An organized, strategic approach to hiring saves you time, money, and the headache of having to rehire when a candidate doesn’t work out. By clearly defining hiring needs – and then refining them as your business evolves – you will:
- See the type of person who will succeed in every position.
- Successfully develop the questions for every interview.
- Garner key input from other stakeholders, which will either corroborate your first impression of an applicant or highlight disconnects.
In tandem with your recruitment firm, your hiring needs should be continually revised and updated. Start by defining your current needs, and then go forward and tweak them as needed to meet your changing organisational goals.
Start with a Base Line
Your goal is to reduce costly turnover and enhance the speed and quality of hiring. Get started by defining where you are today. This encompasses:
- Your culture and values: In order for a new hire to succeed, their personality must match the culture and work environment of your company. Skills can be learned. Cultural fit cannot.
- Your goals: Make sure that you clearly understand the short- and long-term goals of your organisation and of every business-critical role. Then, you can develop a list of required skills and qualifications.
- Requirements for career advancement: You cannot lure leading candidates without a compelling menu of career growth within your company. Make sure your current top performers, as well as future superstar hires, are fully aware of the opportunities you offer to develop them. This gives you a critical competitive edge when contacting prospects.
Hire the Best
The best way to ensure the successful implementation of your business objectives is to hire the right people. As noted by Les McKeown in his Inc. article “How to Hire Great People – Every Time,” the hiring process is “the most important strategic planning your company needs.”
Your managers must constantly seek and hire employees who will help your company to grow and become more profitable. This is accomplished by:
- Getting to know candidates as individuals. Their unique experiences, skill sets, attitudes and behaviors will reveal which ones are most likely to succeed in a particular job.
- Clearly defining each position and its requirements: This includes the necessary education, experience and knowledge for a candidate to be successful. It gives you a road map to follow when evaluating applicants for the best fit.
- Testing: The fact is: Many people lie, or at least stretch the truth, on their resumes. To ensure that a candidate has the skills they say they do, conduct written, role playing or simulation tests. For example, ask a marketing department prospect to explain the key components of a product launch plan.
- Taking a 360-degree approach. Have final candidates interview with others within the company, especially those with whom they will most frequently interact if hired.
While the steps to perfecting your hiring strategy may seem overwhelming at first, you can take them in stride by working with an expert recruitment team. Read our related posts or contact Employment Professionals Canada to learn how we can help you succeed.