When Hiring, First Test, and Then Interview

Many service companies rely on skilled, personable employees to satisfy customers, but finding them can be costly; in some industries the annual churn rate exceeds 50%. Weak labor markets and click-to-apply online applications increase the burden on companies, which may get hundreds of applicants for a single opening. Consider the British call center industry: In […]

by

and

Carly Vaughan

by

and

Carly Vaughan

From the Magazine (November 2013)

Many service companies rely on skilled, personable employees to satisfy customers, but finding them can be costly; in some industries the annual churn rate exceeds 50%. Weak labor markets and click-to-apply online applications increase the burden on companies, which may get hundreds of applicants for a single opening. Consider the British call center industry: In 2012, 7 million people applied for 260,000 jobs.

A version of this article appeared in the November 2013 issue of Harvard Business Review.

JB

John Bateson is a visiting professor at Cass Business School of City University London.
JW

Jochen Wirtz is a professor of marketing at the National University of Singapore.
EB

John Bateson is a visiting professor at Cass Business School of City University London. Jochen Wirtz is a professor of marketing at the National University of Singapore. Eugene Burke is the chief science and analytics officer, and Carly Vaughan is the director of service development, at SHL Group.
CV

Carly Vaughan is the director of service development, at SHL Group.

When Hiring, First Test, and Then Interview

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