Identifying Competencies in Employer Hiring Practices - OCWI

Identifying Competencies in Employer Hiring Practices

November 30, 2018

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

Report prepared by:

Carol Timlin, Victoria County Career Services Inc.

Carrie Wakeford, Wakeford & Associates

Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment

Table of Contents Executive Summary 5

1. Research Objectives 8

2. Methodology 8

Environmental Scan 8

Interviews, Survey, and Focus Groups 8

Date, Location, and Team 8

Participant Profile 8

Location Profile 9

Interview Process 9

Survey Process 10

Focus Groups Process 10

Challenges 11

Successes 11

3. Research Results 11

Older Workers Feedback 11

Job Developer Feedback 12

Do employers understand the term competencies? 12

Do employers have job descriptions that identify competencies? If not, how are employers currently identifying the competencies required for their various positions? 13

Competencies on Job Descriptions 13

Job Descriptions 13

Job Reviews 14

Job Ads and Equivalency 14

How do employers currently assess competencies when presented with a portfolio or in a resume? 14

Portfolio 14

Resume 14

Are employers open to learning about competencies and/or a tool to help assess competencies? 16

Do employers have any fears in hiring older workers? 16

Would having a better understanding of competencies help employers feel more confident in hiring older workers? 16

What kind of training would benefit employers? And in what format? 18

4. Training Developed 18

Business Case for Hiring Older Workers Online Training 18

Hire for Success and Using Competencies to Hire Effectively 19

Identifying Competencies in Employer Hiring Practices // 2

5. Recommendations 20

Promote Existing Training 20

Existing Online Training 20

Reaching Potential Candidates 20

Screening Résumés 20

Effective Job Postings 20

Develop Future Training and Support Options 20

Develop ‘Retain Older Workers’ Online Training 20

Develop ‘Competency-based Interviews and Portfolio Use’ online training with a supporting workshop 21

Develop ‘Job Review’ and ‘Job Description’ Training and Other Workshops 21

Human Resource Support 22

Business and Community Succession Planning Support 22

Conduct Further Research 22

6. Conclusion 23

Appendix A: Definitions/Acronyms 24

Appendix B: Competency-based Hiring Environmental Scan 25

Appendix C: Research Summary of Interviews, Surveys, and Focus Groups 49


Executive Summary In rural areas like the City of Kawartha Lakes, many small businesses do not have a Human Resources (HR) department and do their own hiring. In today’s economy many employers are struggling to find qualified workers for their business. At the same time, the City of Kawartha Lakes has a high proportion of Older Workers. Twenty one percent of Employment Ontario’s Employment Service job seekers in the City of Kawartha Lakes are over the age of 55. The phrase “or equivalency” is often used in job postings when listing the qualifications required. When questioned, most employers and HR departments cannot identify the equivalent competencies, nor do they have a way to evaluate equivalencies that are presented to them in a curriculum vitae or portfolio. Overall, employers struggle to recognize and evaluate experience and skills, particularly for older workers who have experience but lack the academic qualifications. This project looks at how employers currently recruit their employees and if prior learning assessment and recognition training (PLAR) can help employers find better ways to assess and recognize the knowledge skills and abilities required for their job vacancies. The recognition of prior learning (RPL), is a systematic process of identifying, assessing and recognizing what a person knows and can do. (Quality Assurance for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in Canada, 2015) The goal is to provide employers with the skills and resources that will allow them to use established benchmarks against which they can judge the skills and abilities of job applicants. Canadians aged 55 years and older account for a growing portion of the working population. The percentage of seniors who reported working nearly doubled between 1995 and 2015 and is expected to increase rapidly until 2031, when all the baby boomers will have reached 65 (Statistics Canada 2017). Compared with two decades ago, more seniors remained active in the labour market in their late 60s and into their 70s. As the City of Kawartha Lakes already has a large senior population with over 25% (Workforce Development Board 2018) of its population over the age of 65 this study seemed relevant and timely. Since the early 1990s, The Canadian Association of Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) has worked to share effective practices connected to the assessment of experiential, informal and non-formal learning and how it can be articulated against academic, regulatory or industry standards. CAPLA members continue to be modern-day pioneers in the field of prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR/RPL). In 2009 community employment and literacy organizations from the City of Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough and Haliburton areas (later known as the Competency Portfolio Community Alliance – CPCA) met with CAPLA staff to discuss prior learning assessment and recognition and look at ways of incorporating PLAR/RPL work into their agencies. The recognition of prior learning extends into academic, and regulatory environments but has not always permeated the community employment or literacy work environment. CPCA committee members have worked to incorporate this practice into client job search activity, through education and the development workshops and client portfolios. The opportunity to integrate RPL learning into employer hiring was the next step in the continuum. While the Literature review found some descriptions of competency- based hiring and some promising practices the focus on the approach of using competencies as opposed to credentials in the hiring process were not consistent. There was not enough information on whether and how Small and Medium Enterprises


(SMEs) are hiring and/or their use of competencies. Likewise, hiring was seen to be employer driven excluding employee participation. Ultimately it was concluded that more evidence on competency- based hiring is needed, especially in Canada. The research was conducted with 132 businesses, older workers and job developers in the City of Kawartha Lakes region. 64% of the businesses had less than 25 employees. The three primary concerns heard from employers during the interview was the lack of qualified applicants, a lack of Human Resources support, and retention issues. Employers indicated they are satisfied with their hiring practices but were not satisfied with the quality of resumes they received noting the number of ‘unqualified applicants’. Both employers and older workers identified the same benefits and challenges in the hiring of older workers. However, there are some distinctions in the reasons they each suggested for older workers wanting to stay in the labour market. While most employers seemed open to hiring older workers their estimates of the actual numbers of older workers in local workplaces was only 20%, significantly lower than the local labour market. Of interest is how Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are approaching the recruitment and hiring of staff. Many small businesses are without a Human Resources Department nor have consultants to help in the hiring processes. Owners were identified as responsible for hiring in over 70% of the businesses surveyed. Responses from employers indicate that less than half use competencies and do not have a process in place to review the job duties or job description except when there is a need for restructuring. 42% of employers indicated they do use the term “and equivalency” in their job postings, but that equivalency may not be defined or identified. While there was diversity around having educational requirements in job postings and job descriptions, the overall educational requirement was lower than anticipated. Employers seemed to be more interested in past work experience, especially uninterrupted work history. Employers seem to rely on ‘observation’ and ‘instincts’ to look for skills, abilities and attributes and would use words like ‘intuition’ when trying to tell if a person is qualified. A common concern was the challenge to find ‘qualified’ workers. For a variety of reasons, the percentage of older workers remaining in the workforce is increasing. Whether the estimate given by employers was accurate or not it does indicate that local employers may be missing out on a significant portion of the population looking for work. 67% percent of employers said they would be interested in a tool that would help them with recruitment and selection. Given a choice of training the majority selected training in developing interview skills and learning to use competencies in recruitment and selection. The preferred methods of training included online, in group workshops or a combination of both.


Key Recommendations

1. Develop a community-based approach that will bring together older workers seeking employment and employers seeking qualified applicants to fill positions.

2. Develop a community-based approach and training programs to support employers who don’t have existing HR support.

3. Provide training that will assist employers in hiring older workers. 4. Provide training and a tool to assist employers in understanding competencies 5. Continue to support older workers with their job search.

Training Developed

1. ‘Business Case for Hiring Older Workers’ – Online training providing information to highlight the value of hiring older workers.

2. ‘Hire for Success’ – Online training with a supporting workshop introducing competencies and a tool for identifying ‘Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Attributes’ (KSAO).

3. ‘Using Competencies to Hire Effectively’ - Online training providing additional information about using competencies in hiring.

Additional Recommendations

1. Promote existing online training developed in the community: Reaching Potential Candidates; Screening Resumes; Effective Job Postings

2. Develop additional training courses: a. Retain Older Workers b. Competency-Based Interviews and Portfolio Use c. Job Review and Job Description 3. Offer additional Human Resource support for employers 4. Business and Community Succession Planning 5. Further Research

Employers in the City of Kawartha Lakes have stated they are willing to participate in future training. It is hoped that further research will look at whether the training developed will increase employer’s use of competencies in their hiring practices and if so, will it increase the hiring of older workers in our area.


1. Research Objectives The proposed research had the following objectives:

● To determine how employers conduct hiring in the City of Kawartha Lakes ● To identify if employers might be open to training in Prior Learning Assessment and

Recognition to help improve their recruitment and selection practices ● To identify if employers are open to hiring older workers ● To develop a training tool for employers to assist them in the recruitment and selection process.

To do this we undertook an environmental scan, performed individual interviews with employers, conducted an online survey and held focus groups with older workers and job developers.

2. Methodology Environmental Scan

The environmental scan was conducted over a period of 4 days in November 2017. The review was carried out in 4 stages:

1. Initial web research 2. Identification of Promising Practices 3. Synthesis of research findings 4. Conclusions

The full Environmental Scan conducted by the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment is found in Appendix B.

Interviews, Survey, and Focus Groups Date, Location, and Team

The research portion of this project was completed between March 2018 and June 2018. The research area included the City of Kawartha Lakes, both rural and urban communities. This research project was completed by Carrie Wakeford of Wakeford & Associates in partnership with Victoria County Career Services Inc. and the Competency Portfolio Community Alliance (CPCA) and the VCCS Employer Advisory committee.

Participant Profile

Our goal was to interview a cross section of employers in the City of Kawartha Lakes. “This project will focus on a mix of small, medium and large employers in the City of Kawartha Lakes area from 3 key sectors: manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.” Large employers gave us a glimpse into the use of competencies and other recruitment and selection approaches and medium and small business helped to identify needs in recruitment and selection. In total there were 132 employers who participated in our study. A wide range of industries were represented including Accommodation and Food Services, Agriculture, Manufacturing as well as


Construction, Insurance and Financial, Non-Profit and Government, Retail, Service/Tourism, Utilities, Construction, Transportation and, Information and Culture. Businesses ranged in age in age from 6 months to 150 years. 69% of survey participants had been in business over 25 years. Business size ranged from 2 employees to 2888 employees. 64% of participating organizations had under 25 employees.

Location Profile

The City of Kawartha Lakes is home to 6,867 businesses. The Community Labour Market Plan 18/19 prepared by the Workforce Development Board/Local Employment Planning Council in 2018 indicates that the Kawartha Lakes population in 2016 was 75,425 up 3% from 2011. The total labour force population 15 years and older was 65,520 with the bulk of the working age population between 45-64 years (37.1%). People 65+ represented 25.2% of the total population. The employment sectors of focus for Economic Development include: agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and arts, culture and heritage. Compared to the provincial average, the Kawartha Lakes labour force is more heavily involved in the following industries:

● natural resources, agriculture and related production ● trades, transport and equipment operators and related ● education, law, social community and government ● health ● management

The top three occupations in Kawartha Lakes are:

● Sales and service ● Trades, transport, equipment operators and related ● Business, finance and administration occupations

Interview Process

Results: 105 individual interviews were completed in-person or over the phone with employers in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Development: The interview questions were developed by Wakeford & Associates in collaboration with VCCS and the CPCA committee. All interview questions were approved by the OCWI Ethics Review Team. Interviewer: Each interview was completed by the same interviewer. Interviews ranged from 20 to 80 minutes in length.

Employer Participants Identified: Employer participants were identified through VCCS counsellors, through direct contact at two VCCS job fairs, and at an employer appreciation event. We also reached employers


https://www.kawarthalakes.ca/en/business-growth/agriculture.aspx

https://www.kawarthalakes.ca/en/things-to-do/tourism-and-visitors.aspx

https://www.kawarthalakes.ca/en/things-to-do/arts-culture-and-heritage.aspx

through the CPCA Committee (members participated and made recommendations), through the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce and the City of Kawartha Lakes Economic Development offices. Various local online directories were also accessed including the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce, the Lindsay Downtown Business Improvement Association (BIA), the City of Kawartha Lakes employer directory, the Kawartha Manufacturers Association Directory, the City of Kawartha Lakes Tourism Directory, well as businesses identified on Google Maps. Interview Steps: The interviews began with telephone contact with employers (people responsible for recruitment and selection), interviews were scheduled, a follow up email was sent with the consent form explaining the project. The telephone interview began with confirmation of consent, a brief introduction to the project, followed by a series of questions, including background information, general information followed by specific recruitment, selection, portfolios, older workers and competency questions. The interview was concluded with questions about the employers training needs. Data Management: The interview data was collected, participants were assigned a code, the data was then entered ‘QDA Miner4 Lite’ software to create a summary in Excel so that responses to each question could be assessed.

Survey Process

The survey was developed using Google Forms. The survey was available to employers between June 4, 2018 and June 15, 2018. It began with a consent statement and project introduction and general questions, followed by recruitment, selection, portfolios, older workers and competency questions. Survey participants were then asked to comment on their training needs and preferences. The survey was shared with 84 people through the VCCS newsletter (including one reminder email) and promoted through VCCS social media accounts. The survey was also shared through the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce. The survey was also shared with 46 employers who were unable to participate in the interviews but indicated that they would consider completing a survey.

Focus Groups Process

Focus group questions were developed by Wakeford & Associates in collaboration with VCCS and the CPCA committee. All interview questions were approved by the OCWI Ethics Review Team. Job Seeker/Older Worker Focus Groups: Two focus groups were held with job seekers / older workers. Questions were designed to guide discussion and information sharing in order to learn about their experiences. A consent form was developed, and a second form was used to gather names and contact information. VCCS coordinated the focus groups drawing on an existing client base. Two focus groups were completed with a total of 11 participants. Two phone interviews were completed with older workers who wanted to participate but were not available for the focus group because they had recently started work. Job Developer Focus Group: A focus group was held with VCCS Job Developers working in the City of Kawartha Lakes, to gather information about their experiences working closely with employers and job seekers.


Employer Focus Group: Several attempts were made to host an employer focus group, through contacts with VCCS, Kawartha Lakes Community Future Development Corporation, four Chamber of Commerce offices and the BIA. However, the spring is a very busy time in the City of Kawartha Lakes (due to the tourism base) and employers were unable to commit the time to a focus group, however many community partners agreed to share information and many employers agreed to participate in phone interviews and surveys.

Challenges

● Interviews started later than projected. Employer contact began in the busy springtime period. This made it challenging for us to access employers connected to tourism. Many tourism related employers declined our offer to participate. The Chamber groups did not want to ask their members to participate.

● Agriculture was a target group but after several interviews it was realized that the number of older workers in this industry was limited due to physical demands of most jobs

● Employers in the area have limited experience with portfolios and competencies; this was important to learn; however, it did limit the amount of data collected

● The goal was to develop 3 online training courses; however, we identified the need for a workshop to accompany the competency training programs

Successes

● Many employers were willing to provide their time, their honest reflection and a lot of detail ● A lot of information was gathered that can support current and ongoing projects ● Training needs were identified from the themes that developed ● The initial questions were answered, including the use of equivalencies and the barriers to using

competencies/Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Attributes (KSAOs) in recruitment and selection

● Information gathered will be helpful to Career Development Practitioners and Job Developers in terms of understanding the employer’s recruitment and selection process; this information can be used to help job seekers understand the process

● The training will assist Employers as well as Career Development Practitioners and Job Developers in working with employers and guiding them in recruitment and selection of older workers, and using KSAOs and Competencies

3. Research Results Older Workers Feedback

Many of the recommendations provided by older workers will be important to consider as training in recruitment and selection is developed. For example, older workers recommended that employers evaluate skills and abilities, ensure the job posting matches the true needs of the job, address physical demands, develop a barrier free recruitment system, provide training and support on the job, increase flexibility around schedules, be open to dropped off resumes, review portfolios and to see older workers as individuals. Older workers identified many advantages to hiring older workers. Their list was a close match with the list of things employers identified as critical to success in their organizations. It was also a close match


to the thing’s employers say they value in older workers. Things such as dependable, reliable, professional, loyal and team players. They also pointed to older workers as role models and mentors. Older workers identified some of the same challenges to work that employers identified, including more limited ability to meet physical demands, less skill with technology, varying wage expectations, the need for flexible schedules, less interest in shift work and dated education. A key difference identified by older workers was the need for work. While some employers may think Older Workers want to work to avoid boredom or to get out of the house, the older workers we spoke with indicated that their need for work was for financial reasons.The similarities in what employers shared and what older workers shared demonstrates that there is not much of a divide, we just need to develop a system to bring the two together.

Job Developer Feedback

Job developers also shared that employers need ‘good people’ and ‘good people’ are looking for work, so we need to find a way to create that link. They identified several employer related challenges they have observed in terms of hiring older workers, including the need to have younger workers in place for future succession planning, disparity in wage expectations, the cost of providing benefits, the amount of time to train, use of technology, and the thought that older workers may not stay long, which may refer to lack of understanding of the financial need for work. They also identified the same barriers older workers and employers identified, including physical demands, technology, wages, and schedules/shift work. Job Developers recommended offering employers support in assessing the match between job descriptions, job postings and what is needed on the job, specifically around education and soft skills. Recommendations

● Provide employers with support in developing job postings ● Help in developing behavioural interview techniques ● Encourage a variety of methods for hiring such as tours and working interviews and job

shadowing ● Develop a formalized recruitment and selection process ● Help employers identify their preconceived notions of older workers ● Promote why they are good employers

Do employers understand the term competencies? As identified in the Literature review, there are differing perceptions on competency-based hiring. Respondents had differing understandings of the term competency. A clearer understanding of the term is needed. 32% of participants described using competencies in some form. If we remove the larger Government/Non- Profit group, the percentage using competencies drops to 27%. A few described competencies as ‘being competent’, therefore it is possible the number of employers using competencies in recruitment and selection is even lower than reported. It is safe to say that most small business reported not using competencies.


Many of the employers who didn’t use competencies mentioned that they didn’t like the term or didn’t feel it was needed. A few employers mentioned that they had a competency system developed by an HR consultant/company or their “parent company/corporate office”. It was mentioned that not everyone in organizations embrace the use of competencies. Not all organizations using competencies are taking full advantage. Some employers using competencies talked about challenges or said they were not confident using the structure, however many found competencies helpful. The survey found that people can identify competency statements as reflected in their recruitment and selection practices. Several employers using competencies referenced using core competencies rather than job specific competencies.

Do employers have job descriptions that identify competencies? If not, how are employers currently identifying the competencies required for their various positions? Competencies on Job Descriptions

8 participants interviewed stated that they included competencies on their job descriptions. They used ‘Success Competencies’ and ‘Key Competencies’ and ‘Behavioural Competencies’ and ‘Performance Competencies’. Employers who used competencies described the process of analyzing each job. Several had assistance, including hiring an HR consultant to develop a competency framework/pilot project for an entire sector. Some had HR consultants develop competencies and added them to job descriptions. Those using competencies included them in job postings. Competencies were used in phone screening, and interviews (one question per core competency). Competencies are also used internally for performance management, setting learning goals and training plans and measuring success, and developing salary grids. A few employers did identify using Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Attributes (KSAO) in hiring, succession planning and job descriptions. Job Descriptions

Overall, 77% of participants said they had job descriptions. While some job descriptions seemed to be very detailed, many employers commented that the job descriptions in their organizations were outdated, or very general. Anecdotally, our experience is that many employers do not have detailed job descriptions. Some employers stated that job descriptions didn’t have a lot of value because they became dated quickly. Also mentioned was the need for workers in a small organization to do everything, so a job description wasn’t valuable. It was mentioned that job descriptions were used for annual reviews or to deal with performance issues. Some employers included educational requirements, although some said that it was not needed.


Job Reviews

50% of participants stated that they don’t have a formalized process for completing regular job reviews or analysis of job duties. In the interviews we learned that when it was done, it was often the manager or owner working alone. Some organizations have the support of a Human Resource Department, outside HR consultant or corporate/head office to do reviews. Some said it doesn’t take priority unless there is a restructuring, pay grid review or funding changes. In the survey it was suggested that job reviews require the involvement of others in the organization. This could involve interviewing the person doing the job and the person supervising the job and a review of the current job description. Job Ads and Equivalency

The use of job ads ranged from non-existent (16 employers), to short and sometimes purposefully vague, to very long and detailed. It was noted that competencies were not detailed in job ads.

42% of employers participating included the word equivalent in their job postings. Some employers may include “equivalent” or be open to equivalencies however, the equivalency may not always be defined or identified. There was a lot of divergence around whether to include educational requirements, however, overall, the requirement was lower than anticipated. Most employers discussed having some flexibility in their requirements unless the credential was legislated. Employers seem to be increasingly open to considering people who don’t have Grade 12 or a specific post-secondary education. During the discussions some employers recognized that some of the things in their ads may not actually be mandatory. E.g. many people want a specific diploma, but upon discussion, they realized that it was not really needed for the job.

