Finding the right employee for your small business can be quite a tricky thing, especially if you are too busy with your work. Still, having a good staff besides you is a key to success and choosing an employee should never be overlooked. This is a process that demands a lot of thinking. The better choice you make the better your business will do. So if you have decided to hire a new face at your business, be sure you have the following 5 things in minds.
Ask the Right Questions
First of all, make sure you ask all the candidates the same set of questions. That way, it will be easier to evaluate their answers and choose the right candidate. Asking them about their previous jobs is a good thing to start with. Ask them where they have worked before and what were their duties in that position. You should also learn more about the candidates’ personalities, so asking them questions about their strengths, weaknesses and opinions would be a good idea. Also, do not forget to ask them about their goals and where do they themselves in 5 or 10 years.
Let them Ask Questions as Well
It is not enough only to ask the candidates the questions you want. In order to learn more about them and have more information to base your choice on, you should let candidates ask you questions as well. Allowing them to interview you will give an insight on what is important to them and what type of person they are. The more information you have, more likely you are to find just the right person for the position at your small business. This will also help candidates determine if they want to work for you. A perfect employer cannot be someone who is not happy at his job.
Focus on Candidates’ Potential
Keep in mind that many skills can be acquired as your employee works. Even though current skills are important, a candidate’s potential is also something you should keep your eye on. Social intelligence and ability to act in difficult situations are important for most of the jobs but are not something you can acquire over the time. During the interview, watch if they make eye contact and how comfortable they are with answering your questions, this can tell you how they will act once they get the job.
Check their Social Media Profiles
Let’s admit it – social media has become an important part of our lives. 74% of internet users have at least one social media account and use it actively. You can tell a lot about a person once you visit their Facebook, Instagram or Twitter account. How a person acts on the social media indicates what type of person they are how they might act at work if they get the job. There are also some poor social media moves that will show you that you should look elsewhere for the new employee. All of this will help you find that perfect person for the position.
Don’t Forget Other Employees
When you are hiring a new face you should not forget about your current employees. A perfect new employee is someone who will be able to fit into the current team and help maintain positive atmosphere. A good thing to do would be to include the current staff members into the process of selection or at least ask for their opinion on the candidates. Have the top 3 candidates meet your staff and check out how they will fit in.
Interview the Right People
If all of the people who appeared for the interview, it means you are doing something wrong. If you want to find a perfect person for the job you will have to do some “scouting” by yourself. Make sure that the job ad gets to the people who might be the right choice. Another thing you can do is contact a third party who will help you find the right person for the job. For example, there are companies who can help you find personnel for sales jobs. This way, you are more likely to find that perfect employee you are looking for.
If you make a mistake and hire a wrong person make sure you end the employment as soon as possible and keep looking for the right one. Trust your hunches and give a chance to everyone who you believe deserves it.