5 Keys to Hiring the Right Candidate.
1. Create a clear Hiring Objective and Job Description before hiring
Before you have even started the process hiring managers must be clear on the “Why?” they need a new team member. What type of person do they need and what kind of deliverables do they need to achieve.
From here it is vital that employers construct a clear and precise Job Description that will enable you to assess information about duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job.
2. Prepare a Checklist
During the employment process, having a checklist ready will assist you in forming a systematic way to select new staff. For example, the checklist should include qualities to look out for from a Process-based and Candidate-based perspective.
Process-based list - should include the date of the job posting, application deadlines, prescreen call assessment, formal interviews, and selection & confirmation.
Candidate-based list - should include requirements like academic achievements and experience, behavior & attitude, and also the candidates' unique characteristics.
3. Evaluate “Real-World” Skills
Rather than just evaluating a candidate based on their constructed resume, employers should look to test a candidate on their actual execution skills by establishing a relevant test to the company and position at hand which gives real-world scenarios to solve. This will provide a better picture of the candidates' real performance to see if their resume has actually any real substance behind it.
4. Use LinkedIn and other public domain information to conduct background research
A LinkedIn profile is a great tool to build another perspective on your candidate and should be used to assist in your overall image of the candidate, while Facebook & Instagram might not be as appropriate and is also deemed an invasion of privacy in some countries.
LinkedIn may be able to offer recommendations from people that have worked with the candidate, you will be able to verify if the experience matches the CV or if there are any discrepancies that need to be investigated further.
For specialized roles such as Financial positions, you will have access to databases that can verify past experience and check for any dubious affairs and most companies will have these people listed on their websites
5. Try to prescreen all suitable candidates
Even though unsuitable candidates are bound to apply to your role no matter what, they should not be completely discounted. A quick pre-screening call will establish if the candidate has the right skills that you are looking for. Interview candidates that meet 60% of your criteria as some people perform better in person than they do on paper or on the phone. If candidates do not even meet these minimum requirements then they should not even be considered to save on time.