How do employers currently assess competencies when presented with a portfolio or in a resume? Portfolio

45% of participants have been presented with portfolios. Overall, 72% of employers surveyed did see at least some value in portfolios. In interviews, the value of portfolios was determined by experience; in some cases, employers had a negative experience. However, it is important to note that in the interviews, as employers talked about portfolios, they became increasingly positive about the value. The drawbacks to the use of portfolios mentioned by employers demonstrated that they were either unfamiliar with how to use a portfolio or that the candidates using them did not do so with confidence. Employers commented that viewing a portfolio would take too much time or be distracting. A few employers felt that candidates would need to leave a copy of their portfolio for it to be of value.

Resume

Only one employer mentioned looking for competencies in a resume, that match the position. However, in the survey aptitudes, abilities, skills and knowledge were identified as important. There was a range of comments about education on a résumé - from being critical to not being important at all. High school was mentioned, but it did not dominate. Employers were interested in past work experience, including experience in the field, transferable skills and employment history dates. The presentation of a résumé was important with employers preferring short, targeted, well written, error free résumés, going


back 10-15 years. There was a range of opinions about cover letters, from critical to not needed at all. One employer said only 10% of applicants include letters. 32% of employers interviewed stated that seeing several short-term positions on a résumé was a red flag. Many employers wanted a way to see availability e.g. ability to fill specific shifts. 11% of employers valued volunteer work. Hometown was important because of networking and availability and no commuting issues. Several people talked about having a process for reviewing résumés. No one mentioned using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Many employers expressed concerns about résumés because they have not found them to be good predictors of a candidate’s ability to do the job. As mentioned, many employers are not happy with the résumés they receive. Education was a lower priority than expected. In the survey 22% rated education as 1 (low importance). In the survey, 78% of employers would consider offering an interview to someone without formal credentials. Employers seemed very open to looking for equivalencies on résumés. The lack of applicants seems to be driving this openness to equivalencies. This will be beneficial to older workers with less education and younger workers with less experience. Employers listed a number of factors that influence their hiring decision, including: ability and willingness to learn; potential; range of skills, unique skill and transferable skills; writing skills; experience outside the industry; availability; personality for the job; interest; values; physical ability; life experience; attitude; motivation/drive to succeed; dedication; self-starter; goal setter; keen; reliable; enthusiastic; clear; confident; volunteer work; understanding of business; education but no experience and unique combination of education and experience. Several people said they hired the person if they are referred by someone they know or VCCS. When it didn’t work out, the issues identified included: literacy issues, mental health or family life issues, unable to learn, bad habits, didn’t fit with the culture or technology. Employers seemed open to equivalencies on a résumé, but as mentioned, they are not always asked for in a job posting. Education and experience are concrete, so they are easier to identify on a résumé than Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Attributes. In the survey transferable skills and work experience were identified as important. 86% of employers are willing to consider something other than KSAOs in the recruitment and selection process. However, in most cases, what was described would be considered knowledge, skills, abilities or attributes. Many employers talked about hiring based on ‘a good feeling/ intuition/ gut instinct’. This is also different than hiring based on equivalencies. Employers talked about having to make a commitment to training if they hire based on equivalencies.

Are employers open to learning about competencies and/or a tool to help assess competencies?


Interview: 73% of participants were interested in learning to use competencies in recruitment and selection and 67% said they would be interested in a tool that would help with recruitment and selection. Survey: 29% selected using competencies in recruitment and selection and 70% said they would be interested in a tool that would help with recruitment and selection.

Do employers have any fears in hiring older workers?

The older worker demographic is large in the City of Kawartha Lakes, which means there may be a large untapped labour pool available to employers. Employers were extremely positive when talking about the advantages of hiring older workers. The more they talked about the advantages, the more positive/enthusiastic they became. The top five advantages included Work Ethic; Experience; Attitude; Leadership; Flexibility. These represent KSAOs. The primary barrier employers identified was the physical ability to do the job. While some employers even felt they could address that with ergonomic accommodation, many felt strongly that older workers could not do some of the jobs in the organization. Others pointed out that many people over 55 are fit, active and healthy. Technology was also identified as a common barrier, however many employers commented that it is not the problem it was 10 years ago. Some found older workers slower to learn and less open to learning. ‘Dated’ education was mentioned, but it was not a common barrier. Some things were included on both the strengths and the barriers list. For example, flexibility of schedule for some older workers was identified as an advantage (willing to work shifts) and for some employers it was a disadvantage (asking for specific hours and time off). Wages were an advantage if an older worker was willing to work for a lower wage and a barrier if they expected a higher wage. Attitude was a strength (positive attitude), however some saw attitude as a barrier (lack of confidence or less tolerant). The survey found technology and starting wage were the main barriers identified as well as physical/mental ability. Overall there seemed to be enthusiasm for hiring older workers and workforce diversity was mentioned as important.

Would having a better understanding of competencies help employers feel more confident in hiring older workers? This question was not asked directly. However, employers seem positive about hiring older workers and many are open to learning about competencies. Research shows that older workers will benefit if competencies are built in to recruitment and selection processes. In the ‘older worker’ course research can explain the value of hiring older workers. In the courses developed around competencies we presented a system that will benefit older workers.


The key is dispelling some of the myths and stereotypes that exist around older workers. Underestimating the value of older workers can have a negative impact on human resource practices. Understanding demographics is important as the baby boomers are now older workers. Employers will benefit by:

● Identifying the value of older workers ● Identifying ways to recruit and retain older workers ● Using competencies to recruit and select older workers

A few quotes and resources from course development research:

● The Conference Board of Canada predicts that as boomers retire our economic growth will slow “to an

annualized rate of 1.7 per cent in the years between 2019 and 2021. That compares to a rate averaging 2.8 per cent between 2000 and 2008.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/baby-boomers-wanted-workforce-economic-growth- 1.4058250

● “Forecasters say this labour stagnation will likely keep real economic growth below 2 per cent annually over the next decade, below the average of about 2.5 per cent over the past quarter-century. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe- investor/retirement/the-boomer-shift-how-canadas-economy-is-headed-for- majorchange/article27159892/

● Our aging population will have “serious implications for every facet of our world: the national economy, government policy, health care and social supports, and what happens when a shrinking pool of taxpayers is obliged to support a growing number of seniors.” https://www.randstad.ca/workforce360-trends/archives/boomers-are-still-influencing- the-world-of-work_633/

● “York Region estimates 23,500 local jobs in this region could go unfilled or be lost if older workers were to stop working all together.” http://mtml.ca/wp- content/uploads/2015/11/2-Older-Workers-FINAL.pdf

● “even with current levels of immigration, we're having trouble keeping up with even the first wave of retiring baby boomers.” https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe- investor/retirement/the-boomer-shift-how-canadas-economy-is-headed-for- majorchange/article27159892/

● http://cedec.ca/boomeranging-boomers-older-workers-can-help-solve-labour-shortage/ ● In 2015, 23.9% of seniors living in a rural area reported working, including 7.3% who worked full year,

full time (Chart 9). Meanwhile, seniors in medium population centres (defined as those with a population between 30,000 and 99,999) were least likely to work, with 16.9% who reported working, including 4.5% who worked full year, full time. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016027/98- 200-x2016027-eng.cfm

● “Canada’s remains in the middle of the pack of OECD countries when it comes to realizing the value of older workers, leaving room for much needed improvement.” https://www.pwc.com/ca/en/media/release/better-engagement-of-canada-older- workforce-could-significantly-increase-gdp-and-increase-social-mental-and-physical- wellbeing-of-aging-population.html

What kind of training would benefit employers? And in what format? Training Preferences:

● Online Training: Interview 68% and Survey 30%


https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/baby-boomers-wanted-workforce-economic-growth-1.4058250

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/baby-boomers-wanted-workforce-economic-growth-1.4058250

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/retirement/the-boomer-shift-how-canadas-economy-is-headed-for-majorchange/article27159892/



https://www.randstad.ca/workforce360-trends/archives/boomers-are-still-influencing-the-world-of-work_633/



http://mtml.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2-Older-Workers-FINAL.pdf

http://mtml.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2-Older-Workers-FINAL.pdf




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https://www.pwc.com/ca/en/media/release/better-engagement-of-canada-older-workforce-could-significantly-increase-gdp-and-increase-social-mental-and-physical-wellbeing-of-aging-population.html




● In Group Workshop: Interview 50% and Survey 26% ● Combination: Interview 65% and Survey 52% Training

Suggestions:

● Online training with the option of in group workshops ● A recruitment and selection related tool with training on using the tool ● Training on Interviews; Competencies; Equivalencies ● Promote Success: One person implemented a system and saw a marked improvement in their

hiring results in terms of people he attracted, quality of hire and retention Training Needs Summary:

There will need to be a variety of options (online training, PDF, workshops, job developer support). The supports and training will need to be marketed as many employers may be able to benefit but may be comfortable with their current system. Employers are busy and need to see the value before committing the time to access training.

4. Training Developed Business Case for Hiring Older Workers Online Training

Business Case for Hiring Older Workers online training was developed to provide a base for employers as well as Career Development Practitioners and community partners. This base course addresses the shrinking labour pool, the low number of older workers employed in businesses and the large older demographic. It also presents the positive view employers have toward hiring older workers and looks at addressing barriers and capitalizing on advantages.

It was surprising to find that the percentage of employees 35-55 was high in both the interview and the survey. Across Canada Gen X is a small demographic and they would be included in the 35-55 age range. We were also surprised to find the over 55 age group was the smallest demographic identified as working in the participating businesses. Statistics Canada points to the City of Kawartha Lakes as having an over 65 demographic higher than the national average. Studies show that people are working beyond 65 which means that the City of Kawartha Lakes is well positioned to tap this labour pool.

Employers are positive about hiring older workers, however, they are not attracting applicants and they have low numbers of older workers on their current teams. It will be important to explore the value of hiring older workers and ways to access this large untapped labour pool.

Employers are not satisfied with the résumés they are receiving, which may be explained by the shrinking labour pool. Employers may benefit by looking for ways to expand their access to the current labour pool. To be able to address the shrinking labour pool and the increasing numbers of older workers, it will be important for businesses to explore the large untapped labour pool of people over 55, including workers over 65. It will be important to promote the value of hiring older workers; address barriers to older workers entering the labour market and provide support for employers so they are able to attract, screen/select older workers.

We developed online training that:


● Explores the value of hiring older workers ● Includes tips for expanding access to the existing labour pool ● The older workers available, specifically in rural areas, may be part of the solution to addressing the

shrinking labour pool ● Addresses barriers to older workers entering the labour market ● Provides information about Ontario Human Rights and older workers

Hire for Success and Using Competencies to Hire Effectively We developed two courses and a supporting workshop to provide employers with the opportunity to develop skills in identifying the competencies (KSAO) needed for success in a position. In the interviews and the survey employers highlighted the importance of Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Attributes (KSAO) as essential for success in their organizations. It is obvious that employers are aware of the importance of abilities and attributes in a worker’s success. We formalized this awareness in the training developed by bringing this knowledge into practice. This includes looking at the value of KSAO in hiring and highlighting the value of competencies in recruitment and selection. Also exploring the things that tend not to be good predictors of success such as education, experience and responsibilities. It is important to know what is essential to the role before equivalencies can be identified. Assisting employers in identifying KSAOs/Competencies that are critical to success in the position they are trying to fill will make it easier for them to search for and identify competencies on a resume. Focusing on KSAOs in resume screening will help employers to see the value of resumes and find these success predictors. KSAOs were not mentioned often when employers identified equivalencies. Developing an understanding of KSAOs will make it easier for employers to request and look for equivalencies on résumés and in interviews. Building competencies/KSAOs into the recruitment and selection process will assist employers in finding people who will be successful. This will help employers’ value what older workers have to offer. Employers talked a lot about the challenge of finding people with a solid work ethic and they do recognize the work ethic of older workers. Competing based on KSAOs will help older workers succeed. To assist employers in identifying what KSAOs are needed for success we provided them with a tool to assist in assessment. For example, during the discussions with employers several commented that they realize they need to explore the difference between 2- and 5-years experience. If they are asking for 5 what are they expecting that will be gained after year 2? In both the interviews and surveys the owners or managers were identified as having the bulk of the responsibility for hiring. Only 15% of businesses surveyed have Human Resource support. Several employers mentioned not having money for HR support. This means that many owners and managers are responsible for recruitment and selection without onsite HR guidance. Training will be helpful.


5. Recommendations Promote Existing Training Existing Online Training

Make available and promote the existing online Human Resource training developed through the Workforce Development Board/Local Area Planning Council (funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development). This training provides information that will guide employers in writing job postings, reaching candidates, and screening résumés.

Reaching Potential Candidates

Make available and promote the existing online training called ‘Reach Potential Candidates’ to access tips on reaching the right people. For example, employers found their best candidates through referrals and job ads which highlights the importance of these techniques.

Screening Résumés

Make available and promote the existing online course called ‘Résumé Screening’. This course provides information that will assist in setting up a system for receiving and screening résumés. These tips will help employers create a system to ensure recruitment and selection is as efficient as possible. This course includes Human Rights guidelines.

Effective Job Postings

Make available and promote the existing online training called ‘Write Effective Job Postings’. This course provides tips for developing job ads. Employers have identified that Abilities and Attributes are good predictors of success – however the focus of ads may not always include these predictors.

Develop Future Training and Support Options

Develop ‘Retain Older Workers’ Online Training

Retention will be increasingly important. It is predicted that it will become increasingly difficult to replace workers in the age group 35-55 with people in the same demographic. Developing retention strategies will be critical for retaining mid career (36 to 55), as well as older workers (55+) age groups. We recommend online training that explores the value of retaining older workers, alongside a more detailed assessment of the proportion, motivations, and learning needs of older workers seeking work in the region. This will also be valuable training for career development practitioners and job developers. Retention strategies are not limited to older workers alone; they will help employers retain their entire team. We recommend an online training course that:

● Explores the value of hiring and retaining older workers ● Provides recruitment and retention tips

Develop ‘Competency-based Interviews and Portfolio Use’ online training with a supporting

workshop Many employers rely on observation and instincts to look for skills, abilities and attributes. Although not


everyone is happy with the outcome, employers didn’t identify interview methods as an issue. Employers stated that they were confident in their gut reactions. Many felt that a chat was the best way to see the real person. However, employers also talked about hiring as stressful (time, money and pressure) and there is concern that it isn’t easy to tell if the person will fit the job based on the interview. Several people talked about making mistakes with hiring because some people are good at interviews, conversely, some great workers don’t interview well. It was noted that it is easier to see when a candidate lacks skills than it is to see a lack of fit. Earlier in the interview’s employers stated that they were not happy with the people hired. There were several survey questions related to interviews. In the survey, employers stated they ask for examples - evidence. Employers also look for clues in answers. When looking for the right attitude they observe behaviour, body language, interactions. Testing was used by 22% of survey respondents. Employers found that the best way to tell if a person is qualified is to look at knowledge, abilities and aptitudes. When asked what is important in an interview, the answers selected most often were intuition, personality and fit with the team, followed by content, communication, presentation/ appearance and confidence. This was not asked directly in the interviews, however many people said they didn’t see any value in checking references. In the survey 59% of respondents said they checked references and 41% said they sometimes check. They ask references about aptitudes, skills as well as abilities and knowledge. Employers talked about using a mix of all three interview styles, however most examples provided were traditional style questions. It is unclear if employers fully understand Behavioural Style interviews, or whether they had trouble providing examples in the moment. We noted that there were very few questions asked about education, it seems more like a ‘check list item’ - they have it or they don’t. We recommend developing online training and a workshop for Behavioural Style Interviews that would allow employers to draw out competencies/KSAOs during the interview process. Using competencies/KSAOs to develop interview questions will help improve interview outcomes for employers. Intuition is important but having a system will ensure the ‘right things’ are being assessed. Behavioural questions will help employers discover when the KSAOs were demonstrated. This system will also allow for ‘digging deeper’. This formalized process will provide a structure that will support intuition, so hiring is not based only on instinct. It is also important to note that an interview system can help prevent Ontario Human Rights violations. Lastly the training should also provide information about the value of portfolios and provide tips for accessing portfolios in an interview and accessing the information being provided.

Develop ‘Job Review’ and ‘Job Description’ Training and Other Workshops

Job reviews and job descriptions can be an important step in the development of a competency framework, a succession plan or job descriptions. Adding competencies/KSAOs to job descriptions would also be included in any training. Currently there is a range of ‘views’ on the value of job descriptions. Some say they are no


longer valuable, others say that an accurate job description is critical for retention. This is worth exploring further to gauge the value employers see in job descriptions before training is developed.

Human Resource Support

Businesses with under 25 employees dominate the City of Kawartha Lakes business community. Most employers participating in our research did not have a dedicated Human Resource Department or access to HR consultants. Most participating businesses hire less than 7 people a year and, in many cases, less than 5. Employers who do not hire often, may not have the opportunity to develop systems and techniques, however hiring is critical for their success. Therefore, support in this process is important. This may include maintaining and/or expanding the HR supports available through VCCS. Ideas generated for support

● Provide community-based HR support. ● HR workshops and training for small business owners ● Partnership (like a mentorship program) between small and larger businesses who have HR

knowledge ● Small organizations partner to hire an HR consultant and share resources ● Small organizations hire a Human Resource consultant on a per project bases

VCCS: Throughout the research people mentioned the value they received from the services offered through VCCS. It will be important to continue offering existing services and to expand support to employers. Perhaps using testimonials from current employers or video profiles and looking for ways to draw on strengths of employers.

Business and Community Succession Planning Support

Possible Ongoing Research: The number of long-term businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes speaks to the strength of the business community. However, it may also point to a need for support regarding succession planning to ensure businesses continue to remain strong going forward. Further research to learn about the current planning practices and the support available may be needed. Several employers mentioned that it was a challenge to find people with the ‘mandatory credentials’ they need. Employers stated that attracting people to the community with these credentials and keeping them here after they gain experience is a challenge because wages are lower. Additionally, many jobs start as part-time making it difficult to attract workers. Creative approaches may be needed.

Conduct Further Research Employers in the City of Kawartha Lakes have stated they are willing to participate in future training. It is hoped that further research will look at whether the training developed will increase employer’s use of competencies in their hiring practices and if so, will it increase the hiring of older workers in our area.

6. Conclusion


Our study confirms that employers, especially small and medium businesses are struggling to find and keep the right employees for their businesses. Many have indicated they are without Human Resources expertise and are open to help with the Recruitment and Selection processes and interested in learning how to use competencies in their hiring. The use of competencies in the recruitment and selection process needs to be strengthened. Older Workers are a viable and experienced source of labour. They are a growing segment of the labour market. A further understanding of this segment of the population requires attention by employers. Based on this research, the training courses and workshops developed on understanding the older worker, competencies and the use of competencies in job descriptions, job postings and interviews could have significant impact on local hiring practices with replication possible in other areas. CAPLA and the employment and literacy partners on the CPCA committee in the City of Kawartha Lakes can help bridge this knowledge and training gap using RPL and the Nine Guiding Principles for Quality RPL Practice in Canada (CAPLA 2015). Whether these training options can make a difference to increasing the hiring of Older Workers in the City of Kawartha Lakes remains to be seen. Employers have indicated a willingness to participate. A full implementation plan for the use of these 3 training modules developed and future research into whether these types of training can increase the hiring of Older Workers remains uncertain but something we hope can be explored at a future time.


Appendix A: Definitions/Acronyms Older Worker: For the purpose of our research, older workers were defined as over 55. It is important to note that the Government of Canada defines Older Workers as people over the age of 50. Knowledge: Knowledge may be factual, theoretical or procedural and includes rules, laws and concepts. People gain knowledge through education, training, self-study and independent research. Skills: A skill is all about action or performance. Skills are observable. Skills can be taught, developed, tested and measured and are usually learned and improved upon over time. Abilities: Abilities are the natural talents we are born with; often described as raw talent. Abilities last throughout a lifetime. If you try something for the first time and it comes easily, it may be because you have an innate ability. We are all born with mental or physical abilities that we can develop. Other Attributes: The term ‘Other Attributes’ includes personality traits, individual characteristics, attitudes, interests, temperament and values. Attributes are often overlooked but are critical to success in the job. KSAO: Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Attributes CAPLA: Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment Competencies: A group of actions and behaviours (performance) needed to achieve results, reach a goal and to be successful in a position. Competencies are the combination of knowledge, skills, abilities and attributes that lead to successful performance on the job.

● Job-Specific Competencies describe what is needed for success in a specific position. ● Functional Competencies. These describe competencies shared by everyone in the department or job

category. ● Core Competencies are used to identify what everyone in an organization needs to be successful,

regardless of the position they hold, the department they work in, or their level of responsibility. SMEs: Small to Medium Enterprise with less than 500 employees.


Appendix B: Competency-based Hiring Environmental Scan

Are Employers Using Competency-based Hiring?

Review of Internet Sources Prepared for Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) December 6, 2017

Constance Lim [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

Introduction

This report presents the results of a review of Internet sources conducted for the Canadian Association of Prior Learning and Assessment (CAPLA) in November 2017 to examine employer use of competency- based hiring primarily in Canada, but also internationally. This study examined questions that are of interest to PLAR1 practitioners, employment service counsellors and employers:

● Are employers hiring on the basis of competencies? ● How are employers hiring on the basis of competencies? ● What tools are available to help employers hire on the basis of competencies? ● What are the outcomes of competency-based hiring?

