Imprimis Insider - June 2010

Valerie Freeman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

The interview process is not exactly at the top of the list of thrilling things to do as an employer, but it's certainly a critical one.  It takes an enormous amount of energy and time to sift through resumes, to engage in initial phone screens, and to interview candidates.  And at the end of the day, you may not come out with anyone you feel is right for the job, or the offer you extend is declined.  The hiring process is exacerbated by the resume which never paints a totally clear picture of a candidate's personality, drive, motivation or true experience.  Or by the candidate whose extraordinary interviewing skills result in a hire only to be followed by subpar performance and an eventual termination.  I have great employees who have been with me for over 20 years and I've had those who only lasted a few months.  When I think about those failures, I can usually pinpoint what went wrong – no clear job description (resulting in confusion over what was expected); too busy to interview (resulting in a rushed process with "Let's get the seat filled" mentality; ignoring the warning signs (unremarkable responses to questions; trying to justify a job fit that's questionable); subpar test results (if you give various tests).  Many recruiters are judged on speed-of-hire and there is definitely something to be said for not stringing along the process; however, it needs to be thorough enough to hire the best and fast enough so good candidates are not lost.  The hiring process is both an art and a science and one with definite risks.  How can you improve your odds – implement a system, write detailed job descriptions, set aside enough time to thoroughly interview, do background and reference checks, give appropriate tests, benchmark to your best employees, ask appropriate questions which allow the candidate to do the talking.  Above are a couple of articles on the subject  that will help you hire right the first time.

From Imprimis Intern to the Cover of Dallas Business Journal

Recently one of Imprimis' former Interns was honored in the Dallas Business Journal's special section "40 Under Forty". Akilah Tyson Ferguson, Supplier Diversity Manager for Ericsson Inc., started her career at a young age working as an Intern for Imprimis Group while she was still in high school. She worked as in Intern for two summers with Imprimis preparing her for life in the real world. Akilah attended The University of Texas, Arlington where she received a degree in International Business. "It was at Imprimis where I was taught at such a young age how to deal with various types of people in the professional world in a professional way. I learned the etiquette of the business environment, from how to hold a conversation to learning how to dress appropriately", said Akilah in a recent interview, "When all of my friends were babysitting or working at a local store, I was getting up at 6am and putting a suit on."

Ferguson is a very ambitious career driven woman. After graduating from college, she worked for American Airlines as a Contract Negotiator for One World Carriers. Akilah notes that one of her biggest career accomplishments was helping close the deal between American and Japan Airlines. After serving seven years at American Airlines, Akilah receive an opportunity to join Ericsson Inc. as a Contracts Manager to negotiate third party contracts. She was promoted to her current role of Supplier Diversity Manager after only one year of service with Ericsson. Currently she is focused on building the Supplier Diversity Program at Ericsson and striving to make it a Best in Class Operation. Clearly her work ethic is paying off and we would like to think that Imprimis got her started on the right foot.

Congratulations are extended to Akilah and all of us at Imprimis Group wish her the best of luck!