To get the right people you need to make sure you have an effective hiring process. Your hiring process should involve multiple methods for evaluating potential candidates, including applications, interviews, assessments, and reference checks. One interview is not sufficient to find the right team member.
Job Postings
The first step to your hiring process is to make a job posting for potential candidates to review. Be clear in your job description. Set clear expectations. State the role, the responsibilities involved, and the outcomes you expect. Once you have a clear job description, post to the appropriate job boards that will get in front of the largest pool of candidates. Your local market will determine the best place to post your jobs. Consider attending job fairs, posting at local establishments, and using online job boards.
Application
Make sure you have some form of application process for your open positions. This does not have to be extensive, but you want to know that your potential candidates are going to put forth some effort to apply to your job. Add some initial screening questions that are important to you when you consider candidates. Ask about relevant experience. Ask about why they are looking for a new position. Ask about why they are interested in your company. You can get a good feel for how a candidate might fit within your organization by asking a few simple questions up front.
Interviews
You should have at least 2 interviews with a potential candidate. These two interviews do not have to be extensive, but it is important to have multiple interviews for a couple of reasons. First, it helps to ensure you’re getting the same person on a different day. It’s amazing how many candidates can nail the first interview, only to show up as a totally different person the next time you meet them. It’s also important to have more than one person involved in the interview process when possible. Maybe as the owner, you perform the initial interview for every candidate, but the second interview is done by the direct supervisor. Regardless of who is involved, if it’s possible have at least two different interviews with two different people. Don’t skimp on this.
Assessments/Technical Evaluation
If you are hiring for a position that requires a certain level of technical expertise, you may want to have candidates take a technical assessment or give them some job situations for them to work through. This will help to ensure they really do have the experience they are telling you that they have, or that is represented on their resume or application.
Onboarding
Your hiring process does not stop at the job offer. Once you have hired a new team member, you need to ensure their onboarding process is smooth and gets them up and running quickly. This ensures that all new team members have a positive experience from the first day they walk through the door. Make sure any new hires are properly setup for work before their first day. Welcome them. Celebrate them. Make them feel a part of the team. And, then train the heck out of them!
Getting the right people on your team can mean the difference between a successful company and one that struggles year in and year out. Your hiring process is critical to getting those people on your team that are going to contribute to your success. Don’t rush it. Take your time.
