6 Tips for Hiring the Right Employees
There is no question that making the right hiring decisions is very important for your company’s bottom line. At least 57% of all companies around the country say employee retention is an issue. It has been estimated that about 22% of all new hires leave their positions by the 45 day mark. Most of the time this is because of temperament or poor performance issues. Many businesses are looking to strategic human resources processes because they know hiring the wrong person can cost anywhere between 30% to 50% of that person’s starting salary. These tips, from human resources executive search firms, can help:
- Do a better job with your job descriptions. You know what you need your new person to do but how you describe it can impact who responds to the ad. For the most part, companies think that the best way to approach job descriptions is to write up long lists of requirements and responsibilities. That often causes job seeker’s eyes to glaze over. A better approach to the job description is one that emphasizes what working for the company can do for the employees, say experts in strategic human resources. More and more people are looking at how their jobs will be a part of their lives. To attract the most talented candidates, you need to promote your company and its commitment to your workforce.
- Make the most of social media. New research suggests that job searchers want to work for businesses are looking for employment with companies that keep up on the latest in social media and technology. One other thing you should do is make sure your site and your job listing is optimized to be seen on mobile devices. More the 52% of internet searches are performed on mobile devices. Strategic human resources experts say that many job searchers are looking for new positions on their mobile devices. The Pew Research Institute has reported that at least 30% of all job seekers have used mobile technology in their search. Just as your website needs to be optimized for mobile, so too must your job descriptions.
- Make sure the people you hire are a right fit for your company’s culture. You want the people you hire to fit in at your business. This is not a popularity issue but they will be happier and happy employees work harder, do a better job and tend to stick around longer. If you use certain applications or programs, you can train people on those. What you cannot do is change their overall philosophy. Most strategic human resources consultants will say that looking at qualities such as communications skills, emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills can make a bigger difference than the harder skills employers usually look at first.
- Take a look at your candidates’ online lives. Companies check references but checking social media activity is also important. You can learn a lot about a person from the way they interact online. This should not be done in lieu of a background check or talking to references but in addition to. Looking at a candidate’s social media life can provide valuable insight into who they are both personally and professionally. Remember, people know that their posts and profiles are viewed by everyone so this is a part of themselves that they are sharing voluntarily.
- Get better at interviewing candidates. This is an important part of the process, say strategic human resources consultants, and too often, businesses do not spend the time to prepare for the interviews themselves. As a consequence, the right questions are not always asked. People may not have the time or may not have the confidence in their own skills to properly conduct interviews. It is important to prepare the right questions and leave the right amount of time for each candidate so any red flags can be recognized and considered.
- Look for candidates who have a lot of questions for you. Just as you are interviewing people for a position, they are interviewing you. You want a candidate who is interested in your business and wants to be a productive member of your team.
You want to hire people who will stay with your company, these tips will help with that process.