Competency-based hiring is often recommended to employers as a more effective way of hiring. Emphasizing evidence of skills and abilities over formal credentials holds the promise of finding suitable candidates for what the employer really needs, offers a compelling rationale and a conceptual framework for developing hiring practice and tools. Competency-based hiring is of interest to the RPL community as the assessment (and recognition) of competencies is an essential part of the recognition of prior learning. An individual can gain knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant to the workforce through formal, non-formal and informal learning, and employment is arguably the most significant outcome of the recognition of prior learning. Formal credentials (e.g. certificates, diplomas or degrees) allow for a convenient way to assume a certain standard of knowledge, skills and abilities attained through acquisition of the credentials, even if issues remain as to what the credentials actually represent, or what learning has actually taken place in formal settings. But how can or how do employers assess and recognize the competencies developed through non-formal and informal learning? And are competencies obtained through formal learning prioritized over non-formal and informal learning in the hiring process? In this brief study, Internet sources were scanned to get a sense of current practice in competency-based hiring. This report presents research findings, highlighting selected promising practices in competency-based hiring, and outlines issues for consideration and areas for further work. 1 The terms “Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)” and “Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)” are used interchangeably in this report.


Methodology

This Internet review was conducted over a period of 4 days in November 2017. The review was carried out in 4 stages:

1. Initial web research - Web research was conducted through Google searches on “competency-based hiring” and related terms (e.g., “competency-based” recruitment/selection/evidence/outcomes/employer) to gather evidence of competency-based hiring and the types of competency-based hiring tools available to employers, and on outcomes of competency-based hiring.

2. Identification of promising practices - Promising practices were identified from the findings of initial web research and selected after discussions with CAPLA in order to highlight particular aspects of competency-based hiring.

3. Synthesis of research findings - Research findings were analyzed and synthesized with attention to issues about evidence of employer use of competency-based hiring.

4. Conclusions - Based on the review’s findings, recommendations for further investigation were formulated. Research results for the first stage are described under Sections 3.1 – 3.3 under Section 3 Research Findings while selected practices are presented in Section 3.4, Promising Practices. Section 5, Observations examines issues arising from the synthesis of research findings, and Section 6, Conclusions presents recommendations for further investigation.

Research Findings

Competency-based hiring: rationale, concept, and tools

Web research found many sources of information on: ● The rationale for competency-based hiring ● Descriptions of competency-based hiring ● How to do competency-based hiring, and tools for employer use.

Rationale for competency-based hiring

While this was not the focus of this study, a few points are noted here as they provide context and also have a bearing on employer uptake and the design of tools. Lane and Christensen (2015) summarize the advantages of competency-based hiring over credentials- based hiring: Competent employees can do their job well. They have the full set of competencies – the skills, knowledge and attributes to perform all the tasks required by the job. Competencies are increasingly becoming recognized as what matters most to employers, more than the formal credentials a prospective employee has earned. Canadian employers have counted on credentials, in large part because they are all that have been available. Credentials show that the holder has spent time in a program and may have achieved a level of knowledge, but do not guarantee that related job skills have been developed. Post- secondary programs are not always designed to ensure that specific job skills are incorporated into the curriculum. Depending on the


program, there can be gaps between the competencies a job requires and the formal training programs that are expected to develop them. (Lane and Christensen, 2015) The Competency Blog (November 9, 2012) of Human Resource System Group (HRSG) describes how organizations can use competencies to define selection criteria for performance success, noting that competencies “provide the framework for identifying and / or designing competency-based tools and processes for evaluating candidates and making job-related, reliable, valid, fair and systematic selection and hiring decisions. “ Katz ( 2015) mentions other advantages and benefits of competency-based hiring, such as a competency-based question bank that can be used again and again, encouragement of diversity, identification of transferable skills for new hires and existing employees, aiding in recruiting, demonstrating fairness, simplifying the process of filling new openings, reducing turnover, allowing for job-based specificity, better quality, and cost savings. What is competency-based hiring?

Descriptions of competency-based hiring in the sources reviewed were not consistent. Some sources focus on the approach of using competencies as opposed to credentials in the hiring process (HRSG’s The Competency Blog and Katz, 2015 are examples). Other sources emphasize behavioural competencies (Resilient Individuals, Communities and Organisations (RICO) website, Marston, 2009, and Commongood Careers, 2007), with some focusing solely on assessment of behavioural competencies (Headstart Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLK) website). Yet others look at competency-based hiring as one aspect of competency-based management or a competency-based framework (Sorenson, 2016, and the websites of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), HRSG, Innovate+Educate and Hudson), which can also include other aspects such as recruitment, assessment, selection, retention, career pathing and talent management. Competency-based hiring tools

There are many examples of guides to developing competency-based selection methods (see Katz, 2015, and the Headstart ECLKC website) and toolkits including guides for structured interviews, skills assessment, simulations. These also include RPL guides on portfolio development. Many tools have been developed for immigrants. These include a manual prepared for CAPLA (Simosko 2011), The Employer’s Roadmap to Hiring and Retaining Internationally Trained Workers (which includes lists of resources and tools) on the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, as well as many region or sector-specific guides (see “Guides and Tools” under References at the end of this report).


Employer Uptake Evidence of public sector use of competency-based hiring is plentiful on the Internet. Op de Beeck and Hondeghem (2010) report on competency-based management in government in OECD countries. Presley Pullen (2017) examines the regulatory sector in Canada, and many government websites in Canada describe their use of competencies in human resource management (e.g., websites of Canada Revenue Agency, National Research Council, and the Government of British Columbia). Trends in the US that indicate a shift to competency-based hiring are described in a Forbes article by Craig and Blivin (2016). These include examples of:

● Blind hiring ● New shorter, less-expensive pathways to employment ● Discontent with value of the college degree ● Shorter, alternative credentials In higher education ● Launch of a student information system for colleges and universities that connects directly to

employer human capital management system ● A market map of 50-plus companies that are matching candidates to jobs on the basis of

competencies (plus digital credentials, ePortfolios, gamified hiring) ● A competency marketplace, allowing candidates to create competency profiles and match to

relevant employment and training opportunities. ● Interview-less hiring and a “no resume” hiring fair ● Integration of employment-oriented social networking with learning (LinkedIn Learning

integrating Lynda.com ● End of degree requirements for entry-level jobs

The website of Innovate+Educate in the US. describe many programs (with employer uptake) that encourage competency-based hiring on the demand side. The non-profit organization works with employers, local governments, and foundations to nurture a regional ecosystem that can focus on assessing and developing skills. The organization’s vision is to help workers move out of poverty through entry-level to mid-level roles, and obtain the transferable skills that let them move laterally as needed when industries change. (McGuire, 2017 and Innovate+Educate website). Evidence of employer uptake in Canada is scattered and linked to individual interventions, some of which are described further in this report.

Outcomes of Competency-Based Hiring Some evidence of outcomes of competency-based hiring was found. Leishman (2017) in a blog article cites Brandon Hall Group’s research on competency management (note: emphasis added, to indicate distinction from competency-based hiring) which consisted of data from 57 countries, 36 industries, organizations of varying sizes and management structures. This data showed that most organizations are not making use of all types of competencies. For instance, 61% of organizations use core competencies while only 28% use technical competencies:

● 76% of respondents cited improving organizational performance as the most important objective, with a 33% effectiveness rate.

● 71% cited improving individual performance, with a 39% effectiveness rate. ● 66% cited building future capabilities, with a 29% effectiveness rate.


● 59% cited building leadership pipelines, with a 39% effectiveness rate. (Leishman, 2017)

McGuire (2017) notes in an interview with the CEO of Innovate+Educate that:

● The Hunter and Hunter study from 1984 shows that hiring based on core cognitive components is five times more predictive than hiring based on education.

● Validation studies are taking place at Lowe’s and Kroger to show the efficacy of hiring based on skills. Innovate+Educate is piloting the use of its core score assessment as a credential for entry- level jobs with a university medical center.

● It has not been proven that hiring based on core competencies will result in better time-to-hire, cost-to-hire, and performance. Employers will invest a lot of money if it is shown that hiring and training costs go down. But it will take a few years for studies to show ROI.

Crawford (2005) provides an example of an older study that looks at whether methods at an assessment centre predict performance in identified competencies and whether candidates selected by the three- part competency based process perform better than candidates selected by other methods (the answer to both, according to Crawford’s commentary, is a qualified “yes”.) One example of different types of outcomes is provided by the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute webinar resource (2011) that describes a child welfare staff recruitment and retention project that aimed to Include multiple competency-based strategies and interventions to enhance capacity to recruit, select and retain a qualified workforce. Critical findings noted in this resource are:

● Decreased time to fill positions from over 60 days to 30 days. ● Supervisors have strong influence on culture and are key to retention of staff. ● Staff buy-in will increase as retention success occurs. ● Use training toolkit to maintain fidelity and validity to the process. ● Need commitment at all levels for recruitment, retention and training to achieve outcomes. ● Partnership with human resource unit/office is needed to have open recruitment and continual

job postings. ● Need enhanced training on safety, risk & protective factors in child welfare as additional tools. ● Retain new staff using: new employee orientation; onboarding, conducting stay interviews at

30, 60, & 90 days. ● Helps attend to the recruitment and retention of culturally and racially diverse staff. ●

(National Child Welfare Workforce Institute webinar resource, 2011) Again, evidence in Canada is scattered, and linked to individual interventions, as discussed further.


Promising Practices

Overview A set of 5 promising practices are highlighted in this section to illustrate particular aspects of competency-based hiring. These are summarized in the table below and each practice is described in more detail (obtained from various sources) in the following sections. Table 1: Promising Practices in Competency-based Hiring

Practice Target Group Competency Approach Outcomes

1. Manitoba Career Gateway Program (Manitoba, Canada)

Public sector Recruitment and selection emphasizes removal of barriers to RPL

Successful hires on the basis of competency assessments, transfers

2. OWL Workshop (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Older workers Resume building and employee preparation

82% success rate

3. BC Hydro Skills Check Program (British Columbia, Canada)

Potential employees in the trades

Competency assessment complements credential requirement

120 competency assessments in 2009

4. Prince’s Canadian Responsible Business Network (various regions, Canada)

Youth Focus on soft skills that are best overall fit within a company’s culture

15 local youth hired in banking; commitment to hire 6 local youth in food retail

5. Tilburg Competence Card (Denmark)

Refugees Lack of formal credentials, how to gather evidence

Perceived utility score by refugees and welfare workers: 86%; 40 – 69% of refuges in pilot rounds invited for job interviews

Manitoba Career Gateway Program

Description

The Career Gateway Program is a placement and referral program for external job seekers who register in the Manitoba Civil Service Commission (CSC) Career Gateway Program inventory and who self-declare as a member of one of the following employment equity groups: Aboriginal (AB), Visible minority (VM) and Persons with a Disability (PWD) and who have relevant skills and abilities to perform jobs across the Manitoba Government. The program is promoted through advertising an ongoing opportunity on the Job Opportunities Website which invites eligible job seekers to submit their application to be included in the program inventory.


Participants are sponsored by the CSC to attend 2 days equivalent of paid job related training through Organization and Staff Development (OSD) during their placement. Additional training may be provided at the expense of the host department. Placement opportunities are identified in government department program areas where there is either the need for a term employee, or where vacancies in regular positions are expected in the near future. When a placement opportunity is identified, applications on file are reviewed to identify individuals that meet the required qualifications (education, training and/or experience) for the position. Candidates are required to go through an assessment process. Although there is no guarantee of regular employment at the end of a placement, many past program participants have gone on to a successful career within the civil service. Target Group

Aboriginal (AB), Visible minority (VM), and Persons with a Disability (PWD)

How are competencies used?

● Candidates are assessed using methods focused on identifying the skills required for the position/placement.

● Review work samples that demonstrate ability ● Consideration of academic thesis work, reports, articles ● Use of interview questions that are behaviour- or situation-based ● Avoids credential and other barriers

○ Credential: requiring a particular degree or registration with a professional association when not required by law for that profession [emphasis added]

○ Experiential: asking for a number of years of experience, Canadian experience, recent experience, or experience specific to the organization

○ Circumstantial: not allowing a job requirement to be satisfied from a variety of means ○ Knowledge: requiring knowledge of a specific policy or process that is internal to the

organization ○ Level: when the amount of experience or level of skill/ability requested is not proportional

to the position

Outcomes

Examples of placements: Architect, trained abroad, no Canadian experience; used work samples of designs to provide confirmation of skills; found placement as project manager with Manitoba Housing and Community Development; placement was successful, now working permanently in that role Policy Analyst: candidate was forester in country of origin; assessment, found policy writing and research skills from working for a non-profit organization; first matched with placement in Highway Planning, Environmental Compliance, then moved into placement with Manitoba Conservation in a policy analysis role working with forestry-related policy.

Engineer: trained and registered abroad; matched to a placement as a Technical Engineering Officer (position that performs engineering-related work but does not require a designation); experience in this position could be used towards the required hours for Canadian professional designation; has now achieved Professional Engineer status in Manitoba and is working as Project Engineer with same department.


Over 90% of placements have ended with the employee successful in transitioning to a position within the department, or being promoted to a higher level position. Program has expanded and become increasingly popular recruitment option for managers.

Sources of Information

● “Information for Job Seekers,“ Manitoba Government Job Opportunities website, http://www.manitoba.ca/govjobs/info/programs.html#CGP

● Government Of Manitoba (Facilitator Erin Polcyn Sailer, Executive Director, Manitoba Civil Service Commission) Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) A best Practice Tool for Human Resource Management, PPT presentation, Nov 2014, found on the CAPLA website (www.capla.ca)

OWL Workshop

Description

The OWL (Older Wiser Labourfource) Workshop is a 7 week employment readiness workshop in Halifax, Nova Scotia designed specifically to assist the mature worker returning to work. The workshop was founded in 2010 and is provided by Job Junction (service funded by Nova Scotia Works Employment Services Centre and managed by People Plus, Inc.). Workshop classes are small, with about 13 people There are three followup “OWL Cafe” events every year, so former participants can update each other on their experiences. In order to apply, a candidate must be referred by a case manager at Job Junction. The workshop syllabus is as follows:

1. Introduction And Preview Of Upcoming 7 Weeks: 3 hours 2. Paradigm Shifts In The Workplace/Attitudes Towards Aging: 3 hours 3. My Realistic Occupational Goals: 9 hours 4. Dealing With Job Loss/Dream Shift: 3 hours 5. Social Networking: 3 hours 6. Introduction To Computers: 3 hours 7. Personality dimensions: 6 hours 8. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS): 3 hours 9. Portfolio development: 36 hours 10. Job search: 36 hours 11. Ace the interview: 18 hours 12. Challenges of the multi-generational workplace: 3 hours 13. Computer training: 30 hours 14. First aid and CPR: 8 hours 15. Stress management: 3 hours 16. Assertiveness and self-confidence: 3 hours 17. Communication skills: 3 hours 18. Financial planning: 3 hours 19. Creating your personal image: 1.5 hours


http://www.manitoba.ca/govjobs/info/programs.html#CGP

http://www.capla.ca/

20. Job fair: 6 hours 21. Employment agencies- how they work and how we can best utilize them: 3 hours 22. Predictive index- an insightful tool: 3 hours 23. Where do you go from here? Designing your plan: 3 hours 24. Telephone talent- communicating effectively with employers: 3 hours 25. Dress for success

Target group

People ages 55-64 years who are job ready, seeking employment, experiencing difficulty finding work, and are willing to work in a group setting


Workshop components includes targeted skills upgrading, portfolio development, RPL elements in identifying personal strengths and transferable skills and resume development, preparation for behavioural interviews, developing soft skills such as assertiveness and stress management focus on values, interests, motivation, etc.

Outcomes

The program has an 82% success rate (Peters, 2016)


• Job Junction website “The Owl Workshop,” http://www.jobjunction.ca/services/owls/ “OWL Workshop Syllabus,” http://www.jobjunction.ca/services/owls/owltoc/ • Regina Peters, “OWLforce program helps mature workers find jobs,” The Signal, December 1,

2016, http://signalhfx.ca/owlforce-program-helps-mature-workers-find-jobs/ • Listing in 211 Nova Scotia, http://ns.211.ca/service/44607640_13093789/the_owl_workshop

BC Hydro Skills Check Program

Description

BC Hydro developed the Skills Check Program to develop a process to assess the competence of potential employees prior to hiring in cases where the individual’s credential (e.g., Red Seal Journeyperson) is not a reflection of true ability for using the tools and performing the job. The program enables the company to make informed decisions on hiring and gauge the level of training needed to ensure a new hire is competent on the job. The program was implemented for powerline technicians (PLTs) in 2006 and is now used for assessing the competence of cable splicers, electricians and line truck operators, in addition to PLTs.

Target group

Potential employees in the trades


The Skills Check Program utilizes skills profiles comprising core competencies for each trade group. Each skills profile was developed by the BC Hydro Trades and Safety Training Department, subject matter experts, managers and crew leaders, and is composed of General Areas of Competence, Competency Statements and Learning and Performance Outcomes. The profiles are a harmonization of the applicable provincial skills


http://www.jobjunction.ca/services/owls/

http://www.jobjunction.ca/services/owls/owltoc/

http://signalhfx.ca/owlforce-program-helps-mature-workers-find-jobs/

http://ns.211.ca/service/44607640_13093789/the_owl_workshop

standards and program outlines for the trade, the Red Seal National Occupational Analysis (when applicable), and skills requirements and philosophies unique to BC Hydro. Competencies are weighted according to risk to personal and public safety if performed improperly. The competencies have been embedded into a series of workplace scenarios used to test and assess candidates in real-life scenarios and to determine an overall score of the worker’s competence. Individuals selected to participate in the Skills Check Program are taken to the test site for two days. During the competency assessment, individuals are asked to perform scenarios based on the skills profiles for their trades using actual equipment at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Electrical Industry Training Institute, a limited company under the sole ownership of IBEW Local 258. This training facility includes standard classrooms as well as the key equipment and tools that the workers will use on a daily basis. Evaluators are often senior-level journeypersons who are trained to evaluate performance. The ratings for each competency, as well as the evaluator’s comments, are reviewed by personnel within the Technical and Safety Training Department. From this evaluation, they develop a synopsis sheet that lists all of the competencies for which the individual experienced difficulty in performance. From the synopsis, a Skills Passport is developed, with three columns. The first column recommends cluster training on a specific topic or work method. Cluster training includes a combination of classroom and field-work training that is offered by a third-party provider. The second column specifies the on-the-job training required. The third column lists any restrictions in place during the evaluation that will prevent the worker from performing a particular task until they have received remedial training and been signed off by an evaluator as being competent. The Skills Passport is kept with the employee at all times through the training process and is recalled by managers on a quarterly basis to track progress and make changes in the LMS. Once the remedial training outlined in the worker’s Skills Passport is completed, and the worker’s manager has had an opportunity to observe the individual, the manager schedules retesting on the applicable competencies.

Outcomes

In 2009, BC Hydro conducted 120 competency assessments under the Skills Check Program (approximately 50 with PLTs, 50 with Electricians and 20 with cable splicer. There are some challenges to implementation. It is critical to have discussions with unions, the workforce and particularly individuals who have worked for years in the trade and will now be faced with a test of their competence.


“Skills Check Program,” Electricity Human Resources website, http://electricityhr.ca/train/english/profiles/assessment/BC_Hydro.html

The Prince’s Canadian Responsible Business Network

Description

The Prince’s Canadian Responsible Business Network (PCRBN) is the largest among the programs of Prince’s Charities of Canada. PCRBN engages business leaders in developing and implementing initiatives to help Canada’s most disadvantaged youth get employment opportunities and pre-employment training. The network is a catalyst and convenor to create innovative business and


http://electricityhr.ca/train/english/profiles/assessment/BC_Hydro.html

community collaborations that address youth unemployment. Business expertise is combined with community know-how for a strong collective impact.

Target group

Youth


Competency- or character- based hiring eschews traditional approaches to finding the best candidate – task-based job descriptions which prioritize credentials and length of experience – and instead focuses on the knowledge, behavior and skills needed to succeed in the advertised job. In this way, employers are looking for candidates who may be the best overall fit within a company’s culture, keeping in mind that hard skills can be taught, while attitude and some soft skills cannot.

