The Chatfield Group is helping TMA strengthen its partnership with Northern Illinois University College of Engineering & Engineering Technology (CEET) in order to support professional technical skills development and to gain access to talented new hires for TMA members. TMA, Illinois’ Premier Tooling & Manufacturing Association, hosted a table at the CEET Spring Job Fair with the support of TMA volunteers Chuck Klingler, Janler VP, and Patsy Svare, President of the Chatfield Group.

Patsy and Chuck spoke with more than 50 students who stopped by with resumes in hand. They talked up TMA as a 1,000-member association with great jobs for engineers. Said Chuck, “Just about anything being manufactured today has some connection to Chicago-area manufacturing companies. The best of those companies are members of TMA.”

The NIU CEET students are on their way to bachelors or masters degrees in the following majors:

• Electrical Engineering
• Industrial & Systems Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Technology

All of them are interested in employment as summer interns or as full-time employees; some expressed interest in jobs that continue through the school year. The students were encouraged to post their resumes on the TMA Job Board (accessible via TMAnet.com). In addition, the entire stack of resumes is available to TMA members electronically.

Businesses must make a commitment to engaging the future workforce. By hiring a new grad or a summer intern, you help a new professional gain practical manufacturing experience that grounds their education in workplace realities. For students who are undecided about going into manufacturing, a positive first work experience can make all the difference.

Just as importantly, your company will gain by investing in the training of our future professionals. Your current employees can serve as an experienced mentor and demonstrate their expertise to an eager new employee. Your current employees can learn some of the latest ideas being taught in engineering school. And, your current employees can adopt a sense of excitement about the future from interacting with a new professional.

Tags: Workforce Planning — Recruiting — Interviewing — Training — Employee Engagement

Dear Workforce:

I work for a staffing firm and have been given a list of “acceptable terms” to use to describe applicants in interview notes. As one might imagine, this list is very short. Our biggest dilemma is conveying in an appropriate way whether an applicant is unfit for certain jobs because of age, physical ability, etc. Another problem is zeroing in on an applicant’s ability to lift and to what capacity. Our current rundown isn’t much help. It includes: articulate, assertive, bright, conscientious, pleasant, well-mannered, abrasive, aloof, withdrawn, poorly groomed, neat, conservative. What are some precise terms for us to consider?

-- Lacking Definition, staffing industry, Moline, Illinois

Dear Lacking Definition:

Having done a lot of recruiting myself, I can think of a few “precise terms” for some of the people I’ve interviewed. But you’re really looking for terms that refer to job-related competencies--the skills, knowledge and attributes that qualify a candidate for a specific job. Let’s focus on that subject for now.
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Tags: Dear Workforce — Interviewing — Recruiting

Dear Workforce:

What specific interview questions should we ask in order to gauge whether a person is committed to and passionate about his work, and prompt in his dealings?

--Enthusiasts Only Need Apply, human resources, software/services, India

Dear Enthusiast:

The characteristics you mention--passion, commitment and promptness--would be desirable in just about anyone, so your question may be on the minds of many employers.

While the three terms have something in common, it is possible for someone to be prompt but not passionate, passionate but not committed, and committed but not prompt. Let’s look at behavioral questions that focus on each of the characteristics individually.
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Tags: Dear Workforce — Interviewing

Dear Workforce:

I've heard a lot about finding the right “organizational fit” when hiring new employees. My question is a little different. Specifically, how do we develop good interview questions/hiring criteria to ensure a good match as we search for a prospective new HR director?

—Criteria-Challenged, HR assistant, telecommunications, Seattle

Dear Criteria-Challenged:

Hiring a new HR director is one of the most important decisions your company will make. In addition to being a strong “culture fit,” your HR director must bring the technical know-how and specific leadership competencies that will be needed in the future.

Your top HR exec plays a critical role in coaching employees at all levels, driving organizational change, shaping performance expectations and building people programs, as well as leading by example. Does your CEO know what changes will be needed from employees in the future? Your HR director must be able to demonstrate these new expectations while also coaching and influencing others to adopt them.

In addition to up-to-date technical competencies—such as knowledge and experience with best-practice recruiting strategies, compensation and benefit plan design, employee relations programs, leadership, and technical training and development—the HR exec needs to be a good manager of budgets and of the people who work as internal consultants to the organizations.

The ability to help organizations find their way through change is an advanced competency, and may not be as easy to find in a candidate as a good cultural fit or technical know-how.

As you prepare for candidate interviews, aim to get double value from interview questions such as these:
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Tags: Dear Workforce — Competency Models — Interviewing