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Last Updated on May 15, 2020 by Work In My Pajamas
Your staff is the motor that keeps your business afloat and thriving, so it’s in your best interest to build a team that’s going to help you meet your goals. But finding stellar employees is easier said than done. Between under-qualified candidates to unreliable applicants, there are so many obstacles you must overcome in order to create an all-star crew.
But with a few simple hiring tips and a polishing up of your process, you can build a team that you’re really proud of. Read on for our top hiring tips:
In This Post:
Start with a smart job description
Your job description is the first impression your job applicants have of your organization, so make it count! Luckily, it’s not hard to come up with a solid description once you have the basics down:
- Post on reputable sites: Job posting sites and networking platforms are typically the best avenues for attracting great applicants. You might want to avoid fringe ones or standard social media sites so that you garner the attention of serious candidates only.
- Double-check for writing errors: You want your company to be presented in the best light possible, so it’s important that your description looks and reads polished. Use an online writing assistant, like Grammarly, to help you craft a job description that’s as engaging as it is grammatically correct.
- Share an accurate picture of the open position: Ideally, your candidate will be well-equipped with the skills and motivation to get the job done starting on day one, but that won’t happen if they’re not prepped for the position. Make sure the job responsibilities and company values are crystal clear so there’s no confusion later on.
- Spark interest with perks: Finding exceptional employees can be a pretty competitive game, especially when companies are offering unlimited PTO, great healthcare, and other tempting benefits. So, play the game, and list off all that your organization has to offer—this includes your fun or wellness-focused company culture!
Once you have an impressive and enticing job description posted, you’ll almost certainly be watching the applications flood into your inbox. From there, you’ll want to take some time to sort through applicants and set up interview times. If you have a larger applicant pool, start with phone screenings to save time on in-person meetings.
Conduct an effective interview
Interviews can be overwhelming and awkward for everyone involved, but with these simple steps, you can craft an interview process that’s intuitive and informative:
- Panel interviews are time-saving and also allow you to gather insight from multiple perspectives.
- Delegating important questions is an easy way to get all questions answered.
- Use scenario-based questions to find out how an applicant would handle specific situations.
- Include questions that give you a sense of the candidate’s personality and work ethic.
Verify candidate information
Congratulations! You’ve managed to narrow down your applicant pool to one or two really strong candidates, and you can see your talented team coming together. But before you move any further, it’s wise to take a second glance at your prospective employees by running a background check.
What is a background check? A background check verifies information provided by your applicants to confirm that they really are the skilled candidate that they are on paper. These checks show criminal records, employment history, identity verification, and more.
Beyond your own interests, screening applicants is an important step to take in order to keep your existing employees and your customers safe.
Train, train, train
At this point, you’ve hired your dream team and you’re almost ready to put them to work, but first, we’d recommend building out a strong training process beforehand. Taking this step can help you set expectations, introduce company standards and processes, and foster team connections.
To lessen the burden of training and onboarding, consider using training software which creates a repository for all of your training materials and can help you roll out SOPs with ease.
Incentivize good referrals
If you’re really happy with the team that you’ve curated, consider asking your staff for referrals. Chances are, your standout staff will have some similarly hard-working colleagues in mind. You can incentivize them with a bonus, extra time off, or a gift card!
What hiring strategies have worked for you in the past? Open up the conversation in the comment section below!
