Get Ahead of the Competition: 8 Tips on Hiring
Here’s a crazy fact - our national unemployment rate is currently 3.5% (as of October 2019). This is the lowest it’s been since 1969! That’s awesome right?! Well, yes for the economy, but not so much if you’re trying to hire for your company.
I just got back from a wonderful few days in San Francisco and I was reminded just how cutthroat things currently are. Competition this fierce can lead to poor quality candidates and exhausted hiring teams.
The key to making an offer that gets accepted is preparation and approaching the process with intention. Make sure you’re a cut above the others by really honing in your hiring process. The days of “I’ll know it’s the right candidate when I start speaking to them” are over.
Here are 8 tips for making sure you are adding the right person to your team:
Identify the role. I recommend creating an organization chart that lists the key responsibilities of the current team. Who’s handling too much or handling something that isn’t in their wheelhouse? You’ll be able to narrow your hiring needs to fit your team.
Systemize your hiring process. Make sure your process is consistent throughout the organization. Determine the interview phases, people involved, questions being asked, how people will be scored, etc.
Ask your team for top talent. Invite your existing team to bring in candidates; they’ll have a unique perspective about the missing piece. Emphasize recommending new talent as part of the culture. You can also think about whether a referral bonus makes sense to implement.
Focus on candidate experience. With all the people you interview, even the ones you don’t end up hiring, spend time listening to their experience. Spending extra time here will definitely pay off in the end. I’ve seen candidates who haven’t gotten a position, recommend people in their network due to such a positive interview experience.
Understand their first hand experience. When your team is performing the first phase of interviews, it’s a good idea to put together a punch list of responsibilities the position will need to handle. Have the interviewer go through each item and ask whether the candidate has FIRST HAND experience with the responsibility (they can answer yes/no). Resumes can be a web of information so this is a great way to understand their true capabilities.
Get more curious. In the interviews, push past the simple answers and ask “Why,” “How,” and “Tell Me More” to dig into answers. This will help you get a clear understanding of what they’re really saying -- or not saying!
Be transparent. Speak honestly with your candidate about the challenges the position might face. The right people will see these challenges as opportunities for them to work their magic and will prevent the feeling of the old “bait and switch.” Remember an interview is a time for you to see if the candidate is a good fit. It is also an imperative time for the candidate to discern if your company is a good fit for their goals!
Perform a skill test. With specific positions, it makes sense to have candidate complete a skill test or pay the candidate for a test project, if you can. It’s one thing to list proficiencies on a resume, it’s a whole other beast to be able to deliver on your InDesign skills (or whichever skill you’re looking for). You wouldn’t buy a car without testing driving it right? Why hire a high cost employee without doing the same?
Adding a new team member to your team is a huge pressure! It is both costly to your finances and your team culture if you rush the decision. Hiring can be challenging, especially in such a competitive landscape, but implementing these tips will set you apart from the pack and increase your chances of success. 💪
