6 Tips for Hiring the Best Possible Employee

Hiring the wrong employee can be extremely detrimental to an entire organization. That’s why you have to take extra care to ensure you’re being thorough enough in the vetting process to hire the best possible employee. Here are six tips to help you do just that!

1. Clarify the Job Role

It’s tempting to speak in generalities when posting a job opening. After all, you want to reach as many people as possible. However, the secret to attracting the right employees is to be as specific and open as you can.

“You want to be as transparent as possible—be open and honest about the challenges the company is facing and any potential roadblocks the candidate might face,” entrepreneur Lauren Drell suggests.^[1] “You don’t want a new hire to start working and then feel as though she’s a victim of a bait-and-switch, and the last thing you want is to let someone go because you failed in the recruiting phase.”

2. Advertise Through Multiple Mediums

The more places you can advertise^[2] your openings, the better luck you’ll have reaching the right people. You should try posting on online job boards, circulating information in your personal network, and reaching out to people you’ve previously worked with at other companies.

3. Be Wary of Employee Suggestions

A lot of managers like to ask their current employees for suggestions when it comes to finding candidates. While this does work in some situations, be wary of doing it too much—especially with employees you don’t know very well.

Employees will generally suggest people based on friendships. In other words, they’re suggesting people they’d like to work with—such as a best friend—as opposed to the person who is best suited for the job. It’s better to rely on traditional methods.

4. Use Talent Management Software

You use various business tools and platforms to streamline other areas of your business, such as social media, content marketing, advertising, and payroll, so why wouldn’t you rely on the assistance of software for something as significant as hiring? Ask any business owner who’s used talent management software in the past, and they’ll more than likely give you a rave review.

“One of the most costly mistakes HR departments make is hiring the wrong person,” software provider SelectHub notes.^[3] “However, missing out on key candidates is another potential hazard. Talent management software includes recruitment functions that manage a database of applicants so that you can coordinate recruitment efforts.”

5. Be Thorough With Referrals

During the application process, you most certainly ask candidates to provide you with referrals. But do you ever do anything with them? Referrals give you an opportunity to understand who the candidate is and what kind of impression they’ve had on those around them.

Instead of just straight up asking candidates for X number of referrals, wait until the end of the process when you’re down to two or three finalists. Then, once you’ve done your research and know who they currently work for, and what their role is, ask them if you can specifically contact someone they currently work with. If they say no, then that raises a red flag. If they say yes, then you know that you’ve picked the referral as opposed to letting them handpick a good friend who was coached on their answers.

6. Don’t Rush the Process

At the end of the day, patience matters the most. You may need a new employee as soon as possible, but rushing into a decision doesn’t help anyone. You risk hiring someone who isn’t prepared, while also negatively impacting your business.

Take your time and wait for the right person. You’ll be glad you did!

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