Outcomes

PCRBN has worked with more than 2,000 jobless youth, almost 600 business volunteers, and dozens of community agency staff. In North Etobicoke, this hiring model has had much success within Scotiabank’s ‘Youth in Banking’ initiative. Scotiabank has one branch in North Etobicoke, as well as a call center, but because of overly complicated job descriptions these positions often seemed out of reach of many otherwise qualified applicants, including youth in the neighbourhood looking to start a career in banking. In collaboration with PCRBN and various community partners, Scotiabank employees were able to work closely with the community and formulate job descriptions based on desired skills and personality traits, which has led to the hiring of 15 local youth who have a deep knowledge and passion for their community. In Halifax’s north end, PBRN has worked with the local YMCA employment centre engaging business leaders in competency-based job description workshops. Borne out of a need to match a changing demographic of diverse jobseekers with available jobs, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Loblaw has committed to hiring six local youth based on this new model. Sources of Information

“Competency-Based Hiring: Why Credentials Aren’t Always the Best Way to Attract the Best Talent,” March 21, 2016, Prince’s Charities Canada website, http://www.princescharities.ca/news/competency-based-hiring-why-credentials-arent-always- the-best-way-to-attract-the-best-talent/

Tilburg Competence Card

Description

The Tilburg Competence Card is a joint initiative of labour market professor Ton Wilthagen (ReflecT, Tilburg University), Meurs HRM, Lievens HRI and Tilburg municipality. These parties share the vision that the talents of refugees should be documented as soon as possible, to optimize their integration process. There is a lack of information about the talents, knowledge, skills and professional backgrounds of refugees. Typically they do not possess diplomas from recognized institutions. As such, it is difficult for them to document and convey their human capital. Subsequently, this puts a damper on their integration process and hinders refugees in finding appropriate work and schooling. To alleviate these circumstances, the Competence Card offers refugees the opportunity to document and present a complete overview of their


http://www.princescharities.ca/news/competency-based-hiring-why-credentials-arent-always-the-best-way-to-attract-the-best-talent/


(digital) competences, drivers, ambitions, personality and dream job. The hope is that the competence card will help refugees who obtain a residence status to get a chance on the labor market as quickly as possible.

Target group

Refugees (in The Netherlands)


Through the Competence Card, refugees and asylum seekers can create a digital profile comprising their work experience, education, preferences, and various types of competence and personality (self-) assessments. The Competence Card is structured on the basis of the American O*NET database of occupations and skills, which allows for targeted matching with vacancies. This profile is used to facilitate matches with employers and educational institutes, online as well as offline. The Competence Card guides refugees through each of these dimensions step-by-step in a intuitive and user friendly manner. The Competence Card is designed and structured in such a manner that matching with appropriate jobs and schooling is made incredibly easy. It describes all training, work experience, skills and talents that the potential new residents of the city have. This competency overview is more detailed than a conventional CV and should provide potential employers more insight into what someone can do and knows.

Outcomes

In pilot projects (three rounds with 600 participants) three findings were established: ● Guidance and coaching are of vital importance. Refugees with a low educational background

need to be guided on a one-on-one basis to complete the Competence Card. The middle educated can be coached in groups of three to five, whereas a plenary session suffices for highly educated refugees.

● Refugees and welfare workers present at the pilot rounds rated the usability and utility of the Competence Card with an average score of 86%.

● The Competence Card was successful at fostering connections between job seeking refugees and prospective employers. In two pilot rounds, refugees were connected with employers based on their Competence Card. In round one, 40% of the refugees were invited for a job interview. In the second round, this percentage increased to 69%. The difference can be attributed to iterations made in the Competence Card throughout pilot rounds.

The Competence Card is used by several municipalities and welfare organizations in the Netherlands (including Tilburg and Rotterdam). In total, approximately 1,000 refugees have access to the system. Competence Card is also in talks with relevant stakeholders to contribute to the Screening and Matching measure and contact has been made with UNESCO to discuss border crossing applications of the tool.


Description of Competence Card Initiative provided by Ronald Lievens Tilburg Competence Card website, http://www.competencecard.nl

“Involved with Refugees,” Tilburg University website, https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/profile/regional-strength/refugees-1/


http://www.competencecard.nl/

https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/profile/regional-strength/refugees-1/

Observations

Gaps in Evidence As noted above, the information sources reviewed in this study show some evidence of employer uptake of competency-based hiring and some promising outcomes. However, some questions present themselves about the available evidence:

What exactly are we talking about?

The term “competency-based hiring” encompasses a range of hiring practices. Some focus on measuring particular competencies (e.g., core competencies or behavioural competencies vs. technical competencies), while others simply include a particular method for assessing competencies (interviews, or portfolio assessment). Others embed competency-based hiring within competency management. What does the evidence show?

This review has noted evidence of employer use and of outcomes from this use obtained from difference sources. Evidence can be general, indicating existence of trends or interventions (programming), or specific, reporting on details of a particular instance. Evidence of availability of tools does not necessarily indicate employer use of these tools. The promising practices highlighted are all interventions to promote aspects of competency-based hiring. It is unclear what the level of employer uptake of competency-based hiring is without such interventions. Is the evidence valid?

It is difficult to isolate the effect of the use of competencies in hiring on outcomes. Are outcomes due to other aspects of intervention (providing opportunities to targeted groups), or to use of particular competency-based techniques, or simply to fluctuations in the labour market? For example, the logic underlying competency-based hiring appears to address the skills mismatch (Lane and Griffiths, 2017), but is there really proof of this? Perhaps there is no skill mismatch, or perhaps the issue is one of job training? (McMahon, 2012) What is meaningful evidence?

Why do we need evidence and how do we interpret it? Measures of success will be different for the various stakeholders in the work-world. These include, among others, employers, job candidates, employment workers, educational and training institutes, certification bodies, and regulators. Stakeholders can also be differentiated more finely when defining measures of success. For example, measures may be different for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) versus big business, or for different sector among employers, or for regulated vs. non-regulated professions for job candidates.


Employer and Employee participation The employer is generally viewed as the active agent in the hiring process. However, clearly, two parties are involved: hiring is only possible with the participation of the employer and the potential employee. Much of the information reviewed on competency-based hiring focuses on what the employer can or should do, and on benefits to the employer. However, as is seen in the promising practices highlighted in this report, action on the part of the potential employee is important and necessary as well. Such participation may include participation in employment preparation workshops, skills upgrading, developing portfolios, and identifying competencies.

Context of Competency-based Hiring The information reviewed in this study often places competency-based hiring in a context, whether explicit or implied. As noted earlier, competency-based hiring is often referred to in the context of competency management, or to other uses of competencies within an organization (websites of HRSG, CAEL and Innovate+Educate). This clearly has implications for quality principles in competency-based hiring, and also looks at hiring in a more comprehensive way, linking it to retention, performance, training, personnel development, succession planning, internal hiring vs. outsourcing. Another contextual view of competency-based hiring is raised when the dynamics of and difficulties in implementing competency-based hiring are considered (Sullivan, 2006). An even wider context is noted in Lane and Griffiths (2017), who call for one “ambitious solution – a competency-based, pan-Canadian qualifications framework” to help eliminate the skills mismatch problem by addressing the following issues:

Formal education and apprenticeships do not teach all, or even the right, skills and competencies to the right levels needed by employers.Unrecognized skills: Many people have skills and competencies that their official credentials do not address. They also may not be able to articulate the skills that go beyond official credentials that possess, or their value. Therefore, unsurprisingly, employers may not be aware of the varied and specific skills that people have. possess, or their value. Therefore, unsurprisingly, employers may not be aware of the varied and specific skills that people have.Foreign credentials, which are otherwise adequate in terms of skills and competencies, are not recognized. (Lane and Griffiths, 2017).

Proxies in Competency Assessment The sources reviewed in this study emphasize the recognition of non-formal and informal learning in competency assessment. Formal credentials are seen as a poor or inadequate proxy for actual competencies that a candidate may have. The requirement for formal credentials can therefore be a barrier in competency-based hiring. The concern about validity of proxies is seen in the policy of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (2013) regarding the removal of Canadian experience as a legitimate employer requirement. Several points are noted here about the use of proxies in competency assessment: The results of any form of assessment are themselves proxies for actual competencies. This observation underlies the attention paid to determining the validity and reliability of assessments, and to principles of quality in RPL.2


While the limitations of formal credentials in indicating competencies are increasingly accepted, a lot of work has taken place in developing assessment and recognition practices for non-formal and informal learning (e.g., portfolio development, badges, competency cards). At the same time, there is movement towards making formal credentials a more accurate proxy of competencies (for example, education institutes adopting learning outcomes or enhancing formal learning programs by adding experiential learning opportunities such as work placements). The issue can be framed as the use of appropriate proxies. In effect, credentialing of non- formal and informal learning are taking place in the increasing adoption of many of the practices for recognizing non-formal and informal learning (e.g., badges, competence cards). How valid are these non-traditional credentials? RPL quality principles are one way to determine validity, but who determines if these quality principles have been applied sufficiently? In addition, the perennial question of whether testing is indicative of performance also applies to recognition of non-formal and informal learning. Behavioural interviews are seen as one way of assessing for behavioural competencies, but are successful candidates the ones who perform well during the interviews instead of those who actually have the competencies? And so will practices for recognizing non-formal and informal learning themselves become barriers to recognizing competencies?

2 See CAPLA’s manual, Quality Assurance for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in Canada, 2015.


Conclusions

The following conclusions are drawn on the basis of the observations presented in the previous section.

Need for Evidence This study has been a quick scan for available evidence of competency-based hiring. As noted earlier, some evidence exists, but can be questioned. It would be easy to conclude that more evidence is needed, especially in Canada. Certainly, evidence is desirable or the impetus towards competency-based hiring may simply be fueled by theoretical promise and promotion. However, attention should be paid to the type and quality of evidence and not just quantity. The following points should be considered in gathering more evidence: 1. Define competency-based hiring

As there are different perceptions of competency-based hiring, a clear definition of competency-based hiring, which may include categorization of different concepts of competency-based hiring , is necessary before starting the process of collecting more evidence. Following the definition, consideration should be given to a process to determine if practices are actually competency-based. What actually constitutes competency-based hiring: how much use (and what kind of use) of competencies is required in the hiring approach before it can be considered to be competency-based? 2. Determine use of evidence

Why is evidence needed? And how will it be used? Different stakeholders will have different needs and perceptions. There are many stakeholders beyond the obvious ones of employers, employees, and job candidates, and they include, among others, educators, certification bodies, regulators, government, employment counsellors. Differentiation of segments among stakeholder groups is also relevant. The requirements for evidence will inform the types of evidence to be collected, and may have a bearing on the standards for evidence, and the methods of collection. 3. Define standards for evidence

Quality principles for RPL as well as assessment standards are relevant to this point, as are standards for data and information. How will these standards be applied? How will it be determined that they are applied adequately? 4. Determine type of evidence and ways of collecting evidence

What constitutes evidence of use of competency-based hiring and evidence of outcomes? How can these be measured and collected? These are methodological questions that should be defined precisely before undertaking further work. Employers may be familiar with and receptive to the concept of competencies, and as such, may assume that they are hiring on the basis of competencies even while their hiring practices continue to focus on job descriptions (instead of competencies), or screen out candidates on the basis of formal educational credentials (thereby eliminating candidates without these credentials who have the required competencies).


Areas for Further Work The findings of this review suggest other interesting areas for further investigation: Focus on SMEs

Examining whether and how SMEs are hiring on the basis of competencies is of particular interest because of their capacity challenges and also because of their critical role in the economy and job creation. Gillespie (2017) notes that hiring and retaining qualified personnel is seen by business leaders to be a top obstacle to growth second only to operating costs. Many tools that have been developed are meant to target this sector, but evidence of their uptake was not found in this review. Employee role in competency-based hiring

Hiring is employer driven but (potential and actual) employee participation in the process is necessary. This aspect is often neglected in work focused on hiring, which tends to develop interventions aimed solely at employers, or treat employees as a separate area of work (e.g. job search or employment preparation programs). The relationship or the dynamic between the two essential parties may provide interesting insights into competency-based hiring. Do initiatives focusing on the separate parties match up well and could a mismatch in these separate initiatives lead to fewer successful outcomes, or poorer outcomes? Programming that involves both parties (e.g. job fairs held by Innovate+Educate) show some promising outcomes and can be studied for lessons learned. Examining the context

Competency-based hiring does not and arguably cannot exist in a vacuum. Can an employer hire on the basis of competencies if the competency approach is not fully embraced within the organization? In such cases, how does the organization’s approach affect the outcome of competency-based hiring? In other cases, how does an organization’s competency framework affect the hiring process and vice versa? Dynamics of implementation

Most of the interventions reviewed in this study have developed tools or practices and outcome measures are for uptake and use. Little attention is given to the dynamics of implementing competency-based tools, although a few sources note difficulties and challenges (the Skills Check Program featured under Section 3.4, Promising Practices, National Child Welfare Workforce Institute webinar resource (2011) and Sullivan (2006). Examining the dynamics of implementation may shed some light on factors impacting successful outcomes. Credentialling and refinement of proxies

This area of work would examine issues raised in Section 4.4, Proxies in Competency Assessment. How can proxies for learning, including both formal credentials and emerging credentials for non-formal and informal learning) be refined or be ascertained to be valid?


Follow-up Interviews This cursory review only allowed for brief summaries of six promising practices. Follow-up interviews with the organizations that are implementing these practices can provide more information that can help in defining next steps in further work. Follow up interviews are recommended, to gather more information on: Confirmation of competency approach used and context for competency-based approach Rationale and purpose in using a competency-based approach Stakeholders involved, active participants and other essential inputs How were outcomes measured and used, and what constitutes success? Employer and employee feedback Stakeholder feedback Implementation challenges Lessons learned Reach and possible replication As well, interviews with several other organizations are recommended: The Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) Program at Health Nova Scotia for its CCA RPL Program Process (see “Continuing Care Assistant Program” on the Health Nova Scotia website Innovate+Educate in the US, for its many programs that use its assess/hire/train/advance framework to “implement evidence-based, employer-led strategies to drive competency and skills based hiring and training for in-demand jobs” (Innovate+Educate website) Google, for its hiring practices that have resulted in an increasing proportion of employees without any college education (Bryant, 2013) These organizations were not featured among the promising practices because of lack of space, but their initiatives merit a closer look.

References

(Internet links were current as of December 1, 2017)

Reports and Discussion Papers

CIPD, A head for hiring: The behavioural science of recruitment and selection, April 2015, https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/a-head-for-hiring_2015-behavioural-science-of-recruitment- and-selection_tcm18-9557.pdf Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, Making a Market for Competency-Based Credentials, 2013, http://skilledwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/MakingaMarketforCompetency- BasedCredentials.pdf IHRDC Competency Management, Linking Competencies with an Integrated Talent Management Philosophy, February 2014,


https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/a-head-for-hiring_2015-behavioural-science-of-recruitment-and-selection_tcm18-9557.pdf

https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/a-head-for-hiring_2015-behavioural-science-of-recruitment-and-selection_tcm18-9557.pdf

http://skilledwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/MakingaMarketforCompetency-BasedCredentials.pdf

http://skilledwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/MakingaMarketforCompetency-BasedCredentials.pdf

https://www.ihrdc.com/pdfs/IHRDC-Linking-Competencies-with-Integrated-Talent- Management-Philosophy.pdf Janet Lane and Naomi Christensen, Competence is the Best Credential, Centre for Human Capital Policy, Canada West Foundation, April 2015, http://cwf.ca/research/publications/?keyword=competence&filter_author=&filter_category=&p ost_date_from=&post_date_to= Janet Lane and Jeff Griffiths, Matchup: A Case for Pan-Canadian Competency Frameworks, February 2017, http://cwf.ca/wp- content/uploads/2017/02/HCC_Matchup_Report_11FEB2017_WEB.pdf Sophie Op de Beeck and Prof. Dr. Annie Hondeghem, Managing Competencies in Government: State of the Art Practices and Issues at Stake for the Future, report prepared for OECD Public Employment and Management working party (PEMWP), 2010, https://www.oecd.org/gov/pem/paper-managing-competencies-in-government-state-of-the- art-practices-and-issues.pdf Michael Presley and William Pullen, Competency-Based Management in the Regulatory Sector, Discussion Paper for the Regulatory Governance Initiative, Carleton University, 2017, https://carleton.ca/rgi/wp-content/uploads/CC-2017_Discussion-Paper_CBM-Maturity- Model.pdf Susan Simosko, Assessing the Skills and Competencies of Internationally Trained Immigrants: A Manual for Regulatory Bodies, Employers and Other Stakeholders, report prepared for CAPLA, 2011, http://capla.ca/assessing-the-skills-and-competencies-of-internationally-trained- immigrants-a-manual-for-regulatory-bodies-employers-and-other-stakeholders-2/

Articles and Presentations

Jamai Blivin, “Shift Happens - Job Ready Hire,” December 12, 2016, The Blog, Huffington Post, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamai-blivin/shift-happens-job-ready-h_b_13355762.html Abigail Carlton and Jamai Blivin, Throwing Out the Resume: How a Switch to Competency-Based Hiring Could Help Solve the Youth Employment Crisis, Rockefeller Foundation Blog, Feb 22, 2016, https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/blog/throwing-out-the-resume-how-a-switch-to- competency-based-hiring-could-help-solve-the-youth-employment-crisis/ Adam Bryant, “Big Data May Not Be Such a Big Deal,” Corner Office, New York Times, June 19, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/in-head-hunting-big-data-may-not-be- such-a-big-deal.html?pagewanted=2 Commongood Careers, “Introduction to Competency-Based Hiring,” GuideStar website, July 2007, https://www.guidestar.org/Articles.aspx?path=/rxa/news/articles/2007/introduction-to- competency-based-hiring.aspx


https://www.ihrdc.com/pdfs/IHRDC-Linking-Competencies-with-Integrated-Talent-Management-Philosophy.pdf

https://www.ihrdc.com/pdfs/IHRDC-Linking-Competencies-with-Integrated-Talent-Management-Philosophy.pdf

http://cwf.ca/research/publications/?keyword=competence&filter_author&filter_category&post_date_from&post_date_to

http://cwf.ca/research/publications/?keyword=competence&filter_author&filter_category&post_date_from&post_date_to

http://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/HCC_Matchup_Report_11FEB2017_WEB.pdf

http://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/HCC_Matchup_Report_11FEB2017_WEB.pdf

https://www.oecd.org/gov/pem/paper-managing-competencies-in-government-state-of-the-art-practices-and-issues.pdf

https://www.oecd.org/gov/pem/paper-managing-competencies-in-government-state-of-the-art-practices-and-issues.pdf

https://carleton.ca/rgi/wp-content/uploads/CC-2017_Discussion-Paper_CBM-Maturity-Model.pdf

https://carleton.ca/rgi/wp-content/uploads/CC-2017_Discussion-Paper_CBM-Maturity-Model.pdf

http://capla.ca/assessing-the-skills-and-competencies-of-internationally-trained-immigrants-a-manual-for-regulatory-bodies-employers-and-other-stakeholders-2/

http://capla.ca/assessing-the-skills-and-competencies-of-internationally-trained-immigrants-a-manual-for-regulatory-bodies-employers-and-other-stakeholders-2/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamai-blivin/shift-happens-job-ready-h_b_13355762.html

https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/blog/throwing-out-the-resume-how-a-switch-to-competency-based-hiring-could-help-solve-the-youth-employment-crisis/

https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/blog/throwing-out-the-resume-how-a-switch-to-competency-based-hiring-could-help-solve-the-youth-employment-crisis/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/in-head-hunting-big-data-may-not-be-such-a-big-deal.html?pagewanted=2

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/in-head-hunting-big-data-may-not-be-such-a-big-deal.html?pagewanted=2

Maureen E Crawford, “Reassuring evidence on competency based selection,” The BMJ, Mar 26 2005, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC555636/ Angus Gillespie, “Opportunities and Challenges for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises,” The Canadian Business Journal, Volume 10, Issue 1, Nov 2017, http://www.cbj.ca/opportunities-and- challenges-for-small-and-medium-sized-enterprises/ Government of Manitoba (Facilitator Erin Polcyn Sailer, Executive Director, Manitoba Civil Service Commission) “Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) A best Practice Tool for Human Resource Management,” PPT presentation, Nov 2014, retrieved from CAPLA website (www.capla.ca) Lee Michael Katz, “Competencies Hold the Key to Better Hiring,” Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) website, Jan 29, 2015, https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/0315-competencies-hiring.aspx Caitlin Leishman, “The imperatives of successful competency management,” Human Resource Systems Group (HRSG) blog, HRSG website, July 24, 2017, http://resources.hrsg.ca/learning-development-leader/the-imperatives-of-successful- competency-management Timothy Marston, “Why Competency-based Selection Should Be in Your Toolkit,” ERE Recruiting Intelligence website, July 3, 2009, https://www.ere.net/why-competency-based-selection-should-be-in-your-toolkit/ Claire Muth, “How Career Pathing Software Can Speed Up Your HRIS Implementation,” Talent Crunch Blog, Council for Adult Experiential Learning (CAEL) website, September 8, 2016, https://www.cael.org/talent-crunch-blog/are-you-hiring-the-right-employees-how-career- pathing-can-help-you-find-the-best-fit# Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, “What resumes can’t show about job candidates, skills tests can,” Boston Globe, November 19, 2017, https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/specials/top- places-to-work/2017/11/19/what-resumes-can-show-about-job-candidates-skills-tests- can/i3My0w4oDYnePrECg4NUsN/story.html Robert McGuire, “The Coming Paradigm Shift In Competency-Based Hiring: An Interview with Innovate+Educate,” Workforce Insight, Southern New Hampshire University, College for America, April 12, 2017, https://collegeforamerica.org/competency-based-hiring/ Tamsin McMahon, “The myth of the ‘skills mismatch’: Is it workers, jobs or employers that aren’t good enough?” MacLeans, July 26, 2012, http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/the-myth-of-the-skills-mismatch/ Regina Peters, “OWLforce program helps mature workers find jobs,” The Signal, December 1, 2016, http://signalhfx.ca/owlforce-program-helps-mature-workers-find-jobs/


