If it sometimes seems like you’re playing Russian Roulette every time you hire someone, you might want to look into new methods to find the right people.
As blogger Alex Perdikis explains, there are no guarantees, but a few changes in your hiring process may be just what you need.
- Realize You Don’t Know Everything
The tendency, particularly in the case of small-business owners just getting ready to hire employees and grow their businesses, is the idea that you’ll just know who the right people are.
But that is, in fact, the worst way to hire people. Does that mean your gut feelings should not be taken into account? Not at all. It does mean incorporating those feelings into a method that utilizes them as well as proven hiring methods.
The goal is to find employees that stay with your business and become assets rather than problems down the road. So wipe your perceptions plate clean and follow these guidelines.
- Plan and Describe
Most people in a position to hire employees are looking not only for someone who can do the job but also someone who can grow as the company grows. Picture where you want or expect the business to be in six months and again in five years. How will the job duties change over time? What skills will the best employee for the job need now and in the days to come? Make a list. The list is the basis for writing a future-oriented job description.
The job description should be a blueprint and include the following key elements:
- Official Job Title: Include other relevant information, such as a job code number.
- Department: Define the department in which the position exists.
- Position Within the Company: Outline who the employee reports to and if others report to the employee.
- Position Duties: A list of essential tasks expected of the employee.
- Summary: Briefly describe job responsibilities and expectations.
- Requirements: List hard skills and educational requirements.
- Additional Attributes: List and briefly outline desired soft skills here.
Post your completed job description throughout various outlets and wait for the applications to come in.
- Determine Your Priorities
As soon as you begin receiving completed applications, you’ll find that many, if not most, of the applicants do not meet every single requirement in your description.
Guess what? That’s OK. It doesn’t mean you aren’t attracting qualified applicants. It does mean that you have to determine your priorities, however.
Which hard skills do applicants absolutely have to have the moment they begin working for you? Do some of the applicants have soft skills that make up for a lack of hard skills? Don’t simply toss applications that don’t meet every requirement. Determine viability on a case-by-case basis. Narrow your choices down and get ready for the interviews.
- Ace the Employee Interview
The applicant isn’t the only person who should prepare for an interview; you should, too. Greet the applicant with a friendly smile. Give an overview of the company and the position. Engage in a give and take, allowing the applicant to ask questions as well. Ask a few open ended questions, such as the following:
- How do you think you could contribute to our company?
- Why should we hire you?
- What motivates you?
- How would you describe the best boss you ever worked for?
Keep your questions consistent throughout each interview. Take notes. After the interviews are complete, evaluate each candidate and make a decision. Again, there are no guarantees when it comes to hiring, but a well-thought out and planned process gives you the best chance to find the people who become invested in the company’s success.
