Figuring out how to hire an employee with just the right mix of skills and knowledge can sometimes feel like a daunting and high-stakes task. Bring aboard the wrong person and you (and your employer) waste valuable time and money. Given the costs of making a bad hire, your team is counting on you to find a great fit.
Follow these tips to attract and hire employees who bring maximum value to the team and company.
1. Juice up the job description
Generating interest from highly qualified job candidates is often one of the most difficult aspects of the hiring process for a business. Thus, when a position opens up, take the time to write a job description that’s both detailed and compelling.
While you don’t want your job posting to be excessively long or so specific that it deters qualified candidates from applying, you do want to include enough information to attract job seekers who are well-suited for the position.
If it’s a new role, carefully consider the tasks you want the employee to take on short term and long term, and the levels of education and experience your ideal candidate should possess.
When filling a vacated role, take the opportunity to evaluate whether you want to make changes to the position. Chances are you’ll want to add or shift some responsibilities.
2. Cast a wide market
When you’re ready to start recruiting candidates, Of course, you want to post the opening on your website and on job boards that cater to your company’s industry. And you should also share the job ad on your company’s social media accounts. But don’t forget about the power of in-person networking to spread the news of your open position, whether you’re attending a casual lunch, professional event or industry conference.
You may also want to consider working with a specialized recruiter who has access to highly skilled candidates, including passive job seekers. Staffing agencies such as Great Connections can help you hire talented individuals with expertise in different areas — from technology to accounting — for a project, contract-to-hire or full-time basis.
3. Don’t shortchange the resume review
Look for resumes with keywords and phrases that links to the job description. This shows that the candidate is focused on details and has experience that aligns with the job duties. Also, keep an eye out for resumes that highlight both technical and soft skills, and that include concrete ways the job seeker added value and helped meet company goals in previous roles.
4. Conduct consistent interviews
During each interview, pay more attention to whether the candidate is well prepared by testing their knowledge of your company and industry. Again, zero in on both technical know-how and interpersonal abilities. Your job is to not only to find the most qualified person, but also to build a well-functioning and cohesive team.
5. Determine the right salary range
Offering an attractive salary package is a must given as the competition to attract the talents for many jobs nowadays.
6. Act fast when you find the right candidate
A survey found that it takes five weeks, on average, to fill an open staff-level position. And filling an open management-level role takes an average of seven weeks. So, once you’ve identified your top candidate, extend an offer as fast as possible. Candidates with the right sets of skills frequently have multiple opportunities from which to choose.
Finally, make it clear the job offer is contingent based on any reference or background checks you need to complete.
