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Employees are more than just workers; your employees are your business. Without their dedication and guidance, you are a sinking ship. Finding the right people for your business is vital to your success. When you are looking for people to trust, you need to have a plan in mind. You are looking for someone who is perfect, right? Wrong. You want someone who works perfectly for you. Everybody has flaws. You won’t find a cyborg-style candidate who is perfect in every way. Instead, look for the good in people and see how you can use their skills to your advantage. Here is a secret guide to finding the right employees for you.
1 – Search in more than just one place
When you have a position available, you want a wide variety of people to apply for it. If you post your job role on just one site, you’re only hitting one demographic. You need to broaden your search and find a variety of people. The more choice you have when hiring somebody, the more likely you are to find the right person for the job.
2 – Create your ultimate checklist
Most people use the checklist system when they are interviewing people. Avoid having a generic checklist as people tend to know what you’re looking for when you use a standard list. If your list consists of requirements, such as punctuality and reliability, you need to change it. You should be more specific in your requirements. Choose things that apply directly to the role at hand. That way, you will find a person who fits the bill, rather than someone who is an interview pro.
3 – Look for people, not skills
People can learn skills, but they can’t learn personality. When you are hiring someone for your company, you need to think about whether they will fit in or not. Teamwork is likely to be a huge part of your business. If you hire somebody who disrupts your team, you will have loads of office issues. Instead, make sure that you choose someone who is right for your workplace.
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4 – Test their personality
There are certain ways you can test someone’s personality while you are interviewing them. One of the easiest ways to find out about a candidate is to ask them a random question. People prepare for interviews; they already have all their answers ready for you. You want to see how someone can think on their feet. Ask candidates what their opinion is on a local news story or what they did the night before the interview. Asking people someone a little different will throw some candidates. Others will relish the idea of a challenge. You want someone who is adaptable in your business. That means that you want someone who can adapt to any situation.
5 – Check backgrounds
It is vital that you check people’s backgrounds before you hire them. Many business owners forget to do a thorough background check on each of their candidates. You need to know how honest your potential employee is and whether he or she is right for your business. You need to find out everything about each candidate whom you consider. That way, you know whether they are the right person for the job.
6 – Ask for examples of experience
People will tell you that they have loads of experience, but can they prove it? Don’t trust people blindly. Anyone can say that they have done anything, and if you don’t question it, you’ll never know the truth. When people say that they have experience in a certain area, ask for examples. You could ask to see someone’s portfolio or examples of previous work. You could call up ex-employers and ask about a candidate’s previous work experience. Sometimes people are too trusting. The job market is a vicious place, and people will do anything to get ahead of the crowd. If something sounds too good to be true, check it.
7 – Get a second opinion
When you are hiring someone, you need more than just your opinion. Everybody makes mistakes, even you. The last thing you want is to hire somebody who you later find is wrong for your company. Make sure that someone else from your office interviews people with you. That way, you get two opinions on who the right candidate is. Sometimes people act while they are in an interview scenario. They present a false front to the interviewer. You might not see through someone’s mask, whilst the other interviewer might pick up that something is wrong.
8 – Hire them asap
When you find the right person for your business, hire them asap. Make sure that you are ready to take on someone before you start holding interviews. Get a large office from an agency, such as Regus, to accommodate new staff before you hire them. Make sure that their role is open and that they can start right away. Finding the right employee for your company is like finding gold dust. The problem is that if they are looking for jobs, someone might snap them up fast. You need to get in there first and hire them before someone else does.
9 – Have a trial run
You should always make sure that you put someone on a trial run. Giving someone a permanent contract right away is a mistake. You might think that someone is ideal for your company, but you don’t know how they will fit in until they start working for you. Putting someone on a trial period gives you a chance to change your mind. Some people are great at interviews, but poor when it comes to working. Make sure that you give someone a month’s trial so that you find the right person for the job.
10 – Go with your gut
At the end of the day, you know your company better than anyone else. If anybody can choose the right candidate for your business, it is you. If you feel that someone is right for the job, they probably are. When you find a candidate who looks the part and whom you like, you should hire them.
Featured image credit: Workplace Concept/ShutterStock
