So you’ve decided to expand your business through investing in new talent, but how do you know where to start? Well, without further ado, here are the steps that will ensure effective hiring practices.
Know what you’re looking for!
A common mistake made by businesses is jumping straight into job ads and resume reviews without first knowing their needs. This is flawed for two reasons:
You might not be hiring the best person for the job, and B.) You’ll probably need to create several ads and conduct numerous reviews before finding this “best” candidate, which will be time-consuming and expensive.
Your best bet is to put together a list of core skills that your ideal employee would possess. For example, if you’re looking to hire an auto mechanic, then it’s safe to say that they should know how to change tires, fix engines and radiators, as well as check fluids and tire pressure.
Find the Right Sites Says Michael Osland
There are many places where you can advertise open positions, but what’s the use if no one applies? You’ll need to get creative with your job ads and review sites to get the word out there. Social media, company websites, career fairs, etc., are all great ways to reach a wide audience while expending minimal effort from you.
Suppose CareerBuilder is advertising that a mechanic position pays $12/hr. In that case, it’s safe to assume that this is an entry-level position, which means you should be thinking about how to convert these applicants into leads for future opportunities.
Screening the Applicants – Michael Osland
When going through resumes, it’s important to look at education and experience and their communication skills (professionally written cover letters), work ethic (LinkedIn activity), and even work experience. You don’t want to disqualify a potential candidate that could end up being the best hire you’ve ever made simply because they didn’t mention something in their cover letter. Still, at the same time, you can always ask questions during the interview process.
The Interview
The purpose of an interview is to assess if a job seeker would be a good fit for your company based on their skills, personality, and experiences. Ideally, you’ll want to give them a task relevant to their job position to demonstrate their abilities while also getting a feel for how they react under pressure or in other stressful situations as per Michael Osland.
At the same time, it’s important not to overwhelm them with questions and ensure that everyone in the company gets a chance to interview them. Remember, they will be spending a considerable amount of time with these people, so it’s vital for them all to get along.
Make the Hire
So you’ve got a candidate that fits both your needs and personality. What now? Well, congratulations, you just hired someone new! Now let’s get started by reviewing their salary and benefits package. If they negotiated on the former, then chances are they’ll negotiate on the latter, so keep this in mind when putting together an offer letter or email.
Afterwards it’s vital to set up performance expectations and goals which work in tandem with one another.