Hiring the right employee for your business can be a tricky process but if done right will bring in high-quality candidates who will stick around and add value to your organisation. On the other hand, if you keep hiring workers who are the wrong fit, you could have a high employee turnover, which will cost you. It could also leave staff frustrated if they end up taking on extra work to assist a struggling new hire, or it could dampen morale if they struggle to get along.
These tips on how to hire the right employee will help you in the process of finding candidates that best suit your business needs.
Know what you are looking for
Many organisations rush into posting their job vacancy then jump into interviews without giving it much thought but if you do want to hire the right employee for your business, it’s important to give some thought to what you require. That means defining what the job entails. Clearly understanding the duties and responsibilities and skills needed gives you a clearer picture of what candidate you will hire.
Make your job listing count
Once you have established what the job entails and what skills your candidates should possess, the next step is to get your job listing out there. There are multiple platforms to advertise the vacancy but it’s not just about where you share your job listing, but how.
You should be clear in describing the available position and detailing the requirements. Be sure to include the following in your job ad:
- A creative job title
- A brief description of your company
- Why the applicant would want to work for you
- A concise summary of the job and expectations of the role
- The necessary skills and work experience required
- Education requirements
- How to apply for the vacancy
Review candidates
Wading through a mountain of resumes can take a bit of time but it is worth it if you’re looking to hire the right employee for your business. That’s not to say you cant speed up the process.
For starters, you can divide applications up into three groups: candidates that you will reject, candidates that you are undecided about and candidates you want to interview. If you end up not finding the right hire from the latter group, you can still pick from the undecided category.
While doing this, take notes, which will help you compare candidates quickly. The following steps will also greatly benefit you:
- Take note of gaps in employment
- Review the candidate’s educational history and experience to make sure they are in line with your requirements
- Look out for any special skills that could be useful to the position
- Note whether the candidate’s career trajectory has been positive or slowly spiralling down over time
- Check how long the person has held down various positions then make a note of any promotions as well as the reason they left their previous title
Nail the interview
The interview is the final, and possibly the most important, step in finding a suitable candidate for a job and you want to make it count. The key is to develop questions that will give you an idea of who the candidate is as a person. Chances are they have rehearsed the standard generic questions often asked during interviews, which will only give you a glimpse into their personality. Asking unexpected questions will allow you to get to know them and help you determine whether they are suitable for the job and your office culture. Here are some questions you may want to ask:
- What made you decide to apply with us?
- Tell me about yourself.
- Tell me about your last role. Why did you leave the job?
- Tell me about a time when you were under a great deal of pressure in your job and how you resolved the situation
- Tell me about the techniques you use to plan, organise and execute your work
- Tell me about a time when you improved a task you were working on
- In what kind of work environment do you thrive?
Extend the job offer
Once you have found the right candidate for the position, you want to move quickly to extend the job offer. The demand for skilled workers is high and you don’t want to lose a potentially great employee.
What you are putting on the table also matters in hiring the right employee for your business. Ensure what you offer is hard to turn down as quality employees tend to want higher pay and greater employee benefits. Using a compelling offer letter can save you valuable time. The good news is Workable has made free templates available to help you.
Good luck!
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