How to Avoid a Bad Hire
…and find the perfect one!
Your business is growing and you want only the best of the best on your team. You’ve conducted many interviews for an open position, and you think you’ve found the perfect fit. Before you make an offer, it’s important to do everything you can to make sure you’re embracing the good and avoiding the bad. A robust hiring process prevents potential damage to your business’s reputation, profitability, and engagement with clients and other employees. So after the interview, what should you do to make sure your hire is right for the job?
Check References
It may seem like a no-brainer, but many employers skip this vital step in the process. Require all candidates to provide at least three professional references who can speak to the employee’s skills, knowledge, and personality as well as confirm or deny the information they listed on their resume. References will also have first-hand accounts of your candidate’s past work performance and history, which will be a good way to assess how that person might fit into the role in your organization. This may help you narrow your search or reevaluate your choices, saving you both time and money in the long run.
Test Employee Before Hiring
While these tests may look different for each industry or specific position, a pre-hiring assessment can reduce the number of employees who are hired without the relevant base skills or knowledge to get the job and subsequently reduce your turnover rates. Research has shown that employee tests are a good measure of how the individual will perform in the position and are often used to whittle down large applicant pools to the candidates who should be seriously considered. This shortens the hiring process and ensures that you are only taking time to interview those who are serious about the position and come equipped with the right tools to thrive.
Check-In After Hiring
Starting a new job can feel overwhelming and intimidating, especially when your new hire doesn’t feel adequately prepared from the very beginning. Whether you conduct them in person or send them an online survey, new hire check-ins can be the difference between losing your best hires right away or retaining them for years to come. Ask questions regarding policies, expectations, the workload, and their first impressions after spending a bit of time with your organization. This check-in will solidify your commitment to employee engagement and success, catch any miscommunications or misunderstandings early on, and make a positive impact on your newest talent. Work with your employees to overcome challenges together rather than leaving them on their own, and they’re much more likely to stick around.
Bring on the Best
Running a business means a constant flurry of activity, and it may feel easier to skip steps or cut corners in the hiring process for the sake of saving time. However, hiring the wrong person can lead to lost revenue, damaged employee relationships, and even community trust in your organization. Our HR services will help ensure that you’re always finding the candidate that will THRIVE in any position!