For most office managers and HR professionals, there is likely a system set in place when it comes to hiring new team members. However, as our team grows and the workplace evolves, so do our hiring processes. Whether you are new to the game or just looking to take on a different perspective, we’ve compiled a list of things you might want to consider when hiring. Read more below!
What exactly are you looking for?
Before you do anything else, it stands to reason that you need to know what kind of employee you are looking to hire. What does the job description entail? What skill sets will be required to complete it? What personality type would fit best for this particular role? These are all questions you need to ask yourself before you start looking at resumes and scheduling interviews. It will help guide you in your search for a candidate and make it a bit more clear.
Skills
When you first start looking at resumes, you want to make sure that the skill set a candidate has lines up with what you’re looking for. Don’t just look at the basic “hard” skills, though (skills they learned in college that are straight forward). Make sure you also pay attention to “soft” skills like communication, organization and ability to work on a team. You want someone who is well-rounded, adaptable and willing to grow and learn.
Experience
Depending on the position, you may be looking for varying levels of experience. What you really want to know, even from an entry level candidate, is how their experience can be transferred to the position they are applying. Use your best judgement to see if the potential is there for them to grow and learn as they acclimate to a new role. Don’t automatically count someone out, because they’ve only been working in the field for a year!
Cultural Fit
It’s important when you’re interviewing someone for a position to look beyond just their experience and skillset. Pay attention to their personality. Do they fit in with your company goals and values? Will they be a positive addition to your current workplace culture? Or are they going to be a negative influence and drag down the culture you’ve worked hard to build? It’s crucial to assess how a new person will blend in with your values and if they’ll be a good fit culturally. Culture impacts everyone in the office and the overall quality of work that is produced.
Attitude
This goes hand-in-hand with the cultural fit of someone. You want to hire team members that have a can-do attitude and are willing to work hard, learn and fail without letting it get them down. No candidate is going to be an exact fit or do their job perfectly 100 percent of the time. However, someone who is willing to work hard, stay positive and go the extra mile will be an incredible asset, even when things go wrong. You need someone who can work well under pressure and rally when necessary.
Positive Communication
Communication is important no matter what position you are hiring for. And sometimes the most qualified candidate might not be the best communicator. Focus on hiring employees that can do both. When you’re acclimating new people to your team and into the company culture, you want someone who can communicate well and who doesn’t shy away from coming to you with questions or concerns. You also want someone who responds quickly when you have questions or concerns.
Job History
This is not the most important thing to look at, but it is worth paying attention to. When you’re thinking about hiring someone, you want to know they are going to invest in your company long-term (in most cases). Is the candidate someone who sticks it out at a job for awhile? Or are they moving to new companies every six months. If they are moving from place to place, why is that? Don’t be afraid to ask these questions and eliminate options if you feel they won’t stick around.
Company Knowledge
It’s always a plus when a candidate has done their research and knows a thing or two about the company they’re applying at! You obviously can’t expect them to know everything or be experts, but it’s nice to know that they have an idea of what the mission is and what they can expect. Ask candidates what they know about your company and take note when they’re asking educated questions about the workplace.
Portfolio
Last, but certainly not least, make sure you check portfolios of potential candidates when they send them to you. This is not applicable in every role, but when you are working with creatives (writers, marketers, designers, etc.) ask to see their portfolios and look over some of their previous works. This will give you an idea of their style and voice to see if it matches the brand and vision that you want to convey.
