Hiring a new employee is one of the most important management decisions you’ll make – not just today, but this week, this month, this year, and for the future of your business. You’re probably aware of the disastrous costs associated with hiring mistakes: In addition to a financial hit that can equate to many times more than the cost of a person’s annual salary, the effects can be devastating to morale, engagement and productivity.

To sum it up, you need to get this right, the first time around. So, when you feel 99.9 percent sure that the person in front of you is “the one” for the job, what steps can you take to erase even that slim margin of doubt?

Fit the personality to the job.

Get to know your candidate as a person, not just a skill set. Take a behavioral approach to interview questions, and deep dive till you reach that “aha moment” where personality, potential and cultural fit click to form “better” candidates.

• Don’t be pigeonholed into thinking the person with the right education and experience is the right candidate. Judge their social and other soft skills. Listen actively and get an accurate gauge of their strengths in communications, teamwork, thought processes and emotional intelligence.
• The kind of person you hire depends on your company culture, as well as the job itself. In addition to asking your candidate questions, have them interview you. Be open and honest when they ask, “What’s it like to work here?” Give them a realistic preview of your work environment. Allowing a candidate to interview you allows you to see what’s truly important to them. And, they can decide once and for all whether they want to keep pursuing the job or decide that it’s not the right fit.

Check the person’s social media profiles.

Beyond background checks, reference checks and Google searches, carefully review your candidate’s social media presence.

• Go beyond LinkedIn to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other platforms. How a person behaves on social media is generally a good indication of the type of person they are. Remember, if you hire them, they’ll be representing you as well.

Involve team members in the hiring process.

Take a 360-degree approach by having your candidate meet with four or five different staff members individually. Ideally, this should be a cross representation of their managers, peers and, if applicable, their direct reports. If more than one team member has concerns when you meet to debrief, it’s likely that you need to keep your options open.

• Create a new hire wish list. With your team members, write down all the qualities – including both hard and soft skills – that you want in your new hire. What traits and personality type would truly incite, excite and motivate the entire team? This will give you a concrete measure of what you’re seeking and create a clear sense of accountability.

The process of selecting the right candidate can be daunting. To assist you with developing your strategy and carrying out the necessary steps to achieve it, consider partnering with the experts at CPS Recruitment^®. We’ll put our years of experience and market intelligence to work for you. To learn more, contact us today at 315-457-2500 or sales@cpsrecruiter.com.