6 Tips for Making Smarter Hiring Decisions
Hiring and training new employees is one of the toughest jobs you face as a manager or business owner. Even when there are plenty of applicants, finding the right one is still time-consuming.
Here are some tips for each stage of the process – from identifying your requirements to interviewing candidates.
1. Know Exactly What You Are Looking For
Identify the job requirements by meeting with the manager or those who will be co-workers of the new hire, and talk through exactly what skills are important to do the job well. For some positions such as line production positions, the job requirements are clear. You may need specific technical skills or certain work experience. In other cases, the important skills required for the job may be less obvious. This is especially true in small companies where employees may have to perform several functions.
2. Develop an Application Template
Set up a standard application form to capture prior work history and other information. Since you will be gathering consistent information, this will make it easier to compare candidates.
3. Listen in Interviews
When you conduct interviews, let the candidate do much of the talking. Ask free-form questions which make the candidates choose and prioritize exactly what they are going to tell you. Questions such as, “What did you like most about your last job?” can produce revealing answers. Follow with, “Now tell me what you liked least about your last job.” Letting candidates do most of the talking will tell you a great deal about their attitudes and priorities.
Structure the interview so the candidates talk about themselves first, and you talk about the job and the company later. Otherwise they’re likely to tailor their answers to fit the job you have just described.
4. Introduce to Co-Workers
Consider setting up a meeting between finalists and their future coworkers. Describe it as a “get to know you” meeting. You’ll be surprised what people will discuss in a less formal setting. You might also be surprised at what your other employees will notice about their future co-worker. This is still part of the hiring process, so make sure your employees attending the meeting are aware of questions they can and cannot ask.
5. Do Your Due Diligence
Follow up on references, and check police or driving records if appropriate.
6. Be Prepared with HR Tools
Abacus Payroll’s HR Help Center and AdvancedHR solutions enable employers to streamline the application and hiring process and keep it consistent from candidate to candidate. Don’t feel like you have to reinvent the wheel. The following helpful tools are available to employers beginning at only $11/month.
- HR Support Center Job Description Library
- HR Support Center Cost Per Hire and Employee Turnover Calculators
- HR Support Center New Employee Orientation Checklist and Job Requisition Checklist
- HR Support Center Interview Questions and Job Interview Guide
- HR Support Center Template Letters for Employment Offers, Employment Verification, Job Candidate Rejection, Promotions, and more
- AdvancedHR Candidate Tracking
- AdvancedHR New Employee Onboarding
Taking the time to find the right employee for a job opening will pay off in the long run. You’ll avoid the frustration and expense of excessive employee turnover.
For more information on successful hiring practices aided by HR Help Center resources, contact Abacus Payroll at 856.667.6225 or fill out our contact us form.
Video:
Further Reading:
- Better Job Descriptions for Better Hiring
- 5 Questions to Answer in Your Job Posting
- Startup Corner: 4 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Your First Employees
- Temp-to-Hire Positions: What You Need to Know
- Employee Background Checks: Yes or No?
© Business tips are provided by The Alloy Silverstein Group. The business information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
