How to Make Sure You Hire the Right Person for the Job

Contributed post.

Hiring is always a huge step for a business, as you’re investing time and funds into a person who may or may not work out. Recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding a new employee is expensive process, and if you don’t get the right individual for the job, you may have to start over again.

That’s why many businesses and hiring experts recommend that people “hire slow, fire fast”. This means that the hiring process itself might take time and, if someone doesn’t work out after they’ve settled into the role, let them move on and try again instead of limping on with a poor fit.

Here are a few tips to help you get it right the first time.

Carefully Define the Role

The first step is to properly define the role your company needs. This is a necessary step to determine what kind of employee you need. If you just need a very limited and specific role or a short term project completed, it might even be better to outsource to another business or freelancer.

Otherwise, you need to work out what qualifications you need in an applicant, as well as an appropriate wage range for such a role. Look at what other businesses in your industry are paying their employees to help you work out the best wage.

Finally, write a job description that includes everything an applicant needs to know. This should help narrow interest down to the applicants who consider themselves ideal for the role.

Screen Applications

Unfortunately, not everyone who applies will be a good fit for the job. Some people apply for any job that comes along, and others might try for a job they aren’t qualified for. You might also want a more experienced employee, meaning that some applicants might not be a good fit.

You can use AI tools to quickly screen applicants for necessary qualifications and skills. This cuts down on the amount of time you need to work through the candidates.

From there, you can focus on the qualifications you’d like in an employee. You may not be able to find the perfect candidate, but you should be able to find people who come fairly close to your preferences.

Use LinkedIn

You can also use social media to help you find specific candidates. By scraping LinkedIn with Python, you can research the job role you need, as well as potential candidates. This might include people who have applied for the position, but it can also be a useful tool for headhunting specific employees.

Interview and Hire Smart

Once you’ve reduced the potential candidates into a manageable number, you can move onto the interview stage. Develop questions that are relevant to the job, but that also help you get to know an interviewee.

It makes sense to hire someone who isn’t just skilled, but who you also seems personable and collaborative. You’re not hiring a friend, but you do want someone who will fit in with your team.

As a final point, it should go without saying, but throughout the process make sure you are aware of and following all applicable employment laws and regulations. It’s illegal to discriminate against anyone in a protected class, and also just bad business, as studies have shown there are many benefits to diversity in the workplace.