Running a business is both a challenging and rewarding endeavor. With so many facets and angles to worry about, the importance of hiring exceptional—not just qualified—employees gets overlooked. If you own and operate a small business, a dedicated HR department might not be in your company’s budget. Whether you have a dedicated hiring team or not, here are some helpful tips on how to hire new employees and what you should be looking for as a business owner.
Ask the Right Questions
Interviews are all about learning everything you possibly can about your potential employees. You can’t get an accurate overview of a candidate’s experience and qualifications if you aren’t asking the right questions. Some of these questions might sound obvious, but they are important to ask nonetheless.
- Tell me about your greatest achievement at work.
An applicant’s answer will reveal a lot about their values as an employee and what they consider to be important.
- What kind of work environment and culture are you looking for?
Finding out what an employee wants out of their work environment is important. You want your employees to desire the same climate and energy that your company provides. This is one of the best ways to make sure your new employee is a going to be a good fit.
- Where do you see yourself in 2 years? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
As an employer, you want to make sure that you’re hiring someone who wants to stick with your company. An applicant may not always answer this question honestly, but it’s still an important question to ask as it will reveal some of their short and long-term goals.
- What skills do you bring to the table and what can you contribute to the company?
This is an interesting question because it will force the applicant to ponder on their skills and qualifications. You need skilled laborers and employees; while a resume can reveal what kind of experience they have, it may not indicate the skills they picked up along the way.
- How do you stay current on your knowledge and skills in the field?
If an applicant stumbles over their answer for this one, you know they probably aren’t taking steps to keep their knowledge and skills sharp. Your business needs someone who is determined to be the absolute best at what they do. A qualified employee stays motivated outside the workplace in the development of their craft.
Conduct a Thorough Background Check
Every employer is required to do a background check, but it’s important to consider your timeline, especially if you desperately need to place someone in an open position. So how long does a pre-employment background check take? Traditional checks can sometimes take up to a week, so you are going to want to make sure that you have enough time for the check to come through before you give your new employee a start date. Online screening services can expedite the process, so shop around and find a convenient (and trustworthy!) screening solution that will give you the information you need. A background check can give you the details you need to decide if their past will disqualify them from the position.
Credit Check
Depending on what jurisdiction you live in, there can be some strict rules and regulations regarding credit checks. Before conducting a credit check on a potential employee, make sure you are in compliance with your local laws. You may be required to get consent from the interviewee before you can obtain their credit history. A credit report is a great way to see what kind of debt and credit your new employee might have.
References
Call the interviewee’s references before the interview if you can. A former boss or manager is going to know more about their former employee’s work ethic and qualifications than anyone else. Far too often employers completely skip over this process. You might be surprised as to how many fake references someone will put on their resume. Taking the time for this important step can save you the trouble of hiring a dishonest employee and cut the number of interviews you will have to conduct.
When it comes to hiring new employees, trust your instincts and use these tips and tricks to streamline the process, saving you time and money.