1) Be clear on who you need
You just want someone doing the job—now! However, before you hurry out to find someone to fill the spot, take some time to figure out exactly who you need. That will take a bit more time now but will save you time and money in the long run.
2) Convert your need into a job description
Merely listing your job requirements won’t get you the right person. Create a job description that encapsulates your requirements from both an experience and personality perspective.
3) Make sure you have an effective and legal hiring process
A consistent and effective recruiting process should include a single point for applying (like an email address or website). It should also request the same information from everyone (i.e. resumes, cover letters, or application forms) as well as meet government equal opportunity standards. The best processes rely heavily on technology and the web in all aspects of the hiring process.
4) Sell the opportunity, not the salary
Whether you’re advertising on job boards or relying on referrals, make sure your job sounds exciting to applicants. The best people are more concerned with career growth and want the opportunity to make an impact. Make sure you emphasize what the person will do, learn, and become.
5) Make sure everyone knows about your job
There are a number of ways to get the word out about your job. Use job boards (both free and paid), get referrals from employees and colleagues, and tell everyone who you connect with on social networking sites that you’re looking and who you’re looking for.
6) Hiring is both art and science—there are tools that can help you
Of course you have to feel good about the person you’re hiring. However, these decisions need to be supported by objective data to eliminate biases and causes the recruiting process to produce more consistent, reliable, and high-quality results. There are inexpensive, easy-to-use tools that can help you with your hiring decisions. Use them.
7) Only interview the best candidates
If you have an effective process for screening, then you’ll only spend time interviewing the best candidates for your job.
8) Focus interviews around gaps
Don’t just ask every candidate the same job interview questions, use the interview to look for gaps or watch-outs in the candidate’s profile, relative to your job. Remember as well that the interview is an opportunity for your candidates to learn about your organization, so give them a chance to ask questions too.
9) Check references—personally!
You’ve already screened and interviewed candidates, so check their references (both the ones they provide, as well as others you find on your own) before making your final decision. Don’t delegate this to someone else—do it yourself because nobody will dig for red flags as well as you. See reference check questions
10) Even when you’re done, you’re not done
A bad start can have new employees questioning their decision to join your company and reducing your employee retention. Make sure your new employees have phones and computers set up (if necessary) and have a basic orientation, including lunch on the first day with key people at your firm.
