The hiring process can be a long, tedious one for both employers and potential hires, and for many, it can be a frustrating one as well. Finding the right person for the job who also has a great work ethic and availability sometimes seems impossible, but for most companies, it’s imperative in order to keep standards high and turnover low.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do during the onboarding process to help things go smoothly and narrow down the field a bit. You’ll want to place an emphasis on the long-term goals of the job rather than focusing on the day-to-day tasks, in part so you can ascertain which applicants are willing to go the extra mile, but also to see what sort of ideas they have in regards to the future of the company and their role in it.
Whether you work with a large corporation or own a small business, here are some of the best tips on how to do just that.
Find out their long-term goals
Talk to your applicant about their long-term goals; where do they see themselves in five or ten years? Opening up the conversation about where they want to be in the foreseeable future will allow you to suss out whether they’re right for the job.
It’s also important to talk about the long-term goals of the position itself. While you’ll want to take into consideration which specific skills the applicant has, you need to also look into the future a bit to see the big picture. Don’t focus solely on the day-to-day tasks; rather, take into consideration whether the individual has what it takes to lead the position to success.
“Achieving goals is often about making tradeoffs when things don’t go as planned. Employees need to understand the bigger picture to make those tradeoffs when things go wrong,” says Professor Linda Hill of Harvard Business School.
A great example would be if you were to hire a contractor; of course you want assurance that he or she can do all the individual tasks the job requires, but the long-term goals are of concern, as well. What sort of milestones can he or she set within the job, and what is the timeline for those? How will any problems be handled should they arise? Will they be able and willing to work with others to achieve their goal? There are many questions involved during the hiring process; you can find out more in regards to finding the right contractor for the job here.
In short, you can train just about anyone to perform most tasks, but it takes a special person to fit all the requirements of a position with long-term goals.
Be specific
One of the best ways you can make the hiring process go smoothly is to ensure you’re as specific as possible when it’s time to write out the job description, especially if you’re posting it online for candidates to read before applying. Studies have shown that when companies give a specific job listing and include what they can do for the employee–rather than the other way around–they attract a higher number of positively-rated applicants than the companies that list their needs and demands.
Consider the applicant’s other skills
While it’s certainly attractive to potential employers when an applicant has all the necessary skills for the job at hand, it’s important not to forget about the other skillsets: social, emotional, and the ability to communicate. After all, a person with experience in the field may be terrible with clients because he can’t put them at ease, while an individual without much training but great interpersonal skills can be taught how to perform day-to-day tasks easily.
Remember that the hiring process can be overwhelming at times and can lead to stress, so try not to take too much onto yourself. Ask for help when you need it to avoid becoming burnt out, and when all else fails, try a new tactic during the hiring process.