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC555636/

http://www.cbj.ca/opportunities-and-challenges-for-small-and-medium-sized-enterprises/

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http://resources.hrsg.ca/learning-development-leader/the-imperatives-of-successful-competency-management

https://www.ere.net/why-competency-based-selection-should-be-in-your-toolkit/

https://www.cael.org/talent-crunch-blog/are-you-hiring-the-right-employees-how-career-pathing-can-help-you-find-the-best-fit


https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/specials/top-places-to-work/2017/11/19/what-resumes-can-show-about-job-candidates-skills-tests-can/i3My0w4oDYnePrECg4NUsN/story.html



https://collegeforamerica.org/competency-based-hiring/

http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/the-myth-of-the-skills-mismatch/

http://signalhfx.ca/owlforce-program-helps-mature-workers-find-jobs/

Sara Pollock, “5 Unique Benefits of Competency Based Recruitment and Selection,” ClearCompany website, https://blog.clearcompany.com/5-unique-benefits-of-competency- based-recruitment-and-selection Brian Sorenson, “Are you Hiring the right Employees? How Career Pathing can Help You Find the Best Fit,” Talent Crunch Blog, CAEL website, October 28, 2016, https://www.cael.org/talent- crunch-blog/are-you-hiring-the-right-employees-how-career-pathing-can-help-you-find-the- best-fit Dr. John Sullivan, “Recruiting Using a Competency-Based Approach,” ERE Recruiting Intelligence, April 17, 2006, https://www.ere.net/recruiting-using-a-competency-based-approach/

Website

(Articles and webpages without bylines are presented here. Articles with bylines are presented under the author’s name under “Articles and Presentations”.) Council for Adult and Experiential Learning “What is career pathing?” https://www.cael.org/what-is-career-pathing “Career Development and Career Pathing,” http://www.c2ti.com/products/career- pathing-tool/ Canada Revenue Agency “Canada Revenue Agency Competencies - April 2016,” https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/careers-cra/information- moved/cra-competencies-standardized-assessment-tools/canada-revenue-agency- competencies-april-2016.html Government of British Columbia “About Competencies,” https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/careers-myhr/job- seekers/about-competencies Electricity Human Resources Canada “Skills Check Program,” http://electricityhr.ca/train/english/profiles/assessment/BC_Hydro.html HeadStart Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLK) “Introduction to Competency-based Hiring,” https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/human- resources/article/introduction-competency-based-hiring Health Nova Scotia “Continuing Care Assistant Program,” http://www.novascotiacca.ca/Generic.aspx?PAGE=What+is+the+CCA+Program Human Resource Systems Group (HRSG)


https://blog.clearcompany.com/5-unique-benefits-of-competency-based-recruitment-and-selection

https://blog.clearcompany.com/5-unique-benefits-of-competency-based-recruitment-and-selection




https://www.ere.net/recruiting-using-a-competency-based-approach/

https://www.cael.org/what-is-career-pathing

http://www.c2ti.com/products/career-pathing-tool/

http://www.c2ti.com/products/career-pathing-tool/

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/careers-cra/information-moved/cra-competencies-standardized-assessment-tools/canada-revenue-agency-competencies-april-2016.html



https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/careers-myhr/job-seekers/about-competencies

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/careers-myhr/job-seekers/about-competencies

http://electricityhr.ca/train/english/profiles/assessment/BC_Hydro.html

https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/human-resources/article/introduction-competency-based-hiring

https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/human-resources/article/introduction-competency-based-hiring

http://www.novascotiacca.ca/Generic.aspx?PAGE=What%2Bis%2Bthe%2BCCA%2BProgram

“Key Advantages of Using Competencies for Recruitment & Selection,” The Competency- Based Management Blog, 9 November 2012, http://blog.competencycore.com/2012/11/key-advantages-of-using-competencies.html “Making the Case: Competency-based Recruitment and Selection,” CompetencyCore Guide to Recruitment & Selection, Part 1 of 11, 6 November 2012, http://blog.competencycore.com/2012/11/making-case-competency-based.html Hudson “ Hudson’s Competency Model,” https://www.hudson.com/aboutus/whyhudson/51- competency-model

Job Junction “The Owl Workshop,” http://www.jobjunction.ca/services/owls/ “OWL Workshop Syllabus,” http://www.jobjunction.ca/services/owls/owltoc/ Manitoba Government Job Opportunities “Information for Job Seekers,“ http://www.manitoba.ca/govjobs/info/programs.html#CGP National Research Council (NRC) “Behavioural Competencies,” https://www.nrc- cnrc.gc.ca/eng/careers/behavioural_competencies/index.html National Child Welfare Workforce Institute “Competency-Based Recruitment, Screening & Selection: Strengthening Workforce Capacity, Retention & Organizational Resiliency,” resource for Webinar, December 2011, http://ncwwi.org/files/Competency-based_recruitment_1-pager.pdf Ontario Human Rights Commission “Policy on Removing the “Canadian experience” barrier, Approved by the OHRC: February 1, 2013,” http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-removing-%E2%80%9Ccanadian- experience%E2%80%9D-barrier Resilient Individuals, Communities and Organisations (RICO) “Competency Based Recruitment and Selection,”http://www.rico.com.au/training/leadership/recruitment.htm Tilburg Competence Card, http://www.competencecard.nl Tilburg University “Involved with Refugees,” https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/profile/regional- strength/refugees-1/ Prince’s Charities Canada “Competency-Based Hiring: Why Credentials Aren’t Always the Best Way to Attract the Best Talent,” March 21, 2016,


http://blog.competencycore.com/2012/11/key-advantages-of-using-competencies.html

http://blog.competencycore.com/2012/11/making-case-competency-based.html

https://www.hudson.com/aboutus/whyhudson/51-competency-model

https://www.hudson.com/aboutus/whyhudson/51-competency-model

http://www.jobjunction.ca/services/owls/

http://www.jobjunction.ca/services/owls/owltoc/

http://www.manitoba.ca/govjobs/info/programs.html#CGP

https://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/careers/behavioural_competencies/index.html

https://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/careers/behavioural_competencies/index.html

http://ncwwi.org/files/Competency-based_recruitment_1-pager.pdf

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-removing-%E2%80%9Ccanadian-experience%E2%80%9D-barrier

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-removing-%E2%80%9Ccanadian-experience%E2%80%9D-barrier

http://www.rico.com.au/training/leadership/recruitment.htm

http://www.competencecard.nl/



http://www.princescharities.ca/news/competency-based-hiring-why-credentials-arent- always-the-best-way-to-attract-the-best-talent/ Talent Guard www.talentguard.com “Taking the Confusion Out of Career-Based Career Pathing,” https://talentguard.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Competency-based-Career- Pathing-Final.pdf

Guides and Tools

CPHRS Workforce Planning Portal, http://www.cpshr.us/workforce_planning.html#step4 Competency Toolkit, www.competencytoolkit.com The Employer’s Roadmap to Hiring and Retaining Internationally Trained Workers, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/employers/roadmap/ Employer’s Tool Kit: Foreign Trained Professionals, Essential guide to employing Highly Skilled Workers in the Greater Quinte Area, http://quintewestchamber.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Tool-Kit-Book.pdf Hiring Assessment Toolkit – Employer Guide for Hiring New Canadians and Immigrants Occupation: Underground Miner, Northern Lights College and Mining Industry Human Resources Council, https://iecbc.ca/files/1%20Toolkit%20-%20Employer%20Guide%20- %20Underground%20Miner%20V5%20FINAL.pdf Immigrant Employment Council of British Columbia Employer Tools and Resources, https://iecbc.ca/employer-tools-and-resources/ IMPACT – Alternative Careers in Technology Sector Guides and Selection Tools for Employers, Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia, http://issbc.org/programs/career-services/alternative-careers-in-technology/




http://www.talentguard.com/

https://talentguard.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Competency-based-Career-Pathing-Final.pdf

https://talentguard.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Competency-based-Career-Pathing-Final.pdf

http://www.cpshr.us/workforce_planning.html#step4

http://www.competencytoolkit.com/

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/employers/roadmap/

http://quintewestchamber.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Tool-Kit-Book.pdf

https://iecbc.ca/files/1%20Toolkit%20-%20Employer%20Guide%20-%20Underground%20Miner%20V5%20FINAL.pdf

https://iecbc.ca/files/1%20Toolkit%20-%20Employer%20Guide%20-%20Underground%20Miner%20V5%20FINAL.pdf

https://iecbc.ca/employer-tools-and-resources/

http://issbc.org/programs/career-services/alternative-careers-in-technology/

Appendix C: Research Summary of Interviews, Surveys, and Focus Groups


SUMMARY OF RESEARCH Interviews, Surveys, Focus Groups

Carrie Wakeford

Abstract The following report summarizes our research and includes comments and recommendations.

Table of Contents GENERAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................................................ 1

QUESTION: Industry Profile ................................................................................................................................ 1

QUESTION: How long has your organization been operating in the City of Kawartha Lakes? ........................... 2

QUESTION: How many employees work at your City of Kawartha Lakes location? ........................................... 3

QUESTION: Which percentage of your current workforce would you estimate to be:...................................... 4

QUESTION: Approximately how many people do you hire each year? .............................................................. 6

QUESTION: Who does the hiring in your organization? ..................................................................................... 7

OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................................. 8

QUESTION: Thinking back on your hiring the past two years, can you tell me about your experiences? ......... 8

QUESTION: How satisfied are you with your current hiring practices? ............................................................. 8

QUESTION: Please rate your overall satisfaction with the following. ................................................................ 9

QUESTION: Based on a typical job ad, do you receive: ...................................................................................... 9

QUESTION: Consider your “best hire”. How did they first connect with you? .................................................. 9

QUESTION: What are some of the key skills, abilities and traits needed for success in your organization? ... 11

QUESTION: Tell me about your “best hire”? .................................................................................................... 11

QUESTION: What are some of the key skills, abilities and/or traits needed for success in your organization?

.......................................................................................................................................................................... 11

QUESTION: Consider your “best hire”. What was it about this person that made them stand out from the

rest? .................................................................................................................................................................. 11

QUESTION: On average how long does the hiring process take from start to finish? ..................................... 13

RECRUITMENT .......................................................................................................................................................... 14

Reviews and Descriptions ............................................................................................................... 14

QUESTION: Does your organization have job reviews? .................................................................................... 14

QUESTION: Does your organization have current job descriptions for each position? ................................... 15

Job Postings .................................................................................................................................... 17

QUESTIONS: What things do you include in your job ads? .............................................................................. 17

QUESTION: Steps taken when it is time to write a job ad. ............................................................................... 17

QUESTION: What do you typically list first in a job ad? ................................................................................... 17

QUESTION: Where do you usually advertise job openings? ............................................................................ 20

QUESTION: Where do you usually advertise job openings? ............................................................................ 20

QUESTION: In the past two years, what has been your best source for résumés? .......................................... 21

QUESTION: Do you use the term “or equivalent” on your job postings?......................................................... 22

QUESTION: Does a typical job posting for your organization include mandatory requirements? ................... 22

SELECTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 24

Résumé ........................................................................................................................................... 24

QUESTION: When you look at a résumé, how do you decide whether to invite the person to an interview?

What things do you consider to be the most important? ................................................................................ 24

QUESTION: If someone doesn’t have formal credentials (diplomas, degrees and certificates), would you still

consider them for an interview? ...................................................................................................................... 24

QUESTION: Rate the importance of the following factors when you are screening a résumé. ....................... 24

QUESTION: If you receive a résumé from someone who you consider to have the “equivalent” education or

experience, would you invite them to an interview? ....................................................................................... 26

QUESTION: Have you ever offered an interview or actually made a job offer to someone whose knowledge,

skills, abilities and attributes were not a strong match with the posting? ...................................................... 26

QUESTION: If someone is not a strong match with the posting, what would you need to see on their résumé

before you would offer them an interview? .................................................................................................... 26

Job Interviews ................................................................................................................................. 28

QUESTION: In a recent survey of employers in the area, most said that they look for people who are

productive, with a good work ethic, good customer service and the right attitude. Can you tell me how you

look for these things in an interview? .............................................................................................................. 28

QUESTION: In a recent survey we learned that employers in the City of Kawartha Lakes look for people who

are productive, with a good work ethic and good customer service. How do you look for these things in an

interview? ......................................................................................................................................................... 28

QUESTIONS: Employers have told us that they look for someone with the right attitude. In an interview,

how do you determine if the applicant has the right attitude? ....................................................................... 29

QUESTION: Do you use testing or assessments as part of the interview process? .......................................... 29

QUESTION: In an interview, what is the best way to tell if a person is qualified to do the job?...................... 29

QUESTION: In an interview what is important to you? .................................................................................... 30

QUESTION: Do you check references? ............................................................................................................. 30

QUESTION: Checking references is: .................................................................................................................. 30

QUESTION: Tell me about the style of interview question you typically use? ................................................. 32

QUESTION: What style of interview question do you use most often? ........................................................... 32

PORTFOLIOS .............................................................................................................................................................. 34

QUESTIONS: During an interview, has a job seeker ever used a career portfolio to show you that they have

the skills and experience necessary for the position? ...................................................................................... 34

QUESTION: During an interview, has a job seeker ever used a career portfolio to show you that they have

the skills and experience necessary for the position? ...................................................................................... 34

QUESTION: If yes, how helpful was it to see the candidate’s career portfolio? .............................................. 35

QUESTION: If no, how helpful would it be to you to see a candidate’s career portfolio? ............................... 35

OLDER WORKERS ...................................................................................................................................................... 36

QUESTION: What percentage of ‘Older Workers’ would you estimate apply to a typical job posting with your

organization? .................................................................................................................................................... 36

QUESTION: In general, how might an organization benefit from increasing the number of older workers? .. 36

QUESTION: In general, what barriers would you say an older worker may face as they look for a job? ......... 36

QUESTION: What percentage of people over the age of 55 do you estimate apply to a typical job posting

with your organization? .................................................................................................................................... 37

QUESTION: What percentage of your current workforce are people over the age of 55? .............................. 37

QUESTION: In general, what barriers might an older worker face when they are looking for work? ............. 37

COMPETENCIES ........................................................................................................................................................ 40

QUESTION: Do you use the term “Competencies” in your organization? ........................................................ 40

QUESTION: Do you use the term “Competencies” in your organization? ........................................................ 40

QUESTION: Do your job descriptions and job postings include competency type statements? ..................... 41

QUESTION: Which of the following two statements is most like the statements found on your job

descriptions and job postings? ......................................................................................................................... 41

QUESTION: Are your interview questions written in a way that you learn about competencies? .................. 41

TRAINING .................................................................................................................................................................. 42

QUESTION: Let me know if you would be interested in any of these options. ................................................ 42

Which of the following training methods would you prefer? .......................................................................... 42

Is there anything else you would like to say about hiring; your needs or recommendations? ....................... 42

QUESTION: Please select any training you would be interested in: ................................................................. 43

QUESTION: Would you be interested in a tool that would assist with your organization’s recruitment and

selection process? ............................................................................................................................................ 43

QUESTION: Which of the following training methods do you prefer? ............................................................. 43

Select all that apply. ......................................................................................................................................... 43

OLDER WORKER FOCUS GROUPS ............................................................................................................................. 45

Employer Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 45

Advantages to Hiring Older Workers ................................................................................................................ 46

Barriers Faced by Older Workers ...................................................................................................................... 46

JOB DEVELOPER FOCUS GROUP ............................................................................................................................... 47

Observations ..................................................................................................................................................... 47

Barriers ............................................................................................................................................................. 47

Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................ 48

OCWI/VCCS Research Summary 1 | P a g e

GENERAL INFORMATION QUESTION: Industry Profile We began by asking people to identify their industry.

Interview Results:

We interviewed 105 businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes. We organized the businesses into 9 industry

categories

1. Accommodation and Food Services (9)

2. Agriculture (9)

3. Construction (6)

4. Insurance and Financial (7)

5. Manufacturing (11)

6. Non-Profit and Government (20)

7. Retail (22)

8. Service/Tourism (21)

Survey Results:

We surveyed 27 businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The respondents were from 13 different

industries:

• Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting – (1)

• Utilities – (2)

• Construction (2)

• Retail Trade (7)

• Transportation and warehousing – (3)

• Information and cultural industries (1)

• Finance and insurance – (1)

• Professional, scientific and technical services – (1)

• Educational services – (1)

• Arts, entertainment and recreation (1)

• Accommodation and food services – (4)

• Other services (except public administration) (1)

• Public Administration – (1)

COMMENTS:

A total of 105 business representatives were interviewed and 27 completed the survey for a total of 132

participants. A wide range of industries were represented. To help us review the results of the interviews

we organized participants into eight categories. In the interviews, Retail, Non-Profit/Government and

Service/Tourism had the largest participation rates. In the survey, Retail and Accommodation/Food Service

had the largest participation rates.


QUESTION: How long has your organization been operating in the City of Kawartha Lakes? Interview Results:

32 years was the average length of time participating organizations have been established in the City of

Kawartha Lakes. Insurance and Financial and Manufacturing both averaged over 50 years in business.

Survey Results:

• Under 5 years – 19.2 %

• 5-25 years – 11.5%

• Over 25 years – 69.2%

COMMENTS:

The number of long-term businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes is significant.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Business and Community Succession Planning Support - Ongoing Research: The number of long-term

businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes speaks to the strength of the business community. However, it

may also point to a need for support regarding succession planning to ensure businesses continue to

remain strong going forward. We recommend further research to learn about the current planning being

done by businesses. We also recommend a review of the community’s approach to regional succession

planning support. Further research would help to identify any need for training and support for individual

businesses around developing a succession plan, as well as research into the need for a community-based

approach to succession planning.


QUESTION: How many employees work at your City of Kawartha Lakes location? Interview Results:

• Under 25 employees - 61%

• 25-50 employees – 20%

• 51-100 employees – 9%

• Over 100 employees – 10%

72% of employees were identified as full-time. Agriculture, Construction, Insurance/Financial had the

largest percentage of full-time staff. Accommodation/Food Service and Retail had the lowest percentage of

full-time staff. 28% of employees were identified as part-time.

Survey Results: Note: the survey did not ask for full and part time numbers.

• Under 25 employees – 74%

• 25-50 employees – 18%

• 51-100 employees - 0


Combined Results: Interviews + Surveys

• Under 25 employees - 64%

• 25 - 50 employees – 19%

• 51 - 100 employees – 7%


COMMENTS:

In the organizations interviewed, we found an average of 60 employees per business. Manufacturing and

Non-Profit/ Government Services had significantly more employees than businesses in the other industries.

When these two categories were removed the average number of employees was reduced to 22. In the

survey 74% of respondents were from businesses with less than 25 employees. Of the businesses

interviewed with under 25 employees: 16 had under 5 employees; 31 had between 6-15 employees and 17

had between 16-25 employees (total 64).

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Human Resource Support: In our experience, businesses with under 25 employees dominate the City of

Kawartha Lakes business community. Most do not have a dedicated Human Resource Department or

access to HR consultants. Ideas generated for support:

• Provide community-based HR support

• E.g. recruitment and selection support

• E.g. expanding the services available through VCCS

• HR workshops and training for small business owners

• Partnership (like a mentorship program) between small and larger businesses who have HR knowledge

• Small organizations partnering to hire an HR consultant and share resources


• Small organizations hiring a Human Resource consultant on a per project bases

QUESTION: Which percentage of your current workforce would you estimate to be: Under 35; Between 35 and 55; Over 55

Interview Results:

• Under age 35 – 39%

• Between ages 35 and 55 – 38%

• Over age 55 – 23%

Survey Results:

• under age 35 – 22.2%

• between ages 36-55 – 48.1%

• over age 55 – 7.5%

• an equal mix of all ages – 22.2%

COMMENTS

Among participating industries, Accommodation/Food Services identified as having the largest percentage

of their workforce under 35 years of age. The Insurance/Financial industry identified as having the largest

percentage of their workforce in the 36-55 demographic. Manufacturing and Non-Profit/ Government

Services had the largest percentage of workers over 55, compared to the other participating industries.

We were surprised to find that the percentage of employees 35-55 was high in both the interview and the

survey. Across Canada, Gen X is a small demographic and they would be included in this 35-55 range.

