An Effective Hiring Process Reaps Obvious Benefits Over Time
One of the ways that successful organizations [3] stay on top is by finding the best people. Instead of merely glancing at a résumé, they take the time and energy needed to find the top talent.
Here are some steps to consider following:
- Build a hiring roadmap – Before you begin interviews, outline a hiring plan over time and by job type, and then incorporate it into your operating plan and budget.
- Schedule when the positions will be open – Allow enough time for work to be done on each position you’re hiring for.
- Define the position – Start with a high level description within the context of the organization. Then drill down to what it takes to be a success in the role, the responsibilities of the role and finally, the background and experience required.
- Find the talent you want to hire – Whether you hire from within or use your network, recruiters or resources such as LinkedIn, you want to cast a wide net to find the best candidates. If this is too time intensive, consider hiring an in-house recruiter.
- Filter the candidates before interviewing – This should be done by the hiring manager because she can spot which candidates don’t match the job requirements.
- Interview as many people as possible – The more people you meet, the better you’ll do at filling the position. Phone calls or Skype video calls can streamline the process.
- Help the candidate feel at ease during the interview – Have more than one person within the company meet the candidates. This ensures that the candidates get relevant information on a wide range of subjects from diverse sources. For example, a candidate will easily ask a staff member about the vacation policy but will hesitate to ask the same question of a partner.
- Check all references of a successful candidate – Whether you use LinkedIn or go so far as to conduct a background check for criminal or civil information, you need to be sure before you offer someone a job.
- Prepare an offer letter – Outline the salary, benefits and all policies. Have a lawyer help you draft the letter and then use it as a template for all hires. An offer letter is a written agreement between you and an employee, so make sure that both parties sign it.
The hiring process takes time and attention
If your company is small or a startup, you might be tempted to take shortcuts because you don’t have the time or the resources. However, an effective hiring process, while being a considerable investment, reaps obvious benefits over time. If you want your company to enjoy increased financial performance [4], productivity, quality, customer and employee satisfaction, take the time to find the right people for the right jobs.
What are your experiences in hiring people? Do you have additional suggestions? We’d love to hear from you – please add your comments below.