If you are planning on growing your business, it is important that you build your team around the future needs of your industry and your strategy. Hiring people comes with loads of responsibilities and challenges, and it is important that you are prepared. Whether you are new to hiring people, or need a new type of workforce, it might be a good idea to sit down with a recruitment professional and have a chat about your options and the different things you need to look out for. Once you are ready, make sure you assess your applicants based on the below criteria to select the most suitable candidates for the job.
Their Skills
Whether you are looking for people to work on a building site or in a call center, you will have to make sure that you can assess their skills. A resume itself with shining numbers and great degrees does not guarantee good work itself. If you are hiring people for a skilled job, it might be a good idea to give them a trial day or two, and let them shadow experienced workers, who can evaluate their performance at the end of the day. On the other hand, this will also give your candidates the opportunity to decide whether or not the workplace is suitable for them.
Their Qualifications
When you first receive a CV from a potential employee, it usually includes qualifications. Just because they have a relevant degree, they might not be trained enough to do the job. When evaluating the quality of training, especially when it comes to remote programs, you will need to focus on the company that issued the certification and call the institution before you hire the person. You might be surprised how common employment fraud is, and it is your responsibility to check that your candidates are telling the truth on their resume.
Relevant Industry Knowledge
It is also crucial that you choose people who know your industry and regulations, as well as the standards. This will save you a lot of time and money on training, and help your workers settle in their new environment. If you are looking to employ a sales agent for the financial sector, and they used to sell car parts, chances are that they will have little or no knowledge about the different regulations and the work ethics in your industry. Make sure that the person you hire is a good fit for your industry and company. You can also use job fairs to find talent to look for expertise in your particular sector.
Working History
One of the things you should always check is the work history of your candidates. Whenever possible, give previous employers a call and confirm what the CV says, You might be surprised that the company was depicted much larger by the candidate than it really is, or learn about the real reason why the employee left their position. If there are gaps in the applicant’s employment history, it is important that you ask them about them.
Further Training Needs
No matter how good a fit your candidate is, you will need to bring them up to speed with how you do business. When you first sit down with them and create a learning and development plan, make sure that you cover every regulatory and optional training. You can arrange an Online WHMIS to be completed by the future employee before they start at your company, so they can become productive right away.
Motivations
You might think that employees are simply in the job for the money. This is not always true. The environment, community, support system, and the perks will also influence their decision. If you come across a rare talent, it is your job to attract them and make them want to stay with your organization. You need to find out more about what motivates them and how they like working, and align your strategies with their personal preferences.
Career Goals
One of the things you have to ask about during the first or second interview is your potential employees’ career goals. If they would like to get extra training and move into a new industry, you might be wasting time and money training them. Ask them where they see themselves in five years. If they are looking to secure a promotion within your company, you will need to present them with the facts and opportunities, so they can make an informed decision.
Awards and Professional Accreditations
If you have a tough choice between two very strong candidates, you will have to find ways one of them stands out. Ask them about their industry awards, achievements, recognitions, and professional accreditations. Chances are that if they invested their own time to volunteer for projects, improve their skills, and gain additional certifications, they will be highly motivated to succeed. However, if they were only doing the bare minimum in their previous role, they will lose out against the more career-focused and success-oriented applicant.
Cultural Alignment
There is one thing managers and recruitment professionals forget about, and this can have severe negative consequences. You have to find out whether or not your mission, vision, and values are aligned with the candidate’s. If you already have an organizational culture and a work ethic, and the employee is not a good fit, it will increase the chance for conflict. You should always ask people already in your organization to evaluate the attitude and work ethics of the employee before you offer them a permanent contract, so you can improve the collaboration in your teams. If you
Many business owners are confused about making a decision to hire new employees and growing their organization. Your choice of candidates is crucial, but you should not forget about the background checks, and finding out more about the motivations and career goals of the applicants. You need people who share your company’s values, are committed to grow, and are not afraid of challenges.
