If you are a manager, one of the most stressful aspects of your job is finding good people to fill your open roles. Whether you work in a small business or for a large company, hiring great talent can be challenging. There are many things to consider when you are reviewing resumes and scheduling interviews, but if you focus on some key factors, you will be well positioned to find great candidates.
The first step toward finding good people is developing a position description. Be sure to word the position description in a way that adequately describes the most important skills needed for the job. If the available position calls for certain communication or technical skills, be sure that is listed clearly. If applicants are expected to know specific software programs, be sure that knowledge is indicated as well. Next, post this well-written position description on your preferred job posting sites.
Once you have posted your job listing, you will have to begin screening applicants. This can be time-intensive depending on the number of responses received! Look through all of the submitted resumes and rule out those who obviously do not have the right qualifications for the job. This process can be as lenient or as strict as needed, depending on how many people apply for the position. If you received a large number of responses, you will have to immediately rule out some applicants for the sake of time. However, if you have little to choose from, you may wish to interview those who may not otherwise be an obvious choice. Sometimes these hidden gems could turn out to be a great hire. But, if there are truly no viable candidates to select from, you may want to consider using an agency.
After you have narrowed your applicant field, you may want to start with an initial phone screen. During this step, you will be able to reiterate needed skills sets and confirm that the applicant has the skills needed to perform adequately. This step can save a lot of time and ensure you are only bringing in the best candidates to interview.
After you’ve selected the individuals you would like to invite in for an interview, the scheduling process begins. Though scheduling can be a nightmare it is obviously essential. Interviewing can be very stressful for both the interviewer and the candidates being interviewed. It is important to make your job candidates as comfortable as possible so you will be able to better judge them for what they are able to bring to your company. If you begin the interview with a series of tough questions, he or she may become frazzled and not be able to give you answers that illustrate his or her true abilities.
Be sure to customize your interview to the requirements of the job. You can usually tell a lot about people from how they conduct themselves during an interview. If the candidate is confident even when fielding tough problem-solving questions, he or she will probably be good at doing so in a professional setting. Be sure to take notes on positive and negative qualities of an applicant so you will be able to make and good assessment on determining if they are well-qualified and a good fit for the role.
Once you have interviewed all of the candidates you are considering, you will have to make the hard choice of who to hire. Even if you have several qualified people, there are usually one or two who really stand out. If you can narrow your choices down to two or three candidates, you can always arrange for another interview with each. Keeping in mind the requirements of the position, you can usually figure out the best person for the job after conducting a focused second interview. After you make your decision, you should be confident that you have chosen the right person to become the newest member of your team.