We were also surprised to find the over 55 age group was the smallest demographic identified as working

in the participating businesses. Statistics Canada points to the City of Kawartha Lakes as having an over 65

demographic higher than the national average. Studies show that people are also working beyond 65,

which means that the City of Kawartha Lakes is well positioned to tap into this available labour pool.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Develop ‘Recruit Older Worker’ Online Training: To be able to address the shrinking labour pool and the

increasing numbers of older workers, it will be important for businesses to explore the large untapped

labour pool of people over 55, including workers over 65. It will be important to promote the value of

hiring older workers; address barriers to older workers entering the labour market and provide support for

employers so they are able to attract, screen/select older workers. We recommend an online training

course that explores the value of hiring older workers.

Develop ‘Retain Older Workers’ Online Training: Retention will be increasingly important. It is predicted

that it will become increasingly difficult to replace workers in the age group 35-55 with people in the same

demographic. Developing retention strategies will be critical for retaining people who are mid-career (age

36 to 55), as well as older workers (age 55+). We recommend online training that explores the value of

retaining older workers. This will also be valuable training for career development practitioners and job

developers.


QUESTION: Approximately how many people do you hire each year? Interview Results:

The average number of people hired each year was identified as 13, however, when we removed the two

large employer groups (Manufacturing and Non-Profit/Government) it is reduced to 7.

Survey Results:

• Less than 5 – 76%

• 5-10 – 12%

• 11-25 – 8%

• More than 25 – 1%

COMMENTS:

Several employers reported hiring summer, part-time and seasonal staff, which affected our results.

Therefore, it is safe to say that most participating businesses hire less than 7 people a year and, in many

cases, less than 5.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Human Resource Support: As mentioned earlier, HR support for employers would be helpful. Employers

who do not hire often, may not have the opportunity to develop systems and techniques, however, hiring is

critical for their success. Therefore, support in this process is important. This may include maintaining

and/or expanding the HR supports available through VCCS.

Existing Online Training: Make available and promote the existing online Human Resource training

developed through the Workforce Development Board/Local Area Planning Council (funded by the Ministry

of Advanced Education and Skills Development). This training provides information that will guide

employers in writing job postings, reaching candidates and screening résumés.

Existing Online Training – Workshops: Develop in-group workshops to complement the three existing

online courses.

Develop New Training and Workshops: Continue to develop and offer online training and workshops to

address Human Resource needs of small employers.


QUESTION: Who does the hiring in your organization? Interview Results:

Owners or managers were identified as responsible for hiring in participating organizations. Other positions

identified were President, Executive Director, Administrator and CEO. Only 15% of employers interviewed

mentioned having Human Resource support.

Survey Results:

• Owner – 70.4%

• Human Resource Manager – 22.2

• Company Manager – 33.3

• Department Manager – 14.8

• Team Lead – 11.1

• Foreman

• Supervisor – 11.1

• Board Members – 7.4

• Associate – 3.1

• General Manager – 3.7

COMMENTS:

In both the interviews and surveys the owners or managers were identified as having the bulk of the

responsibility for hiring. Only 15% of businesses surveyed have Human Resource support. Several

employers mentioned not having money for HR support. This means that many owners and managers are

responsible for recruitment and selection without onsite HR guidance. Manufacturing and Non-

Profit/Government were more likely to have Human Resource Departments.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Human Resource Support: As mentioned earlier, small business owners who don’t have a Human Resource

department or an HR background could benefit from support.


OVERVIEW

QUESTION: Thinking back on your hiring the past two years, can you tell me about your experiences? Interview Results:

It is hard to find people: The most common concern of the employers interviewed centred around the

challenge of finding people to fill positions. This was a common theme across all industries. Employers

stressed that they didn’t have enough people applying with the right qualifications. Many employers also

commented that they were not satisfied with the work ethic of the people they hired.

Lack of In-House Human Resource Support: 19% of employers interviewed had Human Resource support.

8% of employers interviewed had hired an HR consultant/recruiter. A few retail stores had access to

corporate HR support. VCCS was mentioned by 54% of the participants who accessed service for

applicant/résumé screening, job posting, selection, training and for referrals. Those who hired consultants

were seeking support to develop ads, to complete reference checks, collect and short list résumés,

complete phone screening, develop interview questions and checklists, assess soft skills, set up processes,

write employment contracts and job descriptions and mission statements.

Retention: Many employers mentioned that retention has become a challenge. Several commented that

they need to develop alternative retention strategies. 13% of employers talked about ‘promoting from

within’ and spoke passionately about what they called ‘growing our own’ in reference to sending current

employees for training/certifications/apprenticeships. They found value in training existing team members,

rather than looking externally to find someone with the skills. Employers also suggested: “Be a good

employer; pay well or compensate in other ways; be involved in the community; have a good orientation

program; develop a defined career path for employees.”

Current Process Described: The following steps were identified: Post position, screening interview,

interview (including group interview), testing, reference check and training/orientation. In total 23

different methods were identified for advertising a job opening and these were used 408 times (average of

4 methods for posting). Several people mentioned that they hire “anyone” and wait to see how they do on

the job. 20% mentioned giving people a chance. Probation and contracts up to 6 months were mentioned.

24% of employers preferred résumés to be dropped off in person (primarily Retail, Accommodation/Food

Services).

Survey Results: Note there are 4 related questions.

QUESTION: How satisfied are you with your current hiring practices?

• Very satisfied – 33%

• Somewhat satisfied – 51%

• Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied – 7.4

• Somewhat dissatisfied – 3.7

• Very dissatisfied – 3.7%


QUESTION: Please rate your overall satisfaction with the following. (7 being extremely satisfied)

• Your organization’s job descriptions 1….7 - 69% were 5 or higher.

• The results of your job ads 1….7 - 67% were 5 or higher

• The résumés you receive 1….7 - 48% were 5 or higher

• Your interview process 1…7 - 81% were 5 or higher

• Your hiring decisions 1…7 - 93% were above 5

QUESTION: Based on a typical job ad, do you receive:

• The right number of résumés from qualified applicants – 11%

• Too many résumés from qualified applicants – 3.7%

• Too few résumés from qualified applicants – 44.4%

• Too many résumés from unqualified applicants – 48%

• Other (never an issue, always have referrals and select few will apply) 7%

QUESTION: Consider your “best hire”. How did they first connect with you?

• Response to a Job Ad – 26%

• Referral – 41%

• Agency – 7%

• Cold Contact – 7%

• Temporary or Contract Work 4%

• Student Placement – 4%

• Volunteer, Previous Applicant and Social Media not selected

• Other – 3 were previously known, one was off the street

COMMENTS:

The three primary concerns identified in the interviews were the lack of qualified applicants, a lack of

Human Resource support and retention issues. The range of hiring techniques was wide ranging, from hiring

anyone who applies, to a long and complex process. However, employers did not highlight many concerns with

their current system. A few did mention they were not sure where to post. It was also common to hear that

employers didn’t check references because they didn’t see the value.

Managing an age diverse workforce was mentioned as a challenge, with many employers expressing

concern over what they described as a lack of work ethic in the young people they hired. It was mentioned

that the lower wages in the area make it hard to compete or attract people to the area; commuting

resulted in attendance problems; many jobs start part-time or seasonal, so it is hard to attract and keep

people. Other challenges mentioned: people want Monday to Friday 9-5; young people leave for the city;

there is a lack of interest in the trades.

People surveyed indicated that they were fairly satisfied with their hiring practices, processes and

decisions. However, they were not as satisfied with the résumés received with ‘too few résumés from

qualified applicants’ and ‘too many from unqualified applicants’. They were also concerned with retention.


RECOMMENDATIONS:

Existing Online Training e.g. ‘Reaching Potential Candidates’: Direct employers to the existing online

course ‘Reaching Potential Candidates’ to access tips on reaching the right people. For example, employers

found their best candidates through referrals and job ads which highlights the importance of these

techniques. Next Steps: Add Older Worker and Competencies information to this existing course.

Develop ‘Recruit Older Worker’ Online Training/Workshop: Include tips for expanding access to the

existing labour pool in the ‘Recruit Older Worker’ course. The older workers available, specifically in rural

areas, may be part of the solution to addressing the shrinking labour pool.

Develop ‘Retain Older Workers’ Online Training/Workshop: As mentioned, develop training and/or a

workshop that provides information on retention. Retention strategies are not limited to older workers

alone; they will help employers retain their entire team.


QUESTION: What are some of the key skills, abilities and traits needed for success in your organization?

QUESTION: Tell me about your “best hire”? For example, how did you find this person; what did they have that others didn’t; what made them good at their

job?

Interview Results:

40% of employers identified the following as needed for success: Flexible/Able to Work Shifts; Team Work;

Customer Service; Able to Learn Fast/Willing and Open to Learning; Positive Attitude; Strong Work

Ethic/Motivated; People Person/Personable/Outgoing.

20% of employers identified the following as needed for success: Reliable/Dependable; Self-

Starter/Independent; Strong Communicator; Ethical/Trustworthy/Integrity/Morals; Culture Fit; Time

Management/Organized/Detailed; Professional; Confident.

Survey Results: Note there are 2 related questions.

QUESTION: What are some of the key skills, abilities and/or traits needed for success in your organization?

The top skills listed were Communication; Teamwork; Work Ethic; Problem Solving; Leadership; Attitude. Also

mentioned were: job specific or technical skills

QUESTION: Consider your “best hire”. What was it about this person that made them stand out from the rest?

• Education/Credentials (e.g. degree, diploma, certificate) – 15%

• Experience – 44%

• Knowledge (facts, procedures) – 37%

• Skills (task performance) – 11%

• Abilities (general traits, capabilities) – 52%

• Aptitudes (personality traits, characteristics) – 74%

• Recommendation from a trusted source – 26%

• Observation of their work – 26%

• Test results - 0 • Other – A combination of skills, aptitude, and possibly observation/ knowledge of them at work

COMMENTS:

In the interviews and the survey employers highlighted the importance of Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other

Attributes (KSAO) as essential for success in their organizations. Education (high school or post-secondary) and

Essential Skills such as Reading, and Writing were absent.

In the survey the importance of aptitudes and abilities stood out. Knowledge and Skills were lower than

expected. Experience was also identified in the survey as important.


RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Competency/KSAO Based Hiring’ Online Training/Workshop: Employers are aware of the

importance of abilities and attributes in a worker’s success. We recommend formalizing this awareness by

developing online training, supported by a group workshop, that would bring this knowledge into practice.

This includes looking at the value of KSAO in hiring and understanding the value of competencies in

recruitment and selection. Also exploring the things that tend not to be good predictors of success such as

education, past experience and responsibilities.

Develop ‘Competency Based Interviews’ Online Training and Workshop: Develop online training and a

workshop for Behavioural based interviews that would allow employers to draw out competencies/KSAOs

during the interview process.

Existing Online Training: Add competency/KSAO information to the existing courses on job postings,

finding candidates and screening résumés.


QUESTION: On average how long does the hiring process take from start to finish?

Interview Results:

There was a wide range of responses to this question; some employers hire on the spot and two employers

mentioned that it can take up to a year or more. However, most people said between 3-6 weeks.

Several people interviewed mentioned that they hire quick, sometimes on the spot then they test the

person out on the job. Some said it took a month to hire but training and certifications took up to 6

months. Several people mentioned VCCS helped to speed up their hiring process. Several people

mentioned that it was important not to rush hires. Waiting for the right person can save time. Several

people mentioned they were always looking for someone and see it as an ongoing process and they keep

résumés on file. One person hired someone because they were perfect for the organization, even though

they didn’t have an opening.

Survey Results:

From the end of the job posting to the start date of the successful candidate?

• Less than 2 weeks – 26%

• 2-3 weeks – 41%

• 4-5 weeks – 29%

• Over 5 weeks – 3.7%

COMMENTS

The length of the hiring process was wide ranging from on the spot hiring to a 12-month process. Overall 3-

6 weeks seems average. Many employers commented that it was hard to find people. The process can be

long and time consuming and costly, and hard to coordinate. VCCS was highly regarded for the support

offered.

Existing Online Training ‘Screening Résumés’: Make available and promote the existing online training that

provides information for setting up a system for receiving and screening résumés. Tips may help in creating

a system to ensure recruitment and selection is as efficient as possible.


RECRUITMENT

Reviews and Descriptions QUESTION: Does your organization have job reviews? For example, have you looked at each job and listed what work is required and what is needed for success in the

position. If Yes: Tell me about the process and what you look for.

Interview Results

52% said Yes and 48% said No. Note: When we removed the government and non-profit category, the percentage of Yes responses drops to 34%.

Survey Results:

37% said Yes and 63% said No

If yes: Please check all the steps you take to evaluate a job in your organization:

• Interview a person doing the job – 73%

• Review of an employee log – 23%

• Interview with the manager of the position – 82%

• Interview with a subject matter expert – 18%

• Review of an existing job description – 64%

• Research e.g. National Occupational Classification and other online resources – 18%

• Observation

• Other

COMMENTS

50% of participants stated that they don’t have a formalized process for completing job reviews. In the

interviews we learned that when a job review was completed, it was often the manager or owner working

alone on the task. Some organizations had the support of a Human Resource Department, outside HR

consultant or corporate/head office to do reviews. A few people said it doesn’t take priority unless there is

a restructuring, pay grid review or funding changes. In the survey, people indicated that the process

involved more than management.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Job Review’ Training: This is an important step that could be covered as part of a competency

framework, a succession planning or job descriptions course or workshop.


QUESTION: Does your organization have current job descriptions for each position? If Yes: What sections do you include in the job descriptions? (Education, skills, qualifications, roles,

responsibilities, duties requirements.)

Interview Results:

80% of people interviewed said they had job descriptions. Note: 8 employers identified including competencies in their job descriptions. They were called ‘Success

Competencies’; ‘Key Competencies’; ‘Behavioural Competencies’ and ‘Performance Competencies’.

Some of the things mentioned as being included on job descriptions: Company mission, vision and philosophy.

Organizational chart, business plan, standards, policy and procedures, salary grid, evaluation process, rules,

accountabilities, reporting and supervision structure. Incentives, benefits and discounts. Non-compete clause,

age requirement (funding and insurance based), eligibility to work in Canada, accommodations and health and

safety, hazards, environmental and working conditions, dress code, vehicle and licence requirements, criminal

record check. Job title, purpose, accountability, evaluation, performance standards, summary of duties,

responsibilities, tasks, processes, methods and commitment. Experience, abilities, skills, skill level, soft

/transferable/technical skills, attitude, communication skills, educational requirements and equivalencies.

Hours, shifts, work schedule, routine and physical demands.

Survey Results:

65% of employers surveyed said they have job descriptions.

If yes: Please check all the steps taken to write a job description.

• Refer to the most recent job review – 44%


• Interview with the manager of the position 44%




• Observation - 44%

• Other (possible changes in job tasks; create it based on what needs to be done; do the job ourselves first)

COMMENTS

77% of participants said they had job descriptions. While some job descriptions seemed to be very

detailed, many employers commented that the job descriptions were outdated, or very general.

Anecdotally, our experience is that many employers don’t always have access to detailed job descriptions.

We heard from a few people that job descriptions didn’t have a lot of value because they became dated

quickly and because workers in small organizations needed to be able to do everything. It was mentioned

that job descriptions were used for annual reviews or to deal with performance issues. Some employers

included educational requirements, although some said that it was not needed. It was suggested that

employers should ask “is it needed” before adding anything to a job description.


RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Job Description’ Training: This step could be covered as part of a competency framework, a

succession planning or job review course or workshop. Adding competencies/KSAOs to job descriptions

would also be included. In online research, you can find a range of ‘views’ on the value of job descriptions.

Some say they are no longer valuable, others say that an accurate job description is critical for retention.

This is worth exploring further to gauge the value employers see in job descriptions before training is

developed.


Job Postings

QUESTIONS: What things do you include in your job ads? Interview Results:

Job ads ranged from non-existent (15% of employers), to short and sometimes purposefully vague, to very

long and detailed. It was noted that competencies were not detailed in job ads. 12% of participants said

they call VCCS for help putting together a job posting.

Employers identified the following content in job ads: An introduction (branding); hours and working conditions

(so time isn’t wasted interviewing); details (roles, responsibilities, skills and tasks); KSAOs (identified often).

Wages screen people out which some found helpful and other saw as a problem. Many employers commented

that they didn’t include education; however, when it was included it was mandatory. Very few mentioned

high school.

Employer identified process: Job postings were developed using current job descriptions as a guide and in

some cases a link to the job description was included. Templates were mentioned. Developing the ad with

the ‘ideal candidate’ in mind was only mentioned once. Some mentioned that they hired an HR firm or

received job descriptions from their head office.

Survey Results: Note there are 2 related questions

QUESTION: Steps taken when it is time to write a job ad.

• Refer to the most recent job review - 24%


• Interview with the manager of the position – 32%




• Review of past job ads – 36%

• N/A – 16%

• Other (design a new ad)

QUESTION: What do you typically list first in a job ad?


• Skills (task, performance) – 26%

• Abilities (general trait, capabilities) – 7%

• Qualifications – 22%

• Duties – 26%

• Other (I don’t post ads and experience)

COMMENTS

There is a wide range of job posting structures and content. Reviewing existing job descriptions as a guide

seems to be a common step which may point to the value of having a job description. Education did not

seem to dominate the job postings. In the interviews, competencies were not mentioned in terms of job

postings, however, employers did describe including KSAOs.


RECOMMENDATIONS

Existing Online Training, ‘Effective Job Postings’: Make available and promote this existing online training

program. Direct people to the existing online course for tips in developing job ads. For example, employers

identified Abilities and Attributes as being good predictors of success – however the focus of ads may not

always include these predictors. Next Steps: Add competency-based information to the existing course.


QUESTION: Where do you usually advertise job openings? Note: This was not an official question in the interview, but it was included in the survey. The following

information was gathered from the interview question “Thinking back on your hiring the past two years, can you

tell me about your experiences?”

Interview Results:

54% of participants mentioned accessing the job posting services of VCCS and 10% mentioned VCCS job fairs.

The second most common source for job postings were job sites (Indeed was #1), with most people saying they

were happy with the results. Networking and referrals ranked high in terms of being a good source for leads.

Social Media, specifically Facebook, was identified as a good place to post job openings. 21% of people

mentioned posting jobs on their website. 23% of employers used the newspaper. Employers also mentioned

posting a sign at their location, hiring a recruiter, hiring co-op or placement students, posting through their head

office, reaching out to post-secondary institutions, industry publications or associations. People mentioned

keeping a file of résumés and hiring people who had worked for them before.


QUESTION: Where do you usually advertise job openings? Select all you typically use.

• Company website – 37%

• VCCS – 48%

• Job Bank (Government) – 19%

• Job Site (e.g. Indeed) – 30% + 15% = 45%

• Social Media (Twitter/Facebook) – 26%

• LinkedIn 11%

• Newspaper – 26%

• Professional Associations – 15%

• Trade Journals - 0

• Schools – 19%

• Job fairs - 4%

• Business Network – 11%

• Posted Internally – 15%

• Other – (Indeed and Kijijji added to job site. 15; through referrals and at business location)


QUESTION: In the past two years, what has been your best source for résumés?

• Company website – 15%

• VCCS – 19%

• Job Bank (Government) 4%

• Job Site (e.g. Indeed) 19% + 15% = 34%

• Social Media (Twitter/Facebook) – 7%

• LinkedIn – 4%

• Newspaper – 7%

• Professional Associations – 15%

• Trade Journals

• Schools – 7%

• Job fairs – 4%

• Business Networks – 7%

• Placement Students

• Internal Referrals – 22%

• External Referrals – 11%

• Walk ins – 15%

• Temp agencies

• Other (referrals, 15% indeed and Kijijji, walk in - however most don’t have all the qualifications for the job)

COMMENTS

Employers are pleased with the service and support they have received from VCCS. Job sites were

mentioned, however, only one person talked about using job sites proactively. Referrals from staff,

community partners and volunteers were mentioned. Recruitment methods varied significantly. Several

employers mentioned waiting for people to apply so they didn’t actually use job postings. Networking was

mentioned as the best option for finding potential candidates.

RECOMMENDATIONS

VCCS: Throughout the research people mentioned the value they received from the services offered

through VCCS. Continuing to offer existing services and expand support provided to employers. Perhaps

using testimonials from current employers or video profiles. Drawing on strengths of employers.

Existing Online Training: Make available and promote the existing online training course called ‘Reaching

Potential Candidates’. Direct people to the existing online course for tips in recruiting.


QUESTION: Do you use the term “or equivalent” on your job postings? Interview Results

Yes – 46% and No – 54%

If Yes: What are you open to considering; for example, equivalent education or experience?

