How to Hire the Right Person

Hiring the wrong person can multiply your workload. It can also cost you time, money, profits, productivity, and results. To avoid this scenario, take time to define the role of the position that needs filling. Use precise job descriptions to identify what you are looking for in a candidate. Then use these tips to help you hire someone with the right skills and attitude.

Define Position Requirements

Your first step is to clearly define what type of worker will be needed for each position within your company or business. Be specific about the required skills, level of experience, and education needed for each position. Think about how much training will be necessary as well as any other qualifications such as physical demands or travel requirements. You also need to define the core values that are important for each role. This will act as an initial screen for applicants who do not meet your minimum requirements or who give inconsistent information about their education, skills, and experience.

Develop Questionnaires

Your job descriptions should include a list of questions you would like answered by each applicant. Make sure they are related only to the position's required qualifications. You can also add a list of questions you want to be answered in general about work habits, interests, hobbies, and anything else that may be relevant to the success of the candidate in this job based on your company culture and priorities. Finally, ask yourself if there is any additional information you might need to know from a potential employee during the interview process.

Ask Questions That Discriminate

In the United States, it is legal to discriminate in hiring based on protected classes such as race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or disability. It is not legal to discriminate based on age unless a person is over 40 years old and you are asking only about their work experience. In most states, it is also illegal to ask if they have been convicted of a crime. You can ask if an applicant has ever been required to register as a sex offender with a state agency but you need to be very specific when asking this question because these records may not always be available through public sources. Remember that anything you say in an interview can come to haunt you later in a discrimination claim if the person you hire is a member of a protected class. Also, depending on how specific your questions are and whether the interviewer has an accent, it may be viewed as discriminatory even though that is not your intent.

Conduct Thorough Reference Checks

It's a good idea to perform reference checks before making a hiring decision. You can also check with past employers for dates or specific information they might have about employment gaps or other issues during the interview process. If there are inconsistencies between information provided by applicants in interviews and their resumes, call former employers to verify what they say on their resumes. Most job application forms will ask permission to contact references so don't forget to do this when checking them out.