Your business needs the right employees to succeed. Your business is only as good as your employees, so you have to take hiring very seriously.
For every business owner, it is quite difficult to correctly time when to hire new staff and put them on payroll. It is a very critical time for business owners. They are often plagued with the “should I hire now” or “How do I hire the right candidate?” Either way, you still need employees, and good ones at that.
Here are ten ways to hire the right candidate for your business
- Look for someone who has shown a commitment to their career.
This is an excellent indicator of someone you can trust. If you see from their resume that they switch jobs too frequently, then that’s a bad sign. It shows a lack of loyalty, and that they are just after getting the highest pay.
These people will not be dedicated to your mission; rather, they are just focused on the pay. It’s likely that once they get a higher paying Gig, they will leave you and move on. So avoid candidates like these.
- Check for Compatibility
Every company has a culture — remote or not. And finding out if a client can easily fit into your company’s culture is crucial. Social skills are as critical as the technical skills the job offers.
Peter Schutz said: “Hire character. Train skill.” You won’t want to hire someone whom you cannot easily relate to. Find out from their past employees their social skills. Of course, if they had a bad relationship with them, you should know by now that it’s a red flag.
- Test their Learning and Analytical Skills
Resumes lie, plain and simple. You have to do an assessment test on your candidate to be adequately sure of their skills and compatibility.
According to Talentlyft, an assessment test helps you know:
- If they’re a good fit
- To test the candidate’s claim.
- To determine a culture fit.
- To handle high volume hire.
- To avoid hiring bad clients.
Here’s an example of one
- Hire Interns
Many people frown at the idea of hiring interns because of their little experience, but it is one of the best ways to hire staff for your company.
They are ready to learn, and you can train them in any areas you want because of their eagerness. The mistake you would make is leaving your interns in charge of buying coffee and other menial jobs. A productive employee is an excellent addition to your team and can assist your full-time employees.
You don’t have to pay them so much. So, you can use that initial period to groom them.
- Properly Outline the Job Requirements Before Hiring
Many employees want to hire someone, but they have not outlined the role properly. Do a proper job analysis before trying to hire someone.
A job analysis includes
- The responsibilities of the role
- The job description
- Check the Candidate’s Social Media
Social media is another excellent way to know what a candidate is like. Interviews are great, but you cannot tell what a person is like by talking to them in a formal situation and even checking their resume.
Social media goes a step deeper into that; most people are more comfortable sharing parts of who they are. This would give you a basic example of what you’re getting into with a particular candidate. Check out their Twitter, Instagram, etc.
People might call it stalking, but there’s nothing wrong with getting to know somebody before you hire them.
These days, 90% of companies recruit candidates from their social media platforms, so there’s nothing wrong there.
- Be actively involved in the Hiring Process.
You shouldn’t leave hiring to Human Resources. As the CEO, you have many roles — and being part of the hiring process should be one of your duties.
It’s your company in the end, so you should be part of the interview process and know who you’re hiring. They say two heads are better than one, so you should partner up in this area, because of its importance.
This way, you can communicate clearly, your company culture and the direction you want to take your company too. Human Resources can do this, but being there would drive home the point better.
- Do a Background Check
This is to ensure that you verify that all the information the candidate left is accurate. The background checks should have their educational, criminal, and career records checked.
You’re hiring this person so you should know everything about this person. But during the interview, try to focus more on their future. Try to see what their plans for the future are. This would determine their future in the company.
- Ask them about their weaknesses.
To catch your candidates off guard, you should ask them about what they’re not good at. It is a norm for candidates to prepare a list of their strengths, but a thought that doesn’t cross anyone’s mind is their weaknesses.
No candidate can tick all the boxes; you only have people who come close. Asking them for their weaknesses would help you know if they’re mindful about improving themselves and also get a glimpse of how honest they are.
Not everyone would admit they have a weakness — and whoever doesn’t assume they have weaknesses is lying, and that’s a red flag.
- Trust your Instincts
Sometimes, you don’t need anyone to tell you that a particular candidate is right or wrong. At times, you’d just know. And that’s enough.
A candidate might be perfect on paper — ace the assessment tests, be outstanding in the interview and just be a joy to watch, but your gut won’t trust the person. It’s normal, and you shouldn’t doubt your gut feeling because there’s a reason why it’s telling you that.
Always listen to your gut feeling. It is risky to dismiss your gut feelings.
Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you
- Warren Buffet
