Hire Like the Pro’s

In today’s tight and very competitive labor market, hiring the right people is a far more difficult task than it has been in the recent past. Just your luck right? Just when business is booming, and your growth needs people fuel, finding, hiring and keeping those great people is harder than ever. But you can make the process more effective, more efficient and create that employee longevity, without being a fancy HR professional. Here’s some tips.

The foundation for a good hire

The key to finding the right people is to know who you’re looking for in the first place. By first creating a detailed picture of your workplace and the type of employee that you’re looking for, you can better set the foundation for a successful hire. Focus everything from your job post, to your job description, to the interview approach, on these two critical elements…do they have the skills to do the job and how can I be sure? And, are they going to get along well with my team fit my culture?

Once you understand these key elements, its time to put together your specific hiring process which will help you know the answers to these questions.

Know your Culture

You must first understand your company and its culture before you can try to fit a person into your world. Also, you must know how you will identify a good fit for your organization based on your culture. Is your team on the same page or is this culture only in your imagination?

Know the person you’re looking for

They say its more about fit sometimes than exact skills and qualifications. Truth is, its both, and understanding who you are looking for is a key element to a successful hire. Know who will fit the position and your workplace, make sure to get buy-in from your team.

Create an accurate and compelling job description

This is elementary for sure but one that’s poorly managed often. Know the “must have” skills and qualifications and the ones you bend on. There may be alternative skills you can define that don’t fit your description, like maybe experience in lieu of school, or a willingness to learn trainable skills for the right person.

Build a list of interview questions

You should have two lists of questions you will want to ask each candidate. One list for the first phone interview and one for the live interview. These questions should include some immediate disqualifiers so you don’t waste your time on people that will not fit and provide consistency during the hiring peocess.

Create and accurate yet compelling job post

Take some time out to create an accurate description of the job, but don’t make it so boring and technical that good people are turned away. Don’t make it too long but conversely, don’t make it too short. Be sure to sell your company and the position, and let people know why your workplace is a great place to work.

Post on multiple job sites

There are several free or low-cost job sites out there, and you should use multiple sites, commensurate with the position you are hiring for. Don’t be afraid to spend a little money here, the fight for good people is a competitive one right now. Sites range from free social media, to Craigslist, Indeed, and higher levels like Monster and Zip Recruiter.

These steps outlined above will make or break a new hire. If you are too focused on skills and qualifications and forget about the person and your culture (and vice versa), you’ll wind up with a mismatch.

Stay tuned for Part II next week as we look at the hiring process a little deeper.