Equivalencies identified by employers interviewed: Experience; diploma in another field or country; specialized training; willingness to get a credential; fit with the job; bilingual; transferable skills; ability to learn. Education: Employers talked about the challenge of mandatory degrees and diplomas especially in small rural communities. High school was only identified by a few employers as being mandatory. In discussions, employers often stated that even if they have high school on the posting, they are open to considering work experience. However, in a few cases they didn’t ask for high school, but it was a criterion. Education but no experience and experience but no education were both a consideration for employers. Experience was often mentioned as an equivalency to education. Equivalent experience was usually 2-5 years. Also mentioned was the person’s fit with the values of the organization. This was often mentioned as being as important as education. One person stated they would hire someone without credentials if they had the right attitude or personal experience. In some cases, employers identified experience as mandatory. One person found that with technology, a candidate can have too much education; by the time the person graduates their knowledge is dated so this employer preferred current experience. People seem to be more flexible around what they would consider in terms of experience. Life skills was also mentioned as valuable.

Survey Results: Note there are a few related questions

Do you use the term “or equivalent” on your job postings? Yes – 26% and No – 74%

If yes, what would you consider to be ‘equivalent’:

Knowledge under same umbrella; education equivalent to experience; experience as opposed to education;

flexible hours; similar designation, different college

QUESTION: Does a typical job posting for your organization include mandatory requirements? (E.g. requirements that are non-negotiable – if a candidate does not meet these requirements they are not

invited to an interview).

Yes - 70% and No – 30%

If yes: What requirements are usually considered mandatory?

Education (high school); specific license or experience; smart serve, food handling; valid driver’s licence; required

technical licenses; technical standards and safety authority certification; qualifications; designation; honesty and

reliability; positive attitude; experience; skills; ability; ability to get a passport; police check; flexible schedule


COMMENTS:

42% of employers included the word equivalent in their job postings. Some employers may include

“equivalent” or be open to equivalencies however, the equivalency may not always be defined or

identified.

There was a lot of diversity around educational requirements, however, overall, the requirement was lower

than anticipated. Most employers discussed having some flexibility in their requirements unless the

credential was legislated. Employers seem to be increasingly open to considering people who don’t have

Grade 12 or a specific post-secondary education. During the interviews, some employers recognized that

there were things in their ads that may not actually be mandatory. E.g. ads requesting a specific diploma,

that, upon reflection, was identified as not being needed for the job.

A few comments: “The pay does not reflect the credential we are requiring.” Mandatory educational

requirements make it hard to attract people to the area (rural living and rural wages). And “Always ask – ‘is

it needed’ before making it a requirement.” The need to reduce barriers (without compromising standards)

to address the shrinking labour pool. One organization talked about removing education as a requirement

because some people can do the job without the credential. Several employers talked about the

importance of giving people a chance. “Our education requirements are based on the assumptions that the

person has a specific level of skills e.g. writing and critical thinking”, however, that can be gained through

experience.

During the discussions with employers several commented that they realize they need to explore the

difference between 2- and 5-years experience. If they are asking for 5-years’ experience, what are they

expecting the candidate will gain after year 2?

There were some differences between the interview and the survey. Perhaps during discussions, as

employers talked, they started to challenge their view of equivalencies.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Competency/KSAO Based Hiring’ Online Training/Workshop: Training that will help employers

explore competencies/KSAOs in terms of how they can be good predictors of success. Explore why

education and experience are weaker predictors of success. This information will help prepare employers

to identify equivalencies. For example, experience was mentioned as important, however, past experience

tends not to be a good predictor of success. It is important to know what is essential to the role before

equivalencies can be identified.

Develop ‘Recruit Older Worker’ Workshop/Training: Training that will explore equivalencies in terms of

recruiting older workers. Older workers have more education than the older workers of 10 years ago,

however, in rural areas this is reported as not the case. The transition to considering equivalencies will be

helpful to older workers. Some older workers have ‘dated’ credentials or no credentials, but they can do

the job. It will be important to explore how education may be a barrier.

Business and Community Promotion - Ongoing Research: Several employers mentioned that it was a

challenge to find people with the ‘mandatory credentials’ they need. Attracting people to the community

with these credentials and keeping them here after they gain experience is a challenge because wages are

lower. Additionally, many jobs start as part-time and younger people don’t seem as interested in the rural

lifestyle. Perhaps exploring a community approach to attracting people to the community. Selling the


lifestyle. Partnering with other organizations to combine two part-time positions to provide employment

for someone moving to the area. Creative approaches.

SELECTION

Résumé

QUESTION: When you look at a résumé, how do you decide whether to invite the person to an interview? What things do you consider to be the most important? Interview Results

There was a range of comments about education on a résumé - from being very important, to not being

important at all. High school was mentioned, but it did not dominate. Employers were interested in past work

experience, including experience in the field, transferable skills and employment history (dates). The

presentation of a résumé was important with employers preferring short, targeted, well written, error free

résumés, going back 10-15 years. There was a range of opinions about cover letters, from important, to not

needed at all. One employer said only 10% of applicants include letters. One person mentioned they have

become lenient over the years.

32% of employers interviewed stated that several short-term positions on a résumé was a red flag. Many

employers wanted a way to see availability e.g. ability to fill specific shifts. 11% of employers mentioned that

they valued volunteer work. Hometown was important because of networking and availability and no

commuting issues. Several people talked about having a process for reviewing résumés. No one mentioned

using an ATS.

Survey Results

2 questions: Note there are 2 related questions

QUESTION: If someone doesn’t have formal credentials (diplomas, degrees and certificates), would you still consider them for an interview?

Yes – 78% and No – 22%

QUESTION: Rate the importance of the following factors when you are screening a résumé. 7 being very important.

• Education/Credentials (e.g. degree, diploma, certificate) 1…7 - (56% under 4 and 44% 5 to 7 with the highest 22% at 1

• Experience 1…7 - (30% under 4 and 70% 5 to 7 with the highest at 30% at 5)

• Knowledge (facts, procedures) 1…7 – (19% under 4 and 81% 5 to 7 with the highest 37% at 6)

• Skills (task performance) 1…7 (15% under 4 and 85% 5-7 with the highest 44% a6 t 6)

• Abilities (general traits, capabilities) 1…7 - (11% under 4 and 89% 5-7 with the highest 52% at 6)

• Aptitude (personality traits, characteristics) 1…7 - (11% under 4 and 89% 5-7 with the highest 48% at 7)

• Résumé style and quality of writing 1…7 – (52% under 4 and 48% 5-7 the highest 22% tied at 4 and 5)

• Cover letter 1…7 – (70% under 4 and 30% 5-7 with the highest at 30% at 4)

• References 1…7 – (37% under 4 and 63% 5-7 with the highest at 30% at 6)

• Your past knowledge of the person 1…7 – (44% under 4 and 56% 5-7 with the highest at 4)


Summary - % with ratings between 5-7

Abilities – 89% Experience 70% Résumé Style and Writing – 48%

Aptitude – 89% References 63% Education/Credentials 44%

Skills 85% Knowledge of the Person – 56% Cover Letter 30%

Knowledge 81%

COMMENTS

Many employers expressed concerns about résumés because they have not found them to be good

predictors of a candidate’s ability to do the job. As mentioned, many employers are not happy with the

résumés they receive.

Education was a lower priority than expected. In the survey 22% rated education as 1 (low importance). In

the survey, 78% of employers would consider offering an interview to someone without formal credentials.

In the interviews, work history (no gaps) was important as well as the presentation. In the interview, only

one person mentioned looking for competencies that match the position. The things identified earlier as

important KSAOs did not dominate. However, in the survey, aptitudes, abilities, skills and knowledge were

identified as important.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Competency/KSAO Based Hiring’ Online Training/ Workshops: Assisting employers in identifying

KSAOs/Competencies that are critical to success in the position they are trying to fill will make it easier for them

to search for and identify competencies on a résumé. Focusing on KSAOs in résumé screening will help

employers to see the value of résumés and find these success predictors.

Existing Online Course ‘Résumé Screening’: Make available and promote the existing online training

‘Résumé Screening’ that includes tips and human rights guidelines. Add Competency/KSAO based

information to the existing ‘Résumé Screening’ course.


QUESTION: If you receive a résumé from someone who you consider to have the “equivalent” education or experience, would you invite them to an interview? If yes: What would you need to see? Interview Results

Yes - 86% and No - 14% Employers seemed very open to looking for equivalencies on résumés. The lack of applicants seems to be driving this openness to equivalencies. This will be beneficial to older workers with less education and younger workers with less experience. The following responses are based on the approximate number of times these equivalencies were mentioned in conversation: experience in lieu of education (17 mentions); education and no work experience (7 mentions); referrals (4 mentions); attitude, availability and life experience were also mentioned, although these may be hard to identify on a résumé.

QUESTION: Have you ever offered an interview or actually made a job offer to someone whose knowledge, skills, abilities and attributes were not a strong match with the posting?

If yes: What led you to offer them the interview or the job? If no: What would you need to see before you would

consider interviewing or hiring someone who wasn’t a strong match with what you had listed in the job

posting?

Interview Results

Yes- 86% and No - 14%

Employers listed a number of factors that influence their hiring decisions, including: ability and willingness to

learn; potential; range of skills, unique and transferable skills; writing skills; experience outside the industry;

availability; personality for the job; interest; values; physical ability; life experience; attitude; motivation/drive to

succeed; dedication; self-starter; goal setter; keen; reliable; enthusiastic; clear; confident; volunteer work;

understanding of business; education but no experience and unique combination of education and experience.

Several people said they would hire someone if they are referred by someone they know or VCCS.

When it didn’t work out, the issues identified included: literacy issues, mental health or family life issues, unable

to learn, bad habits, didn’t fit with the culture and technology.

Survey Results:

QUESTION: If someone is not a strong match with the posting, what would you need to see on their résumé before you would offer them an interview?

• Transferability of skills – 52%

• Years’ of work experience – 44%

• Referral from co-worker/supervisor – 41%

• Range of skills - 37%

• General knowledge – 37%

• Experience in the field – 33%


• Demonstrated abilities – 26%

• Attributes – 26%

COMMENTS:

Employers seemed open to equivalencies on a résumé, but as mentioned, they are not always asked for in a

job posting. Education and experience are concrete, so they are easier to identify on a résumé than

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Attributes. In the survey, transferable skills and work experience

were identified as important.

86% of employers interviewed were willing to consider something other than KSAOs in the recruitment and

selection process. However, in most cases, what was actually described would be considered knowledge,

skills, abilities or other attributes. Many employers talked about success hiring based on equivalencies. It

was pointed out that this is different than hiring anyone because you are desperate to fill a position.

Many employers talked about hiring based on ‘a good feeling/ intuition/ gut instinct’. This is also different

than hiring based on equivalencies. Some employers talked about having to make a commitment to

training if they hire based on equivalencies.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Competency/KSAO Based Hiring’ Online Training/Workshops: Developing an understanding of KSAOs

will make it easier for employers to request and look for equivalencies on résumés and in interviews.

Existing Online Course ‘Job Posting’ and ‘Résumé Screening’: Make available and promote existing online

courses called ‘Job Posting’ and ‘Résumé Screening’. These courses will provide a base where employers

can begin to explore what is needed in a position.

Existing Online Training: Add Competency / KSAO based information to the existing ‘Job Posting’ and ‘Résumé

Screening’ courses. Expand on ways this information can assist in recruitment and selection.


Job Interviews

QUESTION: In a recent survey of employers in the area, most said that they look for people who are productive, with a good work ethic, good customer service and the right attitude. Can you tell me how you look for these things in an interview? Specifically, how do you determine that someone has the right attitude in the interview?

Interview Results

The number one method for finding the right person was going by ‘gut reaction’. Employers relied on their intuition significantly. First impressions were important. Many participants commented that they use an informal chat method and assess presentation, body language, as well as attitude; skills and experience. Employers value oral communication; team work; problem solving; willingness to learn; confidence and professionalism. Most employers talked about putting someone at ease, so they see the real “them”, however, a few employers talked about putting pressure on people to see how they respond. Several employers mentioned that they didn’t have any formal questions prepared. This was used as a technique to avoid rehearsed answers. Attributes came up often because employers were confident in their ability to teach skills but not values, ethics and confidence. Employers were also interested in volunteer work and community involvement as a demonstration of attitude. 12 employers talked about the need to “dig deeper” past the initial answers. Testing: Several employers felt that interviews don’t provide enough information. Some did testing, such as asking the candidate to actually serve a customer. Written tests and oral presentations were also mentioned. Several employers considered the interview to be 2-6 months long - through the probationary period. One employer didn’t do interviews at all, people were just asked to start working. Process: One employer held group interviews with several job seekers in the room at once. 4 mentioned panel

interviews. 6 talked about “scoring or rating” systems because attitude is subjective, and “scoring takes

subjectivity and emotion out of hiring”. One person mentioned competencies – they ask 5 questions – one for

each competency they have identified, and the answer is then rated based on the identified value of that

question.


QUESTION: In a recent survey we learned that employers in the City of Kawartha Lakes look for people who are productive, with a good work ethic and good customer service. How do you look for these things in an interview?

• Ask for examples (e.g. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an upset customer.) – 70%

• Ask them directly (e.g. Tell me about your customer service skills.) – 56%

• Look for clues in their answers – 70%

• Ask for references – 44%

• Generally, when speaking with a candidate – 4%

• Other – some of all these above – 4%


QUESTIONS: Employers have told us that they look for someone with the right attitude. In an interview, how do you determine if the applicant has the right attitude?

• Ask for specific examples – 37%

• Look for clues in their answers – 34%

• Observe the candidate’s behaviour – 93%

• Observe the candidates body language – 78%

• Observe their interactions with others – 67%

• Check their references – 48%

• Use your intuition – 63%

• Other (same as above)

QUESTION: Do you use testing or assessments as part of the interview process? Yes – 22% and No – 78%

If yes: Which of the following do you use?

• Personality Inventories – 33%

• Honesty/Integrity Inventories – 17%

• Emotional Intelligence – 33%

• Vocational Interest Inventories – 33%

• Cognitive Ability Tests – 17%

• Aptitude Tests – 50%

• Psychomotor Tests – 17%

• Physical Ability Tests – 17%

• Other (simple math, design)

QUESTION: In an interview, what is the best way to tell if a person is qualified to do the job? • Education/Credentials (diploma, degree, certificate) – 0%





• Other – 4% (combination and verbal discussion)


QUESTION: In an interview what is important to you?

Rate the importance of the following.

• Content of the answers 1…7- (4% under 4 and 96% 5-7 with the highest at 50% at 6)

• Examples of past experiences – stories 1…7 – (15% under 4 and 85% 5-7 with the highest at 41% at 6)

• Communication skills 1…7 – (7% under 4 and 93% 5-7 with the highest at 52% at 7)

• Soft Skills 1…7 – (27% under 4 and 73% 5-7 with the highest at 46% at 6

• Technical Skills 1…7 – (30% under 4 and 70% 5-7 with the highest at 41% at 5)

• Personality 1…7 – (0% under 4 and 100% 5-7 with the highest at 52% at 7

• Confidence 1…7 – (19% under 4 and 81% 5-7 with the highest at 48% at 6)

• Presentation – appearance 1…7 – (8% under 4 and 92% 5-7 with the highest tied at 6 and 7 at 42%)

• Perceived fit with the team 1…7 – (0% under 4 and 100% 5-7 with the highest at 58% at 7)

• Your intuition/feel 1…7 (0% under 4 and 100% 5-7 with the highest at 50% at 6) Summary 5-7

Intuition – 100% Communication – 93% Soft Skills – 73%

Personality – 100% Presentation/Appearance – 92% Technical Skills – 70%

Perceived Fit with team – 100% Examples of past experience – 85%

Content of answers– 96% Confidence – 81%

QUESTION: Do you check references? Yes – 59% and No – 0% and Sometimes – 41%

If yes: Do you ask questions about:

o Knowledge (facts, procedures) – 52% o Skills (task performance) – 78% o Abilities (general traits, capabilities) – 65% o Aptitudes (personality traits, characteristics) – 83% o Technical skills – 26% o Soft skills – 30% o Education – 9% o Other (time, dedication, personality, would you hire them again, ask for an example if they are a

team player, what in the references mind is a team player; punctuality and dependability; what ended their employment; any or all the above

QUESTION: Checking references is:

• Extremely helpful – 22%

• Very helpful – 19%

• Somewhat helpful – 41%

• Not so helpful – 19%

• Not at all helpful


COMMENTS

Many employers rely on observation and instincts to look for skills, abilities and attributes. Although not

everyone is happy with the outcome, employers didn’t identify interview methods as an issue. Employers stated

that they were confident in their gut reactions. Many felt that a chat was the best way to see the real person.

However, employers also talked about hiring as being stressful (time, money and pressure) and there is concern

that it isn’t easy to tell if the person will fit the job based on the interview. Several people talked about making

mistakes with hiring because some people are good at interviews, conversely, some great workers don’t

interview well. It was noted that it is easier to see a candidate’s lack of skills than it is to see a candidate’s lack of

fit. Earlier in the interviews, employers stated that they were not happy with the people hired.

Employers are searching for a way to see the real person, to get past rehearsed answers and people who are

‘good talkers’.

There were several survey questions related to interviews. In the survey, employers stated they ask for

examples - evidence. Employers also looked for clues in answers. When looking for the right attitude they

observe behaviour, body language, interactions. Testing was used by 22% of survey respondents.

Employers found that the best way to tell if a person is qualified is to look at knowledge, abilities and aptitudes.

When asked what is important in an interview, the answers selected most often were intuition, personality and

fit with the team, followed by content, communication, presentation/appearance and confidence.

We didn’t ask about reference checks directly in the interviews, however, many people said they didn’t see any

value in checking references. In the survey 59% of respondents said they checked references and 41% said they

sometimes checked. They ask references about aptitudes, skills as well as abilities and knowledge.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Competency/KSAO Based Hiring’ Online Training Workshops: Providing support for employers in

developing an understanding of competencies/KSAOs and knowing how to use them as predictors of success.

Develop ‘Competency/KSAO Based Interviews’ Online Training/Workshops: Using competencies/KSAOs to

develop interview questions will help improve interview outcomes for employers. Intuition is important but

having a system will ensure the ‘right things’ are being assessed. Behavioural questions will help employers

discover when the KSAOs were demonstrated. This system will also allow for ‘digging deeper’. This formalized

process will provide a structure that will support intuition, so hiring is not based only on instinct. It is also

important to note that a structure will help employers comply with the Ontario Human Rights guidelines.


QUESTION: Tell me about the style of interview question you typically use?

Interview Results

Traditional: E.g. Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses: Yes 77% and No 23%

Situational/Scenario: E.g. What would you do if … happened: Yes 56% and No 44%

Behavioural: E.g. Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer. Yes 51% and No 49%

Traditional Questions: (77%) While many employers stated that they didn’t find traditional questions effective, they were still used often. When employers provided examples of behavioural questions, many seemed to be more traditional in nature. There were questions about team work, challenges/problems, conflict and communication. There were questions asked about skills, experiences at work, school and as a volunteer or community member. Examples provided: “What do you know about our organization?” “Why do you want to work here?” “Do you have questions for us?” “How do you fit here?” “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” “Tell me about yourself.” “Why should we offer you this job?” “What is your availability?” Scenario Questions: (56%) Employers stated that they do ask scenario questions, but only a few examples were provided. One example: “A long term customer returns something past the return date, what do you do?” One person explained that “we don't need to have the right answer, but the candidate needs to show critical thinking skills.” Someone said they were looking for the “steps” to be outlined. A few employers commented that they do role plays. Behavioural Questions: (51%) Employers ask behavioural questions, but few examples were provided and as mentioned, some examples were more traditional than behavioural. Behavioural questions centred around customers, planning, attitude, problem solving, conflict resolution, critical thinking, confidence, personality and fit with the culture of the workplace.

Survey Results

QUESTION: What style of interview question do you use most often?

• Traditional: E.g. Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses. 78%

• Situational/Scenario: E.g. What would you do if … happened? 56%

• Behavioural: E.g. Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer. 63%

• All of the above – 4% • Other 7% (conversation to ensure compatibility – we can teach the rest; Conversational interview

see how they generate a conversation and not one sided. Personality shows through as you begin to speak with the individual and determine their drive and passion for the position.)


COMMENTS

Employers often talked about using a mix of all three interview styles, however, most examples were traditional

style questions. Some employers may be unclear about behavioural style interviews, or perhaps they had

trouble providing examples in the moment. The belief that a conversation or chat was better than asking

interview questions was also mentioned.

We noted that there were very few questions about education; it seemed more like a ‘check list item’ - they

have it or they don’t.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Competency Based Interviews’ Online Training/Workshop: Develop online training and a

workshop for Behavioural Based Interviews that will allow employers to draw out competencies/KSAOs

during the interview process. It would be beneficial to provide employers with examples of behavioural style

questions, so they have a resource to draw from.


PORTFOLIOS

QUESTIONS: During an interview, has a job seeker ever used a career portfolio to show you that they have the skills and experience necessary for the position? If yes: Tell me about the experience. If no: How do you think you would respond if someone used a portfolio in

an interview?

Interview Results

44% of employers had experience with portfolios and 54% stated that they hadn’t been presented with a

portfolio.

