guidelines about the type of attire that is acceptable or unacceptable

What are the different type of questions in an interview

closed ended versus open ended experiential versus situation general questions Questions relevant to specific positions

When dealing with deal breaker, what is the best way to handle it

communicate these deal breakers up front

What is an effective strategy to reach a global audience in real-time

communicating through a company's website and social media channels

Applications also allow the personnel manager or hiring supervisor to

compare applicant content with resume content to ensure the information is accurate and consistent

Wage and salary benchmark categories are derived from

comparing types of clubs (e.g., fitness, multipurpose, women's only, personal training) and jobs with similar responsibilities, hours, and benefits.

References can do what

confirm impressions and beliefs you developed during the interview process. confirm that information listed on the résumé is accurate.

During a phone interview what should you do

confirm the candidate's interest in the job and the information listed on the application. Discuss potential deal breakers that could sabotage the second interview, such as basic pay range, work hours, work environment, availability date, professional certifications or education, and ability to perform critical job tasks.

The IHRSA provides

detailed information on salary ranges for a variety of position in different club types

What are some issues to address with qualifications

education experience special skills commuting distance references

One goal of managing is

ensuring that the right number of people are assigned to a given task and that those people produce the best work possible in the most efficient and effective way

Importance to organization

establishing performance expectations allow organization to review how all jobs fit together to ensure the most efficient and effective personal structure. Performance expectation provide a framework supervisor can use to structure performance coaching and goal setting for their employee

When hiring for a vacated position, you should

examine whether the personnel organization chart can be redesigned to absorb the duties that were associated with the position.

What are some of categories of the general questions based on

experience: - Describe your professional experience. How does it apply to this position? motivation: - What is it about this position that interests you? work ethic: - What was the hardest job (physically, emotionally, or mentally) you've ever had? Why? customer service: - Give an example of a situation in which you provided service that was significantly more than was expected by the customer. personality type: - Would you say you are more outgoing or more reserved? Give an example of a time when this has been an asset and a time when it has been a liability. teamwork: - Give an example of a conflict you had with a coworker and how you contributed to resolving it. If it wasn't resolved, explain why. problem solving: - You're the shift manager. The air conditioning is not working and it's 7 p.m. on a Sunday. It's getting very hot in the cardio room, and members are complaining. What do you do? Timeliness and availability: - What personal examples from jobs, activities, or hobbies can you offer to indicate you can consistently be on time for early-morning shifts? commitment to personal growth: - Have you recently done any professional reading or participated in any professional education programs? If so, please tell me about these. Passion: - Give examples of things in your life that you're passionate about. If I watched you engage in these things, what sort of behaviors would I see that would convince me of your passion?

The process of comparing pay rates to the marketplace is designed to position the company to compete for employee's talent and is called

external equity

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces

federal laws against discrimination based on race, national origin, sex, age (40 and 70), disability, veteran status, handicap, and religion

Job descriptions form the

framework for training, resource planing, wage, and benefit decisions, and job performance criteria

Outlining the most important qualification in the job descriptions results in

guidelines managers can use to determine whether the candidates meet experience, skill, and education criteria rather than simply being personable and having familiar behavior patterns

How do new employees frequently approach business challenges

in a refreshing way and bring new perspectives to solving old problems and new ideas to keep the business energized.

Some companies make job offers

in writing - these offer usually stimulate certain conditions such as the candidate's ability to successfully pass a background or drug and alcohol tests

The tasks addressed in a detailed job description should for the basis for

interview questions questions designed to reveal a candidates ability to deliver the kind of personalized service desired in a front-desk position

The in-person interviews begins with

interviewer being prepared with appropriate interview questions, including why the candidates believes he or she is best person for the job.

All candidates should fill out a...

job application even if they provide formal resumes

Much of the knowledge about what it takes to get the job done will come from the

job description

A well-crafted job offer should contain the details of the employment offer, which may include the following elements:

job description, job title, reporting structure, starting date of employment, salary and bonuses, benefits information and eligibility, acknowledgment of offer, and confirmation of acceptance.

