Hiring the right team member is always important, but these days it verges on vital. This is so for many reasons.
In a time of historic low unemployment, employers are facing an incredibly tight job market. Not only does that mean finding qualified job candidates is more difficult than (almost) ever before, but it also means that those applicants can be—and are—more choosy than ever.
What this means for your business is that in order to land that next great employee, you must be savvy, and the job and benefits package must be top-notch and enticing. Fail to check any of those boxes and you will either not attract the best candidates, or possibly, as is their prerogative these days, that new hire could just ghost you when a “better” gig comes along.
The Problem with Hiring the Wrong Person
Make no mistake about it: Lowering the bar and hiring the wrong person because that right person is difficult to find right now is wrong for so many reasons:
• Financially, a bad hire can cost your organization a lot of money. Hiring takes time and money, and training takes time and effort. Hire the wrong person, therefore, and a great deal of time, money, effort and resources go down the drain.
• Morale-wise, the wrong hire can upset the valuable culture you have so painstakingly created. Business people like to say that their employees are their most valuable asset. The best businesses know that that is actually true, and one reason is because great businesses empower their staff to be great. But, that said, it is also true that one bad apple can indeed spoil the bunch—and we don’t want our bunches spoiled.
• Productivity too can be compromised by the wrong hire. You know why. Enough said.
• Reputation damage is also a real possibility when you hire the wrong employee. Internally, the bad employee can spread rumors and gossip, thereby poisoning the well. And externally, incorrect and even untrue tweets and posts can stem from the bad or aggrieved employee. Moreover, the disgruntled employee who happens to deal with the public can cause reputational damage. The result of all three factors can result in damage to your hard-won good name.
Seven Steps To The Perfect Hire
Here are seven possibly unexpected steps to take to help you find that perfect person: The one who has been looking for your business, and the one you need to fill your gaps.
1. Ask: “Who is our ideal candidate?”
Needless to say, the person you want to hire will have the educational and experiential background to do the job. That is a given. It is also not what I am talking about.
More importantly, you want to think about the potential hire’s intangible qualities. What sort of personality type works best in your office, and in this position? How much initiative do you need in this person? Or, altenatively, do they need to be a good listener and follower?
2. Know your business.
Hiring the right person should entail taking stock of your company. What sort of person will fit your environment and culture? What resources and budget do you have allocated to train them properly? How much time are you willing to spend to get them up to speed? The answer to questions like these will help you narrow your criteria.
3. Talk to your team.
Aside from your own take on what works best in your office, it would similarly behoove you to talk to top teammates. What do they think new people need to know and be like?
4. Stand out from the crowd.
Apple once had a compelling ad campaign that featured the likes of Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi and Amelia Earhart with the tagline “Think Different.”
That is what you need to do too if you are going to find the perfect person in this economic climate. Given the tight job market, and given the tendency of a younger generation to be choosier than those who came before them, it is incumbent upon you to stand out when marketing for a position.
Your job description should not be just the same old thing. Within the confines of honesty and transparency, you have to make the position sound enticing, exciting, fun and interesting. Be creative. Write creatively. Use video if needed. Share your corporate personality.
5. Don’t underestimate word-of-mouth.
Often, the best candidates come from a happy employee telling one of their pals about the great business where they work. You can use this to your benefit by incentivizing employees to do just that. By offering a bonus to employees who refer qualified candidates, you can be assured of getting some great referrals.
6. Remember: Teamwork makes the dream work.
Yes, you may be the boss or hiring manager, but especially in a small business, a group decision-making effort when bringing on a vital new hire can make a lot of sense. Get your team involved and ask for their feedback. After all, you will all be working closely together if everything goes as planned.
7. “Trust, but verify”
In the 1980s, the United States and the Soviet Union were deep in the Cold War. To reduce tensions, President Reagan and Soviet Premier Gorbachev engaged in personal diplomacy and soon forged a strong personal bond.
After several face-to-face meetings, they had a breakthrough on an arms reduction treaty. While Reagan was encouraged, he also uttered this famous phrase when it came to Soviet intentions: “Trust, but verify.”
Finding the right talent is within your grasp.
No matter how much you and your team like the best candidate, you still must do your due diligence in order to make sure your instincts are correct.
Cover all these bases and you can rest assured that your next hire will be among your best hires.