The economy continues to improve with increased job creation in 2013. Payroll services giant ADP reported employers added 180,000 new private sector jobs in February. Meanwhile the U.S. Dept. of Labor said total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 236,000.
When jobs abound, employers of course are eager to fill the spots. They host job fairs, place advertisements or offer current employees incentives for bringing in new hires. However, the influx of new employees is a critical time for a business. Every person hired contributes to a company’s culture with their talents, ethics and enthusiasm, and a bad hire is a waste of time, energy and money. High performance organizations take the time to be sure they hire the right people – whether it’s an executive or a customer service representative. Here are six rules to hire by:
- Develop clear, detailed job descriptions. It is impossible to hire the right candidate if you do not create a solid description of the skill set, strengths and requirements for the job. Avoid being vague; overcompensate and list day-to-day requirements and challenges so that you attract the right candidate.
- Develop your interview questions in advance. This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many managers I’ve talked to that will go into an interview with only their subjective ability to assess a candidate. When you create a job description, create a list of questions to ask applicants. Also, adjust that list based on the applicant’s resume so you can fill in any holes and get the clearest picture of the person.
- Use social media. These days, almost everyone has some type of social media profile. One of the best places to gauge a new hire is via LinkedIn. Many people maintain complete resumes on LinkedIn, as well as recommendations and examples of previous work. Take advantage of this resource to check out new hires. Make sure you check your state hiring laws to insure you know what information can or cannot be used.
- Rely on multiple interviewers. It always helps to have different perspectives when hiring a new employee. One person might have a different impression, pick up on something positive or negative, or think of important questions to ask. Delegate the task of hiring to multiple people to improve the interview’s accuracy and scope.
- Check references. Checking references is a simple way to validate the image a new hire portrays. A simple call to previous employers or co-workers, a ten-minute conversation, can be the step that rules out a bad hire.
- Finalize your selection with assessments. Whether they are the DISC or another science, assessments help you identify key traits and talents of new hires that are difficult to identify just with an interview. Assessments will ensure you are hiring the right people and putting them in the best position for their unique strengths and talents. Let me introduce you to the TriMetrix HD assessment … the most accurate tool in identifying the right person for the right job.
