By Lina Martinez

So, you think it’s about time you took the step and grew the business. Hiring is a time-consuming process that can also cost a good deal. So you need to make sure you get the best results out of it as you possibly can. That all starts with putting together the right process. So we’re going to look at each step of how you land on the right person.

 

 

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Know what you need

The very first thing you should do is look at the role you’re hoping to fill. First, do you need to hire someone or could a freelancer be a better idea? After you’ve answered that question, you then need to think about what the role needs. Experience is an obvious factor, but not always the most important. You can train people in skills if they have related talents. You might not always be able to train them to develop personality traits. So think about the work ethic they need and the environment they’ll be in. This is going to help you frame what kinds of questions you ask them.

 

Cast a wide net

The majority of jobs are not advertised online or in print. Yet that is easily how the majority of people look for jobs. You might think it a good idea to stick to your contacts and get people recommended by those you trust. But that’s not always the best idea. Lapses of judgment happen to everyone. You need to increase the size of the pool to have a better chance of landing a big fish. Consider free job posting sites and local newspapers, as well.

 

Then go deep

Once you’ve got people sending in applications, you need to start looking deeper at them. The application is going to give you an idea of experience and skills. It’s important, but the interview might be the single most important part of the process. It’s not just their answers that matter. Their engagement in the process matters, too. Have they clearly done their research on your business? Are they asking questions of their own? Do they seem genuinely interested in learning more about the role and how they can fit it? You don’t want someone who seems like they know all the answers, necessarily. Someone engaged in finding them can be a more valuable asset.

 

Don’t just take their word for it

After the interview, you will probably have a few you can’t decide on. That’s when you take the step that many assume you won’t take. We’re talking about chasing up their references. For one, you want to corroborate any stories of past experience they have. You also want to learn about the kind of relationship they had with their last employer. A positive one doesn’t necessarily dictate a good worker, either.

 

After you’ve followed all the tips above, you should have hopefully landed someone. Or even more than one to consider hiring. From here on, it’s all about training them right and keeping them engaged. Good luck!

 

Lina Martinez has her B.S. in journalism and is a contributor to our politics, life and money pages. She once admitted over drinks to singing "Careless Whisper" in the shower. We are still trying to get her to sing it at karaoke.

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