How to Fine-Tune Your Hiring Process

Hiring and training new employees takes time and resources, so it is important to get it right the first time. Fine-tune your hiring process with these tips.

1. Define the role. Before looking at a single resume, take the time to sketch out the role and what you truly need. Identify the day-to-day responsibilities of the employee and what strengths will be needed to get the job done well. From experience and expertise, to skills and personality traits, what will the ideal candidate need to succeed? Making the effort to define your needs will save you time in the long run.
2. Ask the right questions. Never go into an interview without preparation. Do your research ahead of time by looking through the applicant’s resume, reviewing their LinkedIn presence and reading other materials they provided during the application process. Once you are familiar with the person you’re interviewing, cross-check their experience against the role you have defined. When writing down your planned questions, customize them to get examples about how they’d perform in the new role. Provide realistic mock scenarios to see how the applicant would handle realistic situations.
3. Prioritize personality fit. Understanding the skills an applicant has and knowing how they will utilize those skills is important in the hiring process, however it’s also crucial to get to know the personality behind what’s on a resume. Personality traits such as being reliable, resilient and hardworking are key characteristics you want to look for. Get curious in the application and interview process by looking beyond the resume to get a real feel for their personality.
4. Test accordingly. Based on the type of role you are trying to fill, consider administering a test to see how a candidate may perform in the new role. A skills test, like a writing test for a communications role or an accounting principles test for an accounting role, can verify the candidate has the right experience, and cognitive ability. To determine how the person will fit into your team you can give a personality test. Use a test as confirmation that the applicant has both the right skill and mindset for the role.