Effective strategies to hiring good employees

There’s a lot involved in the hiring process to make sure any candidate is suitable for your business. Here are my 6 top tips (and lessons learned) for making that process easier, more streamlined and more successful.

  • Top Tip 1

During the interview process make sure you have tasks, tests or things for them to do. This will show whether they are competent. But will also show whether they will ask for help if needed or can ask good questions. This is provided they have looked at the job description and know what’s actually involved in the role.

So test them on what they know so far about the role (you would expect they have at least read the job description and if they haven’t then maybe they are not the person for the role as it show lack of care for the role already, and shows disrespect to you and your business)

Lesson learnt: I was more trying to get a feel for the person during the interview process instead of putting them through the ropes. And because of that I have probably missed the opportunity of finding any weaknesses they may have.

  • Top Tip 2

Have the applicant/s come in for a day or two for a trial run. This will allow you to see how they treat the customers, other team members and demonstrate if they actually have the knowledge to do the job effectively (allowing some leeway for future learning of your particular business, because let’s be honest they don’t yet know how you run your particular business or how your values relate to daily operations).

Just make sure you actually have a variety of things for them to do that gives them the opportunity to show you what they can do. It needs to be a fair trial run. Which means you should also give them a heads up on what they are likely going to be doing that day.

  • Top Tip 3

Make sure you do background checks. If they are fresh out of school and never had a job before then maybe speak to their teachers, sports coach, community leader (scout leader etc). If it is a place of employment you are calling, keep your questions to a minimum, remember they are busy business owners as well.

One question I like to ask is “Would you employ this person again” “What challenges did they demonstrate”. You want to know if there are going to be any challenges having this person on board, and then you can work out whether the issues are around further training or coaching and if it’s worth your time to do this with someone who is new to the team or whether you need someone to come in and hit the ground running without much input from you.

  • Top Tip 4

Really try to work out during the interview process if an applicant is going to need more from you or the team. Do you have a team member that will shadow them or can be buddied up with them? Is that an effective use of that employee’s time? What’s the cost of time for that, it may not be practical if you only have a small team or a team that is spread over different locations.

Lessons learnt: Be well prepared for the interview. Don’t waste their time and yours by not having a plan of action and a detailed guideline to follow. Develop this plan well before time and if done right and works well then this is a process you do once and then use over time, that way you are not reinventing the wheel every time you do an interview.

  • Top Tip 5

You can’t ask someone certain personal questions like if they have children etc. So the question I ask “Is there anything that is going to prevent you from being able to attend work and perform your tasks” “When at work what challenges might you face that will prevent you from excelling in your role”.

  • Top Tip 6

Make sure you have a clear Organisational Chart already set up because if the candidate you are currently interviewing is not looking suitable for the role but you have a great feeling about them, then have a look at where else they may fit into the organisation. Having a clear and specific org chart leads to opportunities.

Lesson learnt: As soon as you can afford it hire someone that has the high level skills that can take over your part in the business or at least a big portion of it. Because even though I’ve got great staff not one of them can do any of my tasks. I hired a trainee to learn the industry and get qualified but it will be another year or two before she can take over some of my role.