Hiring mistakes can end up costing your business a lot, so it is important to make sure that every employee you bring on is a smart hire.
If you bring the wrong individual onboard, you could be dealing with productivity issues and feuding employees, among other problems. The wrong person can end up making your entire staff insane – it is vital that you bring on someone who can meld well with your company culture while performing their job. When it comes to small businesses, every employee will make a huge difference, so it is important to make each hire count. For tips on how to make a great hire, check out these four below:
1. Stick to your original hiring goals
Make sure that the skills and experience vital to success at the specific position you're hiring for are always in the back of your mind, Business News Daily explained. Clearly list each need as part of the job description that you post online. With a list of criteria laid out in front of you, it will be difficult to forget what you're looking for in a new employee. If you don't use the same requirements for each candidate that you speak with, then some applicants that could have been a good fit may get overlooked. If you notice over time that your original list of criteria doesn't quite fit the job, as long as you use your revised requirements consistently with each job candidate as you did with your old ones.
2. Impose a rule for the minimum number of interviews
Entrepreneur suggested implementing a three-interview minimum rule so that you can ensure you know the candidates thoroughly before making your decision. Everyone gets fooled by an interviewee every once in a while. In order to prevent this from happening, it may be a good idea to set up a rule for a minimum number of interviews. This way you won't hire the wrong person nor will you miss out on the right one. This will also brand your company as one that is very selective, which could help in the long run.
3. Limit who has input on the decision-making process
Only seek advice from colleagues that you trust completely when making decisions on a candidate, Business News Daily explained. The people you ask for help should have a thorough understanding of the position in question, the culture of your company and how the potential employee may work with his or her manager's personality upon hiring. If you have too many people giving you their opinions, then your final decision may be a compromise instead of an absolute choice. A smaller pool of advice from your colleagues will mean a focus on what is important while maintaining a variety of opinions.
4. Think about attitude and culture when hiring
While some roles will simply require a ton of experience, for others the skills can be taught, and you should focus on attitude, Entrepreneur recommended. Look for people who are motivated and will fit in well with the rest of your staff when interviewing. The positive attitude and hard-working ethics of a hire such as this will also motivate the rest of your staff to be more productive. Consider company culture as well when speaking with job candidates. Ask questions that will help you better understand how a person will fit in at your small business. This way you can find someone who can understand your financial plan and your bad jokes.
These four tips will help you hire people better. Smarter hiring will lead to improved teamwork, productivity and profitability for your business in the long run.