Employees are the nucleus of any successful company, therefore hiring the right staff is one of the most important jobs you will have as an employer. These 19 ways will help you to decide if an interviewee is a good fit for your business.
Filter at the initial stage
Make sure the initial screening process is thorough. Involve all the line staff and managers in shortlisting the most suitable candidates for the post.
Conduct written tests
It’s an excellent way to check knowledge. Devise a written test consisting of specific questions related to the job.
Formulate incisive interview questions
Make sure you are prepared for the interview just as much as the interviewee. Come with all the details about the job responsibilities ready and ask delving, insightful questions.
Look at resumes
Going through what the person has done in the past gives you an idea about their experiences, knowledge and qualifications from the get-go.
Team interview
Team interviews can allow different experts in your company to ask potential candidate questions that no-one else might have thought to ask. This is a great way to find the best candidate as no factor will be ignored.
Personal background
Ask candidates about themselves and listen carefully to their replies. It helps to understand their history and how they have reached where they are.
Ask about their qualities
Knowing how a person thinks of themself can tell you a lot.
Notice how they are dressed
If your interview has taken the interview and the post seriously, they will have dressed accordingly. A suit or formal attire still makes a good impression, even in these ‘dress-down’ days.
Check the confidence
One of the main requirements for any job is having the necessary confidence to do the job well.
Focus on achievements
Education and qualifications go a long way but what a person has achieved, as well as, and sometimes in spite of, their early beginnings will tell you a great deal more than just a list of exam results. Achievement takes hard work and determination.
Commitment
Don’t go for someone who does not have a proven track record in showing commitment. One job over a longer term should outweigh several jobs for shorter periods of time.
Work ethic
Try to get a sense of how much energy, resilience and determination a candidate has, and their overall work ethic. Will they put in the hard yards?
Pressure handling capabilities
A specific question asking how they have dealt with a pressured situation in the past or how they deal with work-related stress, can give you an insight into an important quality in a candidate.
Don’t compare
Mostly while conducting an interview, people are swayed by their experience with the last person in the post and their shortcomings or shining brilliances! Ignore that. Focus instead on the person that will bring something new.
Conflict resolution
One type of employee that you should avoid is someone who blames everything on others and is always right. Ask them how they dealt with a situation when something went wrong, or when they had an issue with another co-worker. This will tell you what kind of colleague they are.
Contact references
Don’t just ask for recommendations but never contact them. Ask them any questions that you might have in mind about the person you want to hire. Getting first-hand information from someone who has worked with the interviewee is the best way to make a final decision.
Go for an all-rounder
Your criteria shouldn’t be narrowly focused on one or two aspects of the job. Ask your candidates about their hobbies and what they like to do in their free time.
Take your time. This is a very important decision that is very hard to put right if you realize you’ve made a mistake. If you need another round of interviews to be sure, then do it.
And lastly…
Always choose on merit
Sure there might be recommendations from other people, but if you want to hire someone who fulfills all the criteria and is best suited for the job, look at the facts in front of you, even if it goes against your preconceptions about who might be best for the post.