Tips for Consistently Hiring Top Talent

Making a poor hiring decision is akin to tossing a stack of money out of the window of a moving car. Depending upon what you read costs of a bad hire can range anywhere from roughly $15,000 to an eye popping $240,000 over a failed employee’s tenure .  You spend days reviewing job applicants, interviewing, and preparing for interviews. The human resource team spends hours processing on boarding paperwork. And once the hire is complete, there is additional time and money spent on training the new employee for the position. Because the hiring process is so extensive, hiring the right employee should be a priority. Following these four simple steps can help you ensure that it is.

Four Key Steps Towards Hiring The Right Way

1. Start with a clearly defined job description.

Creating a job description is probably not the first thing to cross your mind when a new position becomes available. You might be tempted to copy a generic one from the web. You may even be in the habit of recycling old job descriptions that your company has used for ages. Avoid both. While copying these types of descriptions to spread news about an open position is a common practice among some hiring managers, it is not recommended. When job descriptions don’t match the output that is expected, you can find yourself dealing with a hiring nightmare.

Using a description based on title alone is not effective. A position can carry the same title in three different companies yet have three very different roles. Something else to keep in mind is the constant change organizations undergo year after year. Sometimes, duties are transferred from one position to the next, and new ones are assigned in their place. These types of changes can significantly alter the substance of a position and require regular review to keep track.

Crafting a clearly defined job description based on your company’s current needs will help eliminate the risk of attracting the wrong candidates. You should use it as a way to define success and the exact person you are looking for. Publish clear and concise information about the job, and it will greatly increase the odds that your applicants are good fits for the position.

2. Offer competitive pay.

Have you ever heard the saying, “You get what you pay for”? It’s true! Before making a job offer, always be aware of what the market is paying for that position. Don’t go looking for someone you can pay a lower salary or who is not working just to save a little money, because it can cost you much more on the back-end. A candidate can accept a job but still have a plan to leave when a better offer arises. Recruiters will continue to contact your new hire if they think she is being underpaid, and before you know it, that newest hire will be your newest resignation.

If you are unsure about the going rate for any open positions for which you are hiring, perform some research on Glassdoor or  LinkedIn. They provide real salaries for jobs based on a variety of filters, i.e., location, company size, industries, etc. These are great resources that will help you secure your ideal employee. Making a great hire is the first step. Following a system that keeps them there is the next.

3. Have a thorough and consistent interview process.

Do not fall in love with any one candidate and if you do, play hard to get. Your interview process should be thorough from start to finish with each candidate. It’s easy to run into a candidate who steals your heart at the beginning of the interview. Your personalities align. Your humor is a match. And at times, it may feel like you’re interviewing another version of yourself. The important thing to keep in mind is that everyone has not yet been eliminated. As you transition through each interview, you can begin to narrow the list down, but do your best to keep an open mind.  No matter how much candidates sell themselves during the interview process, you should avoid short-cuts. Ask the same questions of all candidates. Continue to request that they share real-life examples displaying that particular skill you deem a requirement. Remain objective and try not to lose focus.

There are many employees out there with awesome personalities who cannot perform their job well and are costing their company money each day they come to work. You don’t want to be the hiring manager who falls in love too quickly and ends up with a broken heart.

4. Have a proper on boarding process.

“Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” On boarding is a perfect example. After choosing the best candidate for the job, your next priority should be to ensure that he becomes familiar with the company, its mission, goals, processes, etc. He should feel welcomed and be able to comfortably integrate into his new position with the company’s support.

The first 90 days are critical to a new hire’s success. Continue to check in regularly. Is he happy in his new position? Does he have any major concerns? Does he have any questions that haven’t yet been answered? You should manage this process as carefully as the interview. Having a structured and consistent onboarding process is a proven way to lower employee turnover. After investing the time and effort to hire a suitable candidate, you don’t want to lose him over an issue that could have easily been resolved by staying in touch.

Vet Candidates to Make a Good Hire

Knowing how to hire the right employees is an essential component of any successful company. The process can be both timely and costly. Employees are investments and should be treated as such. Being proactive in the beginning can prevent major headaches later. Remember: You should always be able to describe your ideal candidate before publishing a job posting. You must be aware of who you are looking for before you are able to find him. Be willing to pay for what you want. Be objective. And don’t push your new hires out of the nest too soon.

Have you had any winning hires lately? What was your proven process?