Making good hiring decisions is crucial for any business. Managers who are able to effectively identify and recruit top talent can help their organizations thrive, while those who struggle to make the right hiring decisions may find themselves constantly dealing with turnover, low productivity, and other challenges. So, what can managers do to improve their hiring processes and make better hiring decisions? In this blog post, we will explore some strategies that managers can use to find and hire the best candidates for their organizations.
- Start with a clear job description
The first step to making good hiring decisions is to have a clear understanding of what the job entails. This means creating a job description that outlines the responsibilities, qualifications, and skills required for the position. If you list things as ‘required’ then they should actually be required, with no exceptions. If you would make an exception in some cases, you should list those items as ‘preferred’. Otherwise, you run the risk that a really great candidate will not apply because they are missing that trait.
A clear job description helps ensure that candidates understand what is expected of them, and it also helps managers identify candidates who have the necessary skills and experience to excel in the role.
- Look for the right fit
When it comes to hiring, skills and experience are important, but they are not the only factors that matter. Managers should also look for candidates who are a good fit for the company culture and the team they will be working with. This means considering factors such as communication style, work ethic, and personality traits. A candidate who has the right skills and experience but doesn’t fit in with the team or the company culture may not be a good long-term hire. Often, you can teach skills, but you can’t teach someone to integrate into a culture.
- Use multiple channels to find candidates
To find the best candidates for a position, managers should cast a wide net and use multiple channels to recruit. This may include posting job ads on job boards and social media, reaching out to industry contacts, and even attending job fairs or industry events. Do what works for you. Sometimes using a site like LinkedIn or Indeed can yield you too many candidates to review. If you don’t have an automated way of reviewing resumes in those cases, those methods may not be the best for you. By using multiple channels, managers increase the likelihood of finding a diverse pool of qualified candidates.
- Conduct thorough interviews
Interviews are a crucial part of the hiring process, but they can also be misleading for the hiring manager if not conducted properly. To make the most of interviews, managers should prepare a list of questions that are specifically tailored to the job and the candidate’s experience. They should also ask open-ended questions that encourage candidates to elaborate on their skills and experience. Additionally, managers should consider using behavioral interview questions that ask candidates to describe how they handled specific situations in the past. This can help managers better understand how a candidate is likely to perform in the role.
- Check references
Checking references is an important step in the hiring process that can help managers verify a candidate’s qualifications and experience. When checking references, managers should ask specific questions related to the job and the candidate’s work history. This can help them gain insight into how the candidate performs on the job, how they work with others, and whether they have any areas for improvement.
- Consider skills assessments
Skills assessments are a valuable tool for managers who want to get a better sense of a candidate’s abilities. These assessments can help identify candidates who have the technical skills and knowledge required for the job. They can also help identify candidates who may have the potential to learn new skills quickly or who may need additional training in certain areas.
- Involve the team
Involving the team in the hiring process can help managers make better hiring decisions. Team members can provide valuable feedback on a candidate’s fit with the team and the company culture. They can also help identify any red flags or concerns that the manager may have missed. Additionally, involving the team in the hiring process can help build buy-in and engagement from team members.
- Be transparent about the hiring process
Finally, it is important for managers to be transparent about the hiring process with candidates. This means setting clear expectations about the timeline for the hiring process and communicating with candidates throughout the process. It also means providing feedback to candidates, even if they are not selected for the position. Keep in mind that while this may be a single hire in a larger company for you, it is the candidate’s entire livelihood. By being transparent, managers can build trust and goodwill with candidates, which can be valuable for the company’s reputation and future recruiting efforts.
In conclusion, making good hiring decisions is crucial for the success of any organization. By following these strategies, managers can improve their hiring processes and find the best candidates for their teams. This includes starting with a clear job description, looking for the right fit, using multiple channels to find candidates, conducting thorough interviews, checking references, considering skills assessments, involving the team, and being transparent about the hiring process with candidates. With these strategies in place, managers can build strong teams and help their organizations thrive.
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