The first interview is not only a chance for the applicant to

make a first impression but also the company's chance to define itself as a business-oriented organization that takes the hiring process seriously.

Importance to organization for management support structure

mangers and supervisors ust understand that they are responsible for the development of workers Their number one job is to support those they supervise by being accessible and providing necessary resources

The most effective position advertisement maximizes and minimizes what

maximizes the number of highly qualified respondents and minimizes the responses of those who are less qualified

Employee Attrition is related to

member attrition , so hiring and retaining high-performing people is critical to the success of any health or athletic club

What do most companies have to ensure the necessary paperwork is completed

new-hire packet

Is employee turnover always a bad ting

no

How many former employers should candidates list in their references

one or two

As they ask questions, interviewer should be

paying attention to the interviewee's responses, vocal tonality, and nonverbal communication, which are key to conducting a great interview.

Employers might also include documents such as

payroll information, information about direct deposits to personal bank accounts, a welcome letter, and the general policies of the organization (e.g., sexual harassment, drugs and alcohol, safety, payroll, benefits, vacation, sick days, paid holidays, dependent care savings).

Experimental questions draw on

people's experiences and ask them to relate how they handled some problem in the past.

Once the initial paper screening has been completed, the next phase is typically

phone screening for the priority candidates. The chance to evaluate a candidate's phone etiquette and phone presence is valuable.

What can be helpful in determining whether the candidates meet experience, skill, and education criteria

positive profiling

Importance to the employee

potential employees must understand the physical nature of the job. Physical limitations that are unexpressed could lead to underperformance or injury. Its best to be up front about any limitations and determine whether there are ways to mitigate physical requirement of a job

Involving employees in the review of job descriptions for their positions or related positions can help

remind them of expectations for job performance

One dimension of comparing candidates may include

scoring their responses to questions or scoring them on standards related to the position. You can also create a rating system for preferred characteristics and skills. This can be time consuming, but it can help address the areas that are critical to making the best hire. For example, a rating system could ask interviewers to rate the candidate on the following using a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = poor, 5 = excellent): - appearance - relevant experience - likelihood of long tenure - technical skills - personality characteristics - references

What can also contribute to the need for hiring new employees on a regular basis

season requirements

Another important part of the recruiting phase is to

set clear expectation for the ways applications and resumes will proceed and for how you will respond to candidates

Paper screening does what

sort applications into two or three categories such as excellent, possible, and disqualified

The job application provides a

standardized list of requested information and compels the applicant to tell the truth.

Developing interview question can be a

team-building exercise with existing employees

In an in-person interview, take it as a good sign if

the candidate continually demonstrates timeliness, appropriate appearance and body language, and consistent, targeted, and accurate responses to interview questions.

Utilizing Job Descriptions refers to

the detailed job description when outlining desired skills and attributes in an advertisement or job availability notice

Turnover in organization can simply mean

the evolution of high-perfmornig employees moving out of one position into another of more responsibility, thereby creating the need for addition personnel

According to Boydell, Deutsch, and Remillard, there are two main reasons that interviews fail

the first is incompetent interviews: most people have never been trained in interviewing, so it is no surprise that they are not very good at it The second reason interview fail is vague questions/ When an interviewee does not fully understand the question, the answer is not likely to be in line with what the interviewer is looking for

A crucial task in developing a recruiting strategy is to identify

the skills, attributes, and personal characteristics that rove the candidate with the greater chance of success in the job

Importance to organization of personal appearance standards

these standards can be challenging to define, but once they are established, managers and supervisors can consistently enforce them for all employees personal appearance standards contribute to the culture of the organization and can attract certain types of employees

Importance to the organization with physical requirement

thoughtful consideration of the physical demands of the job helps companies recruit workers who are suited to the ob and can increase employees longevity and productivity

Some companies require how many professionals references

three

What ultimately determines what you should pay to hire and retain great people

your local economy and the level of competition