How to know you are hiring the right person
Hiring the correct candidate is not an easy task. Employers all get it wrong at one point or another. On the other hand, other employers get it right most of the time.
Hiring the right person for a job is undeniably crucial. If you make a mistake on this part, it could cause an extent of trouble to your business operations; therefore, it makes sense to use a talent acquisition platform such as SignalHire to help you sift through the many applications you might receive. It is a user-friendly search tool that will provide insight into the market situations and candidates that you are considering to fill your vacancies.
photo TheAndrasBarta Pixabay
Choosing the right candidate
You will more than likely receive a large number of candidates for a limited number of vacancies. The question is how do you know which candidate to pick?
Don’t just rely on your gut, and consider the following good signs and red flags when interviewing candidates:
- Consistency of answers. If the candidate’s answers to your queries doesn’t match what’s written on her cover letter or resume, that could be an initial sign of dishonesty or unreliability.
- Explanation about why he left a position and had any gaps in employment. If he cannot exactly tell what made him leave his previous position or if there are obvious signals that he’s lying about it, that’s a red flag. You can do a reference check to ensure that the story is well-stitched.
- Reference checks. If the former employer of the candidate tells dominantly positive feedback about him, then that’s a sign you have got a star player.
- Evidence of the skills they claim. The candidate must be able to articulate that he does have the skills written on his resume or cover letter.
- Demeanor. If the candidate can’t properly answer just about any interview question, ask yourself if this is something you can deal with on a day-to-day basis.
- Strong work history. If the employee’s work history shows many job shifts, that could be a red flag. If the period of time he spends in each company he went to is generally short, he might be a job jumper. It would be a waste of time training someone who might just be gone anytime soon.
- Shows initiative. There are certain aspects that can readily show whether a person has initiative or not. People with initiative are good to keep because they can work with minimal supervision, and they can even learn all by themselves. They can also most likely go the extra mile when doing their job.
Hiring the best employee can be considered a science and an art. IQ tests, personality inventories, and other standardized measures might be handy for some. However, the key things that can establish your decision must depend on the employee’s skill set and mindset. Like what the book The Way of the Shepherd by William Pentak and Kevin Leman described, a good employee must have the right SHAPE. He should have the right Strengths, Heart, Attitude, Personality, and Experiences.
You can start getting leads for your prospect employees online or offline. You can visit www.signalhire.com to start looking for your superstar.
Author: Lolita Di
photo: photologue_np via Flickr
