4 TIPS FOR HELPING ENSURE YOU HIRE THE RIGHT CANDIDATE

Whenever a company starts the process of hiring a new employee because they have a need, there’s an important line that the company must walk.
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That line involves taking enough time during the process to make sure they hire the right candidate and taking too much time during the process, which might hamper productivity since the company is short-staffed.

Every company wants to hire the right person, and every company wants to do it in an expedient fashion so that productivity doesn’t suffer.  However, it’s easier said than done.  The pressure to hire somebody to fill an open position becomes greater over time, as does the temptation to hire somebody who seems “good enough” to alleviate that pressure.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way.  It’s not an either-or proposition.  Alternative solutions do exist, and they can help alleviate the pressure and also help ensure that you hire the right candidate.

In fact, below are four tips for accomplishing just that:
1. Craft the most accurate job description possible.  The job description has more than likely changed since before the previous person worked in the position.  Make sure that any and all changes are incorporated into the current description to improve accuracy and reduce time-to-hire.
2. Hire a temporary employee during the interim.  This helps overcome both challenges, because it allows you to expend more time and energy finding the right candidate and it also guards against a drop in productivity.  And who knows?  Maybe the temporary employee will turn out to be the long-term solution.
3. Get your well-written job description in front of the right candidates.  You can’t hire the right candidate if that candidate doesn’t even know that your job opening exists.  This could involve working with recruiting firms and staffing agencies, which typically have access to more targeted and qualified candidates.
4. Always be scouting possible candidates.  Successful hiring is all about being proactive, and that includes keeping a tally of people you’d like to eventually be part of your team.  It could also include conducting informal “courtesy interviews” even if you don’t currently have an opening to fill or an immediate need.

One important thing to keep in mind is that the “perfect candidate” does not exist.  Dragging the process out until you find that candidate, no matter how many of the above tips you’ve heeded, is only going to result in “hiring heartbreak.”

However—and this is the important distinction—hiring officials typically select a better candidate if they take their time during the process and don’t feel rushed or under pressure.

The worst-case scenario is NOT waiting too long to hire the right person.  It’s hiring the wrong person too soon.