G
iving the right amount of attention to employee recruitment is important to obtaining qualifi ed employees. Dr. Ryan Rhoades, King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, Texas A&M
University-Kingsville, says the necessary steps in the hiring process include anticipating and assessing labor needs, defi ning the job, developing the candidate pool, assessing the candidates and closing the deal. Rhoades is assistant professor in agribusiness and has written several articles and given many presentations on em- ployee management. He will be presenting this topic at the 2015 Cattle Raisers Convention, March 27 to 29, Fort Worth.
Anticipate and assess labor needs Before initiating the hiring process, proactively an-
ticipate and assess future labor and leadership needs. Rhoades suggests it is helpful to periodically review your leadership and staffi ng requirements to answer these questions: • Where is the ranch going? • How many people and what positions will be needed in the next several years?
• How will the ranch’s organizational structure evolve and how will needs change over time?
• What does your ranch’s leadership pipeline need to contain today to ensure development of leaders for tomorrow?
Give these questions a lot of thought and incorporate
answers into the ranch management plan. “Management should assess the current talent pool
and then determine the ranch’s current leadership and employment gaps to help defi ne future recruiting and employee development needs,” says Rhoades. “In as- sessing the current talent pool, management should review baseline education and experience, review work performance history, and evaluate talent for fi t-
82 The Cattleman January 2015
ting into future ranch positions. Managers will often assume that current performance is the only metric equating to success at the next step. However, moving up the ladder is not always the best way to progress every employee. “A succession plan, formulated by management, bet-
ter anticipates future leadership and labor needs and identifi es any potential gaps in the ranch’s pipeline of current talent,” Rhoades continues. “Consider drawing a simple leadership map, starting
with the general manager and working down through the different layers of the management team. Next to each ranch leader, list potential replacements based on management’s assessment of the talent pool.”
Defi ne the job and develop the candidate pool “After labor needs are identifi ed, defi ne specifi c
competencies needed for the current and future job openings on your ranch,” Rhoades explains. “Defi ning a job based on the specifi c needs of the
ranch starts with development of a good job descrip- tion. Figure 1 highlights several suggested items to include in a job description. If done correctly, a job description is a valuable way of facilitating com- munication between the employer and potential job candidates. “From a management perspective, a job description
should highlight expectations, essential functions and compensation ranges. Subsequently, it should help a potential candidate recognize whether they are capable of performing the duties specifi ed for the position be- fore they apply.” Rhoades continues, “A well-written job description
is a helpful tool for orienting and evaluating new em- ployees once the right person has been hired and is progressing within the organization.”
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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