You've come up with a business idea and set it in motion. The location and the building were easy to find, but you still have one thing remaining: your staff. Finding the right employees for your company can be trying – job postings can leave you with more resumes than you know what to do with. The interviews can be just as tricky. If you've never done one, there are a few things you should consider to help you weed out the applicants who aren't the right fit.
Which method should you use?
Today's technological world opens up new doors for you to connect with applicants. Phone and video are great for performing initial interviews to narrow down your prospects, as well as talking with people from other areas. Video and audio conferencing are great methods if your company deals largely with remote or freelance workers, according to Entrepreneur.
For the most part, in-person interviews are ideal. If you have a business partner or higher level staff, use them to your advantage. Group interviews can help weed out negative potential workers so having the candidate meet with several employees can be beneficial, according to Inc. Face-to-face interviews are better for a small group of applicants, so narrowing your pool down with phone interviews simplifies the process, Entrepreneur explained.
If the open position requires certain skills, don't be afraid to test out applicants during interviews. Capability tests can help you cut potential employees who aren't qualified, and 58 percent of employers have found that these tests help catch applicants who embellish their resumes, according to the source.
What questions should you ask?
In order to hire the best employees, you need to ask the right questions. They should cover a wide range of topics, from strengths and weaknesses to why they're a good fit. You want to get a feel for whether they'll fit in at your company because you don't want to work an unqualified employee into your financial plan.
The most important questions deal with applicants' work ethics. Find out why they're leaving their current jobs, as well as how they worked with their peers. You also shouldn't be afraid to ask negatively-formed questions. By avoiding positively-phrased questions, you'll get a non-practiced response, Inc. explained. Questions should also deal with how well they handle pressure at work – this will tell you if they can think quick on their feet and remain calm during problematic situations.
Interviewing applicants can take up a lot of time, but as a small business owner, it's what you'll have to do to get top-notch employees. By implementing group interviews and asking the right questions, you'll find workers who will positively impact your company.