Hiring the wrong employee can negatively affect your business in some ways. The cost of replacing an employee, for instance, can cost your business two times their annual salary.
From employees that slack off to those who lie and even steal from the company, bad employees can come in many forms. To keep business running smoothly, it’s imperative to find great employees.
If you’re ready to hire a winning member for your team, there’s one secret that you must know.
One Simple Tip for Hiring Great Employees
Hiring reliable, motivated employees can feel like a guessing game. You may wonder how you’re supposed to know if they’ll be a hard worker or a trustworthy team member. You may look for clues, such as how they dress for the interview or how confidently they speak.
While these clues can be useful, they’re not nearly as useful as the one secret you must know. And that secret is to look for evidence.
You must look for clear, direct evidence that a candidate is the type of employee you’d like. A great employee isn’t born overnight; they have an already-established track record that matches the kind of character and worker you’re looking for. And though this secret sounds simple, it’s often overlooked.
Where to Find Proof of a Quality Candidate
Evidence is key when hiring new employees, but you may be wondering where to find this evidence. Thankfully, there are a few easy places to spot it before ever extending a job offer.
Past Work Achievements
Work experience is nice, but it isn’t as important as professional achievements. Just because a candidate worked in a similar role before doesn’t mean they achieved much while there. See if their resume lists specific statistics or concrete goals they hit, and if not, ask about achievements during their interview.
Hobbies and Extracurriculars
One of the most important hiring tips is to pay attention to how a potential employee spends their free time.
If they have passion and are willing to work hard to get better at a hobby or extracurricular activity, they’ll be more likely to have a work ethic that translates well at work too.
Interview Questions
The questions you ask can provide a great deal of evidence about a candidate, but only if you ask the right questions.
Forget asking standard interview questions. Instead, directly ask about what you’re actually looking for in a great employee. Talk about performance if you prioritize efficient output. Ask about what qualities they look for in a friend if you’re wanting a friendly personality to complement your staff.
Choose questions that illicit the information you need based on the type of employee you desire. By avoiding predictable questions, it’s less likely a candidate will have rehearsed an answer beforehand. Then, their responses to your questions are more likely to be authentic.
Pre-Employment Tests and Assessments
Employee assessments, such as integrity tests, can provide accurate information on personality types and work styles. This can be quick evidence of whether or not someone will fit the employee profile you have in mind.
If you know what would make the perfect employee, you can even create your own custom tests based on those qualities.
When Hiring, Look to the Facts
While potential can be nice, great employees have both potential and an already-established record of their greatness.
From personal passions to past accomplishments, look for evidence of a tough work ethic and motivated character. With this evidence, it’s much more likely that you’ll find the perfect employee to add to your company’s culture.
For more advice on making smart hiring decisions, check out our other business articles!
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