~by Emma Sturgis~
.
As a business owner or hiring manager, you need to know what the ideal candidate for a job opening looks like. When you make the right decision the first time, you save a lot of time and money both interviewing people to fill the job and then paying to replace them when they don’t pan out.
What are some methods that you can use to determine the best candidate the first time?
Take Your Candidate on a Tour of the Company
As part of the interview process, it may be a good idea to have your candidate tour the company and interact with your current workers. If he or she doesn’t seem to have any thoughts about how things are run or doesn’t seem to interact well with workers, this candidate may not be the best for the business.
What Has This Person Accomplished Outside of Work?
Those who have goals and interests outside of work tend to be more ambitious and goal oriented inside of the workplace. For instance, if you see that someone volunteers at soup kitchens or mentors young children, you know that they like helping people and are invested in what they do even if it doesn’t result in a lot of recognition.
Applicants with Management Experience Make Great Employees
If an applicant has a master’s of science in project management, they probably have plenty of relevant management experience which can benefit your company. Furthermore, he or she likely understands how to work with others as a leader, conform to deadlines and keep projects within budget. If you are a smaller business, you will want someone who understands the importance of doing the most he or she can with limited resources.
Does the Candidate Seem Authentic?
Some people are great at interviewing but not so great at their jobs. The key is to determine if the potential hire is authentic in what he or she says or does. If you don’t think that your candidate is being honest with you, it may be worthwhile to choose someone who does seem to be engaged and knowledgeable about what your company wants to achieve.
.
Finding your ideal worker is as much of an art as it is a science. While you never know how a worker will pan out until he or she starts working, knowing what to look for in a person can help you hit more than you miss when hiring.
.
Meet the Author: Emma Sturgis
Emma is a freelance writer based in Boston, MA. When not writing, she enjoys reading and rock climbing. Say “hi” on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2.
