By Anita Ginsberg
Modern estimates show that a single bad hire can cost a company as much as $120,000, and this is if the situation is rectified immediately. The hiring process can be daunting for a number of reasons, and this is why business owners should keep these six tips in mind to ensure that they find the right employee the first time.
1. Focus On Responsibilities, Not Job Titles
A business owner is rarely going to find a new hire that is an expert in every skill needed for a new position, and that is why it is more important to focus on the responsibilities of the job than the title. More employees than ever are branching out of the field that they have previously worked or studied in, and owners should hire candidates that match the key responsibilities, not necessarily the title of the position.
2. Define Success
Owners should think carefully about what a successful new hire will be. For some, it may be as simple as an employee that can pick up a few basic skills while others may need an employee that can focus on the bigger picture. When an employer personally defines success within that position, finding the best candidate to meet those requirements of success becomes easier.
3. Find a Pre-Screening Company
For some business owners, there simply is not enough hours in the day to find the right candidate, and a single mistake can be overwhelmingly costly. A professional staffing agency is often a much more effective and financially sound choice as these agencies carry out all of their own screening and have a larger pool of qualified candidates.
4. Look Outside the Industry
More than ever, employers and potential employees are searching outside of their own industry to find the perfect match. While it may be nice to get an individual with a background in the industry, employers should be focusing on the candidate’s work ethic, compatibility with the current staff, and overall attitude instead of the specific skillset which they can pick up along the way.
5. Be Patient
There may be a time and a place in which a position needs to be filled immediately, but this will result in a high turnover rate more often than not. Whenever possible, owners need to give themselves time to find the perfect candidate, not just an employable that seems suitable enough to fill the position.
6. Hire for Personality
In the end, a new employee is going to have to interact with everyone else in the company, even more so with a smaller business. While every member of the staff does not need to become close friends, finding employees that have an overall personable demeanor will go a long way towards efficiency and contentedness in the workplace.
Choosing a new employee is often one of the most vital choices that a business owner will have to make. Taking the time to choose correctly could make all the difference in the coming months and years.
Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, CO and often writes about business, finance, education and home. She graduated from Colorado State University in 2004. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing.
