If you haven't already read part 1 and part 2 of this series, go back there first to get the most out of this final installment!
So you've prioritized hiring, you've put together job ads that promote your culture and stand out from the rest of the crowd, and you're listing those job ads on some of the most trafficked spots on the web, as well as with your employees via referral bonuses, to get maximum exposure. Now you have applicants!
So here's the statistic that would have blown me away if I knew it at the beginning of my MaidThis Franchise journey: for every 20 applicants we get into our funnel, we get 1.2-1.8 successfully onboarded cleaners. Those decimal points aren't Oompa-Loompas that I'm just discounting, that just goes to show you that we can't even count on 10% of the people who start the application process with us finishing that same process successfully.
I know that sounds like a terrible ratio, but honestly, it's not, and in service businesses, particularly these days, it's acceptable. You can hear it in your head before I even type it for you to read: it's a numbers game. You don't get good at the free throw line without practicing from the free throw line A LOT (I'm looking at you, Shaq). Same for recruiting. If you want to get that 1.8 cleaner (okay, let's round up to 2), you're going to need to put 20 people in your funnel. And that's not even accounting for the time of whoever is in charge of recruiting on your team.
If you know me, you know I like to keep things simple, and this final part of the hiring process is no different. I start with a questionnaire that is part of the original application.
I have five questions that I ask, ranging from validating their expertise (in our case, cleaning, in general) to something that tells me a little bit about who they are as a person.
Everyone who completes the application moves on to the next step which is a screening call in which we simply ask the exact same five questions, but this time we get voice and personality context. We also find out if they even show up for that call. If they don't, how could they possibly show up for a cleaning?
Those who make it through that screening call can either go for a paid test job or an onboarding call. The former allows you to test their punctuality, appearance, and quality. If you feel confident in their skills, you can move directly to an onboarding call.
I know that's simple, but it's not rocket science. In my case, we are cleaning houses. But the same is true for many other service businesses. It's not rocket science, so don't try to make it that.
Are they qualified?
Did they present well and sound reasonable and friendly on the call?
Did they make it all the way through onboarding?
Give them a shot.
Most importantly, remember that it's an infinite numbers game and once you have your hiring flywheel set up, constantly audit and tweak to find out if there are breakdowns anywhere along the line that can negatively impact your outcome.
Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash
This article was written by Neel from MaidThis Franchise, a remote-local franchise opportunity for people looking to escape the rate race and reach financial freedom. Learn more here.
