Find good people

As the economy continues to recover, business owners are increasingly turning their attention to hiring.

But many talented people left Florida in search of jobs elsewhere over the last five years, one of the legacies of the real estate recession.

So it pays to listen to human-resource specialists like Sandie Peterson, human resource manager and consultant with the accounting firm of Markham Norton Mosteller & Wright in Fort Myers.

Peterson, who was recently named human resource professional of the year by her peers with the Southwest Florida affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management, echoes a common refrain among business owners these days. “I have a hard time finding qualified people,” she says.

Because Peterson works for an accounting firm, she's helped more than 40 companies with human resource services ranging from legal compliance to writing policy manuals and mentoring supervisors. “I'm doing a lot of placements right now,” she says.

In particular, there's strong demand for qualified technicians, medical staff and even construction supervisors. “A lot of good people moved on and got out of the area, so the pool is not great,” Peterson says.

But the improvement in real estate prices is creating opportunity for those who have been stuck geographically because they owed more than their homes were worth. They can now sell their homes and move for a job. “Mobility is improving,” she says.

Peterson cites her own experience selling her home in Cape Coral in November. She sold her home in six days for the full asking price.

A graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in psychology, Peterson says there's no magic formula to determine whether a person will be a good fit in a company. “There are always surprises,” she says.

The challenge now is that the recession has changed the careers of many professionals in ways that might have been drawbacks years ago. For example, many people have had to change jobs numerous times recently because of economic circumstances, not because they can't be loyal to one organization. “You can't even go by longevity,” Peterson says. “Everything just turned upside down.”

Peterson says she used to ignore any resume where past employment lasted fewer than three years. Now, she says some of these people may be great candidates. “They're looking for stability,” she says. “They have a stronger desire to succeed sometimes.”

Peterson says she's had success finding qualified candidates from Southwest Florida Works, a public-private organization that provides career counseling and training. “That is a great resource for employers,” she says.

For example, Peterson was recently scouting for medical technicians and found them through that organization. “They found grant money for training,” she adds.

To find good people these days, Peterson says she likes to have lengthy conversations. Above all, she seeks drive and passion for the job, even if their resumes are loaded with more experience than a job requires. “I'm not afraid of people who are overqualified,” she says.

Peterson says an initial interview might last 20 minutes, but a follow-up with a promising candidate could last an hour. “You ask them to tell you stories,” she says. She paints workplace scenarios for prospects and asks them how they would handle it. “I need someone who is a problem solver,” she says.

Questions Peterson likes to ask include: Are you a morning or afternoon person? How do you plan for tomorrow? How would your peers rank you on timeliness? “I just get to know them,” she says.

Peterson looks for strong work ethic. “If I see someone from the Midwest, it makes me look twice,” she says. “If someone sends me a cover letter, they get a second look.”

Peterson always performs a criminal-background check on every candidate and she speaks with references, whom she has found can be brutally honest. “I've eliminated five to 10 people based on references,” she says.