The process of hiring a new employee is usually a time-consuming and sometimes frustrating task. Not only does it take up a lot of your time, but there are also always those worries about whether or not you’ve made the right choice. How do you make sure that you don’t end up with an expensive mistake?
Best Method of Hiring
It’s common knowledge that the best way to find a good employee is through referrals and long-term employees. When someone you trust recommends an employee, you know that they truly believe in the person. It also gives you a chance to see how well they work together and learn more about their professional relationship without even hiring them. If the potential candidate has already been working for your company, then it’s much easier to judge whether or not he or she is worth hiring. You have established expectations, so there are no surprises when they start working for you – everyone knows what is expected of them beforehand.
A Brief Interview
Don’t try to get too personal with your interview questions because it can be a huge turn-off. Of course, you must get to know your employees on some level so that you can develop a strong working relationship with them, but don’t ask too many personal, illegal, or weird questions. Also, never conduct an interview without writing down notes. You might have a lot of questions and forget what the person has said while waiting for the next question – this is why it’s important to take notes.
Pay Attention to Red Flags
It’s important to pay attention to red flags during interviews because they usually indicate bigger problems in the future. For example, if the job candidate seems impatient or gives off negative vibes from the start, then they most likely won’t perform well in the job. Sometimes you can talk to them more to make them feel comfortable, but some people are just born with bad attitudes that aren’t worth your time. Trust your gut instinct; it usually knows best.
Avoid Appearance Discrimination
It is easy to judge someone based on physical appearance (i.e. by color, height, weight, etc.), but never do this during interviews. You want people who get the job done – someone who looks good isn’t necessarily going to get the task completed at the level you desire.
Work History
Don’t forget to ask about the candidate’s work history. This will give you insight into their past employment, which could either be a red flag or a good sign depending on the circumstances. Make sure that they are old enough to work for your company and if their prior jobs don’t seem up to par, then consider moving on to someone else. However, if you notice that the person has held many similar positions in the past, it could be a sign of loyalty and hard work which is good for your business (here is a great post to read about business).
Skills are Important
Finally, always consider skills over education. Yes, it is important for everyone in your company to receive proper training and certification (if required), but this isn’t necessarily something that needs to be done right away. If the person has all of the necessary skills and doesn’t need to go back for further training, then you should hire them as soon as possible. Skills make the person, not education.
Conclusion
Hiring can be difficult, but following these simple guidelines will ensure that you find the best candidate for the job. Do some research beforehand so that you know what to ask. Remember – your gut instinct is usually right!