MC055: Hands-On Skill Demonstrations: Beyond the Resume with Elena Valentine

An important part of what makes a manufacturing leader successful is their ability to think outside of the box. This line of thinking should also extend to the hiring process. Successful companies are good at bringing the right people into their team, but it isn’t always so easy. What if you had the ability to see candidates in action before you made a decision about who to hire?

“Manufacturing has always been sexy… It just needs a generational communications facelift.” – Elena Valentine

This week on MakingChips, we welcome back last week’s guest Elena Valentine. Elena walks us through Skill Scout’s process of screening, assessing, and recommending candidates through hands-on manufacturing activities. We also discuss the Crain’s Midwest Manufacturers Summit, the consequences of declining oil prices, how Skill Scout got involved in manufacturing, the “new” old way of doing things, and steps to finding the right candidate for your business. 

Episode Outline:

• [00:07] – Episode Preview
• [01:00] – Crain’s Manufacturing Summit
• [03:15] – Manufacturing News
• [05:40] – Welcome Back Elena
• [06:15] – Why Manufacturing?
• [09:40] – How Companies Experience Candidates
• [10:11] – Skill Demonstrations and Work Samples
• [14:15] – Learned Interview Behaviors
• [17:00] – Finding the Right Candidate
• [20:00] – Virtual Meaningful Conversations
• [22:50] – Outside of the Resume
• [24:30] – Elena’s Call to Action for Listeners
• [25:50] – Conclusion of Episode

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Crain’s Manufacturing Summit
• Skill Scout
• elena@skillscout.com