47 participants said they like the idea of portfolios or might find them helpful; 30 employers were not sure or

didn’t think they would be helpful.

Portfolios seem more common in Nonprofit/Government and Service industries. Employers saw portfolios as

being valuable for professionals (e.g. managers) and students and for positions that were visual (e.g. chef,

architects, painter) or creative. Also mentioned were positions where things are designed and built

(programmers, engineering, trades).

When employers talked about the value of portfolios, they mentioned the following: portfolios show initiative,

pride and preparation; shows the candidate is organized, and they planned ahead; shows they are willing to

work, commitment, attitude, effort and confidence. Only a few talked about the value of the content in terms of

how the material supports the candidate’s application. Content employers look for included references, letters

of recommendations, past work examples (presentations, projects, pictures, emails, social media, ads, displays,

equipment used), performance evaluations, training documents, certificates and awards; thank you notes.

Employers also want portfolios that are professional, well presented, targeted, relevant, concise and current.

They look for examples related to the position, a link between past jobs and the current position.

It was highlighted that there isn’t time in an interview to look at everything. They want people to know how to

use it in an interview to support their answers by quickly pulling out specific examples. Online

portfolios/website, video demonstrations and Instagram were also mentioned.


QUESTION: During an interview, has a job seeker ever used a career portfolio to show you that they have the skills and experience necessary for the position?

Yes – 52% and No – 48%


QUESTION: If yes, how helpful was it to see the candidate’s career portfolio?





• Not at all helpful – 18%

QUESTION: If no, how helpful would it be to you to see a candidate’s career portfolio?





• Not at all helpful – 6%

COMMENTS

45% of participants have been presented with portfolios.

Overall, employers surveyed did see at least some value in portfolios. In interviews, the value of portfolios

was determined by experience; in some cases, employers had a negative experience. However, it is

important to note that in the interviews, as employers talked about portfolios, they became increasingly

positive about the value.

Note: the drawbacks to portfolios mentioned by employers demonstrates that either they were unfamiliar

with how to use a portfolio or the candidates were not confident or aware of how to use their portfolios.

E.g. employers commented that portfolios took too much time, they were distracting, candidates were

flipping through portfolios. A few employers felt that candidates needed to leave a copy of the portfolio for

it to be of any value.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Competency Based Interviews’ and ‘Portfolio Use’ Online Training/Workshop: Develop online

training and a workshop for Behavioural Based Interviews that includes information about the value of

portfolios. Explore the use of portfolios for seeing examples of when a candidate demonstrated the KSAOs

being sought. Provide tips for accessing portfolios in an interview and how to assess the information being

provided.


OLDER WORKERS Interview Results

QUESTION: What percentage of ‘Older Workers’ would you estimate apply to a typical job posting with your organization? People Over 55

Note: Every employer estimated that less than 50% of applicants would be older workers. Therefore, we recorded the responses as ‘Many’, ‘Occasionally’ and ‘Rarely’. Many: 24% Occasionally: 33% Rarely: 43%

QUESTION: In general, how might an organization benefit from increasing the number of older workers? Employers consistently identified 5 key benefits to hiring older workers: Work Ethic; Experience; Attitude; Leadership and Flexibility. Examples provided: older workers show up on time, work hard and value the job. They are productive, reliable, efficient and work safely. They are loyal, dedicated, and willing to stay (low turnover). They have less sick time. They have experience and a mix of skills, so they need less training. They have strong interpersonal skills, life experience, maturity, common sense and can deal with conflict and are good with customers. They are respectful, trustworthy, realistic, supportive, patient and push through challenges and manage stress. They also have a strong network of contacts. They have a positive attitude; they are adaptable, settled, stable, calm professional, confident, respectful, non-judgmental, happy, empathetic and team oriented and have strong values and ethics. Older workers were described as role models and mentors and teachers; they can communicate, demonstrate, take charge. Employers saw older workers as more flexible in terms of their schedule and willingness to work part-time. Some employers considered older workers to be financially secure and working for reasons other than money, therefore willing to work for a lower wage.

QUESTION: In general, what barriers would you say an older worker may face as they look for a job?

The 7 primary barriers employers identified to hiring older workers: Physical Demands, Flexibility, Attitude, Technology, Learning and Education, Wages, Intergenerational Issues (trouble working with young people) and poor Interview Skills (more non KSAOs). It is important to note that many employers didn’t think there were any barriers to hiring older workers and many were ‘stretching’ to identify any barriers at all. Examples: Physical demands, health issues, mental and emotional challenges of a fast-paced job - which included WSIB and health insurance concerns (premiums). Older workers may only want part time (no nights and weekends) and they may want time off. If they don’t “need to work” they may not take it as seriously; they have the power to quit at any time. May have trouble adapting to new ways or a new organization. They may lack confidence and drive and may be less tolerant. They may not be current e.g. popular culture. Technology, speed of change, social media, software, email, cell phones were mentioned specifically. May be a bit slower to learn new things, however, once they got it, it was fine. May not be open to learning or new approaches. Formal education may be dated, or they may lack the diploma or certificates needed for the position. May want higher wages and benefits and be surprised at lower wages in rural areas e.g. may not work for minimum wage. May have a hard time working with a younger team or a younger manager or have trouble with the different work ethic of younger workers. Older workers are not good at the new style of interviews.



QUESTION: What percentage of people over the age of 55 do you estimate apply to a typical job posting with your organization?

• Under 25% - 52%

• 26-50% - 19%

• 51% - 75% - 11%

• Over 75% - 4%

• Unknown – 15%

QUESTION: What percentage of your current workforce are people over the age of 55?

• Under 25% - 66%

• 26-50% - 19%

• 51% - 75% - 4%

• Over 75% - 11%

QUESTION: In general, what barriers might an older worker face when they are looking for work?






• Ability to learn on the job – 35%

• Technology – 62%

• Starting Wage – 50%

• Position level - 0

• Other (physical abilities; ability to complete heavy lifting; physical and mental stamina; flexibility to

learn new styles/methods of approaching tasks; we only hire summer students)


COMMENTS

Employers do not seem to be receiving a lot of résumés from older workers. (Note, this is speculation since

there is no way of knowing for sure the age from a résumé alone.) The older worker demographic is large

in the City of Kawartha Lakes, which means there may be a large untapped labour pool available to

employers.

Employers were extremely positive when talking about the advantages of hiring older workers. The more

people talked about the advantages the more positive/enthusiastic they became. The top five advantages

included Work Ethic; Experience; Attitude; Leadership and Flexibility.

The primary barrier employers identified was the physical ability to do the job. While some employers even

felt they could address that with ergonomic accommodation, many felt strongly that older workers could

not do some of the jobs in their organization. Others pointed out that many people over 55 are fit, active

and healthy. Technology was also identified as a common barrier, however many employers commented

that it is not the problem it was 10 years ago. Some found older workers slower to learn and less open to

learning. ‘Dated’ education was mentioned but it was not a common barrier.

Some things were included on both the strengths and the barriers list. For example, flexibility of schedule

for some older workers was identified as an advantage (willing to work shifts) and for some employers it

was a disadvantage (asking for specific hours and time off). Wages were an advantage if an older worker

was willing to work for a lower wage and a barrier if they expected a higher wage. Attitude was a strength

(positive attitude), however, some saw attitude as a barrier (lack of confidence or being less tolerant).

The survey found technology and starting wage were the main barriers identified as well as physical/mental

ability.

Overall there seemed to be enthusiasm for hiring older workers and workforce diversity was mentioned as

important.

In one interview, the employer suggested that employers need training in hiring older workers.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Recruit Older Worker’ and “Retain Older Workers’ Online Training/Workshop: Employers are

positive about hiring older workers, however, they are not attracting applicants and they have low numbers of

older workers on their current teams. It will be important to explore the value of hiring older workers and ways

to access this large untapped labour pool. It will be important to address barriers to older workers entering the

labour market. Support is needed in attracting, screening and selecting older workers.

Develop ‘Competency/KSAO Based Hiring’ and ‘Interviews’ Online Training/Workshop: Building

competencies/KSAOs into the recruitment and selection process will assist employers in finding people who will

be successful. Employers value what older workers have to offer. They talked a lot about the challenge of

finding people with a solid work ethic and they do recognize the work ethic of older workers. Competing based

on KSAOs will help older workers succeed.


COMPETENCIES

QUESTION: Do you use the term “Competencies” in your organization? If yes: Tell me how you use competencies in hiring? If no: Do you use terms such as “Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Attributes” to help with hiring?

Interview Results

32% of employers said yes, they use competencies in their organization, however, the degree competencies

were used varied considerably. If we remove the larger Government/Non-Profit group, the percentage who

used competencies drops to 27%.

What they told us: Those that did use competencies described the process of analyzing each job (what is needed

for success, challenging assumptions). Several had assistance, including hiring an HR consultant to develop a

competency framework/pilot project. Some had HR consultants develop competencies and add them to job

descriptions. Those using competencies included them in job postings. Competencies were used in phone

screening, interviews (one question per core competency). Competencies are also used internally for

performance management, setting learning goals and training plans and measuring success, developing salary

grids. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Attributes (KSAO) were terms identified by 7 employers in hiring,

succession planning and job descriptions. Several employers using competencies referenced using core

competencies rather than job specific competencies. Some employers using competencies talked about

challenges or said they were not confident using the structure, however, many found competencies helpful.


QUESTION: Do you use the term “Competencies” in your organization? Yes – 30% and No – 70%

If yes: How do you use competencies in hiring?

• Completing job reviews – 50%

• Writing job descriptions – 70%

• Writing job ads – 50%

• Developing interview questions – 70%

• Other

If no: In your organization, do you use terms such as:

o Knowledge (facts, procedures) – 75% o Skills (task performance) – 88% o Abilities (general traits, capabilities) – 88% o Aptitudes (personality traits, characteristics) – 56%


QUESTION: Do your job descriptions and job postings include competency type statements? Such as: Communicates with customers to deliver excellent service and resolve issues and complaints; Adapts to changing work environments, work priorities and timelines; Pays attention to detail and ensures accuracy and thoroughness Yes – 74% and No – 26% and N/A 4%

QUESTION: Which of the following two statements is most like the statements found on your job descriptions and job postings?

• Responsible for working on a team. – 23%

• Works cooperatively with team members, resolves differences and shares information – 73%

QUESTION: Are your interview questions written in a way that you learn about competencies? For example: Describe a time when members of your team did not get along. How did you respond?

Describe a situation when you were asked to perform a new task. What steps did you take? Tell us about a

time when you had to take a new approach in order to solve a problem.

Yes – 62% and No – 38%

COMMENTS:

32% of participants described using competencies in some form. A few described competencies as ‘being

competent’ therefore it is possible the number of employers using competencies in recruitment and

selection is lower than reported. Those employers not using competencies mentioned they didn’t like the

term or didn’t feel it was needed.

A few employers mentioned that they had a competency system developed by an HR consultant/company

or their “parent company/corporate office”. It was mentioned that not everyone in these organizations

embrace the use of competencies. Not all organizations using competencies are taking full advantage.

In the survey it shows that people can identify competency statements as reflected in their recruitment and

selection practices.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop ‘Competency/KSAO Based Hiring’ and ‘Interviews’ Online Training/Workshops: Building

competencies/KSAOs into the recruitment and selection process. It will also assist employers in finding people

with the KSAOs for the job.

Human Resource Support: Earlier it was recommended that businesses could benefit from Human Resource

Support. In addition to online training and workshops, some other ideas for building competencies included:

• Partnership (like a mentorship program) between small and larger businesses who have implemented a competency framework

• Small organizations partnering to hire an HR consultant and share resources

• Small organizations collaborating to hire a Human Resource consultant on a project basis

• Draw on the experience of people in the community using competencies – guest speakers


TRAINING QUESTION: Let me know if you would be interested in any of these options. Our goal is to take what we learn through these interviews and develop training that will help employers find the

right candidates quickly. I am going to read through a list of possible training topics.

Interview Results

22% of employers interviewed said they did not need any training. Some mentioned they had support from a Human Resource department, an HR firm or a Head Office. Some said things are working well, they have a system, or they don’t hire much. Some didn’t think training would help. Some said they didn’t have time to attend training. However, one employer stated that we often don’t know we need training. 67% said they would be interested in a tool that would help with recruitment and selection.

Of the 83 who were interested in training we found the following:

80% said they would be interested in developing interview skills.

73% were interested in learning to use competencies in recruitment and selection.

66% were interested in developing a system for checking references.

65% were interested in learning how to write effective job ads in order to attract the right applicants.

57% were interested in learning where to post job ads.

51% were interested in learning about job analysis which involves reviewing jobs in your organization

and listing what work is required and what is needed for success.

51% were interested in developing job descriptions.

Which of the following training methods would you prefer? You can pick more than one.

68% chose online training 50% choose in-group workshops 65% chose a combination of online and in-group workshops

Is there anything else you would like to say about hiring; your needs or recommendations? • Bridging programs for older workers to get credentials e.g. healthcare

• Résumé Screening assistance

• Canadian Federation of Independent Business for HR help

• Market the training by highlighting how it will help employers

• Retention workshop – how to keep good people

• Creating a standard interview structure

• Writing “Offer” letters

• Help finding people who want to work

• Grant to help with hiring

• Rewards for employees



QUESTION: Please select any training you would be interested in: Our goal is to take what we learn through this survey and develop training that will help employers find the right

candidates.

38% selected using equivalencies to attract qualified applicants

38% selected developing interview questions

33% selected creating effective job ads

29% selected using competencies in recruitment and selection

23% selected posting job ads

19% selected references

19% selected job analysis

14% selected developing job descriptions

QUESTION: Would you be interested in a tool that would assist with your organization’s recruitment and selection process? Yes – 70% and No – 30%

QUESTION: Which of the following training methods do you prefer? Select all that apply.

52% combination of online and in-group workshops 39% resource material or independent study 30% online training 26% in-group workshops

COMMENTS:

Interview skills and competencies were of interest to the employers interviewed.

The percentage of respondents were lower in the survey, however, in the interviews the calculations were

based on only those interested in training, rather than the entire group, which may explain this difference.

In the survey, in addition to interviews and competencies, equivalencies, job ads and interviews were also

of interest. 67% of people overall were interested in a tool that would help them with recruitment and

selection.

A combination of online and in-group workshops was higher in the survey and online was slightly higher

than combination online/in-group in the interviews.

Training Preferences:

Online Training: Interview 68% and Survey 30%

In Group Workshop: Interview 50% and Survey 26%

Combination: Interview 65% and Survey 52%


RECOMMENDATIONS

Training. Online training with the option of in group workshops to meet the need of a wide range of employers.

A recruitment and selection related tool with training on using the tool. Training that addresses Interviews;

Competencies; Equivalencies. Develop a strategy for marketing the training or tools.


OLDER WORKER FOCUS GROUPS Older workers who participated in the focus groups believed that age is a main factor in their

unemployment. However, they noted that this is speculation since employers won’t identify age as a factor

in their hiring decisions.

Employer Recommendations Older workers shared their thoughts and recommendations for employers:

• Consider a candidate’s skills and abilities, including transferable skills

o E.g. if someone has used software, they can likely learn to use other software

• Think about what is “truly” needed when posting jobs o Consider whether educational requirements are necessary for success in the position;

someone may have extensive work experience in the field, but no diploma

o Value life and work experience – a degree won’t guarantee success in the job

o State “or equivalent” on job postings

o Ask does the posting reflect what is really needed or does it reflect the perfect person?

o Could someone learn and adapt to the job?

o Do wages reflect the requirements you are asking for?

o State the minimum physical demands in the job posting

• Consider the workplace accommodations you would make if you were to find the right person for

the job

o Accommodations are often easy and will benefit everyone; physical and health issues can

affect people of all ages

• Develop a flexible system for finding people and assessing skills and abilities

o Take a more wholistic approach to recruitment; less automation, more instinct - some older

workers are not online

o Use Indeed and LinkedIn and post jobs on the company website

o Find people through networking

o Avoid using computerized résumé screening – Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

• Consider the possibility of adapting work schedules

o Many older workers may be interested in part-time

• Consider older workers when offering courses or on-the-job training – they can learn

o Take advantage of funding for training; invest in training

• Be open to having résumés dropped off

o Older workers want to come in and make a good impression

o Email may be a barrier for some

• Ask to see portfolios so you can see examples, experiences and a willingness to learn

• Older workers are all different

o Avoid judgement based on age

o Recognize that someone who is 55 and someone who is 75 are both considered older

workers

• Shorten the hiring process and remove barriers so you don’t miss out on hiring great people


Advantages to Hiring Older Workers Older workers identified the following advantages:

• Good with people and customers, professional, polite, empathetic, good communication and social

skills, able to relate to all ages, confident, can make eye contact, mature, respectful with good

interpersonal skills

• Dependable, reliable, punctual, accountable, dedicated, good time management, good work ethic,

honest, can keep the pace

• Care about the workplace, takes pride in work, will do a good job and willing to work hard

• Not a threat because no agenda, no ladder to climb, not going after another job

• Great role models/mentors – years of work and life experience

• Team players, but can also work independently

• Flexible; may be willing to work part-time, some can work a flexible schedule – most don’t have

children

• Loyal, will stay with a job and company

• Willing to learn and able to follow instructions

• Will leave problems at home

• Older workers show up, on time for interviews

Barriers Faced by Older Workers Older workers identified the following barriers:

• Shifts, nights or weekends may not be an option

• Skills may be outdated; may need training

• Education may be ‘dated’, or they may not have the credentials a younger worker may have

o May have experience and the right attitude but not the diploma

• May be overqualified

• May have a gap in their work history

• Physical strength, endurance, disability and health may be a barrier; even if it isn’t a barrier,

employers may think it will be and worry that you will take time off

• Wages may be an issue – some older workers need to make money (CPP not enough) and some

older workers work for something to do, the social aspect of work; some can’t afford to return to

school

• Age assumptions – some employers may think you are ‘burned out’, stuck in old ways, not

adaptable or won’t stay long (so why train); may judge you by appearance or think you will have

nothing in common with young staff; they may rely on gut feeling rather than a decision based on

skills and abilities

• Technology may be a barrier for some, such as online job search and a need for a LinkedIn Profile


JOB DEVELOPER FOCUS GROUP

Job Developers participated in a focus group.

Observations • Employers need good people and good people are looking for work, so we need to find a way to

create that link

• Succession planning may be a concern for some employers considering an older workforce

• There may be concerns about the cost of benefits, pensions, insurance premiums when hiring older

workers

• Not everyone is able to pay wages that will attract older workers with skills to offer and higher

wage expectations

• Employers often need people who can ‘hit the ground running’ because there is no time to train;

this may lead to a concern about ‘bringing an older worker up to speed’

• Sometimes the complexity of the recruitment and selection process can interfere with finding the

right people for the position

• Some employers want to hire a ‘career person’ – a young person who will stay 20 years

• Some older workers need to work, and some employers see them as financially secure and not

needing the job

• Older workers assume if they don’t get the job it is because of their age

• City of Kawartha Lakes has an ‘older’ population

• Even after retraining some older workers are not getting the job or the pay they expected

• The larger, well paying organizations in the area often require credentials

• Support programs for older workers are needed

Barriers • Some older workers are willing to try a job but then realize they can’t meet the physical demands

• Technology is a challenge for some older workers

• New hiring methods can be a challenge for some older workers

o E.g. some don’t have a résumé, online applications, email, no face-to-face contact with an

employer

• Age discrimination can be an issue for some older workers

• Low wages can be an issue, especially for people who retire to the area; they want to work but

want/need more than minimum wage

• In many jobs, workers are required to be a jack-of-all-trades – which is a surprise/change for people

who relocate to the area

• Some older workers not interested in shifts, nights etc., they feel they have already ‘paid their dues’


Recommendations • Provide support in assessing the match between job descriptions, job postings and what is needed

on the job

o Examine what is needed re: credentials and soft skills

o Employers are open to considering equivalencies, but may need help defining them and

then stating them on job postings

o Using Grade 12 to reduce the number of résumés is no longer a needed strategy

• Provide support in developing job postings, because clear postings attract the right people

o Good people may self-screen based on the posting

o Add competencies to the posting so it is easy to match the person with the job

o Employers may need assistance in using competencies in recruitment and selection

• Encourage tours, tests, working interviews and job shadowing to help determine if the person is a

good fit with the job

• Assist in developing behavioural interviews that will help candidates talk about what they have to

offer

o Many older workers haven’t had a lot of interviews and may be stressed, so ideally it will

help to put them at ease

• Encourage the use of a formalized recruitment and selection system

o Hiring based on skills and abilities can help avoid hiring based on a gut feeling

o Record and track interview results

o Document rationale for hiring decisions

• Highlight assumptions about age and provide tips e.g. avoid asking about retirement plans in an

interview

• Encourage employers to promote why they are a good employer and continue to build a good

reputation in the community, which will aid in attracting candidates

Identifying Competencies in Employer Hiring Practices - OCWI

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