10 Ways to Hire Successfully

How to Hire Successfully

Covid 19 has created a mixed bag in the business world. Some businesses are so busy they can’t keep up with the demand, especially if their product is necessary to protect individuals from the virus. Others are shutting down altogether and their employees are out of work. If you are in the first situation, how do you stay in the driver’s seat and hire the best person for the job? It’s easy to overlook the steps to a good hire when you are desperate for someone to fill a spot. However, a bad decision can negatively impact your business overall. 

Here are some common complaints from businesses about their recent hires:

“They don’t have a good work ethic. They don’t show up on time and spend the day on Facebook instead of doing the work.”

“They are good at doing the job as assigned but they don’t fit in well with the other team members.”

“I hired them thinking they had the skills I needed.  They talked a good game but now it I’m spending all my time on putting out fires and I thought that I would be freed up to do my work.”

Dave Ramsey in his book Entreleadership recommends that you hire slow and fire fast.  Most of the time we do it the other way around.  We think that just getting a warm body in there to do something…anything will help with the workload, only to find out that we are babysitting adults. Hiring done well is a process that can be repeated successfully over and over.  Here are some ways to ensure that you get the right people in the right seat on the bus.

Top Ten Ways to Hire Successfully

1. Create  a hiring process and identify the steps–this should happen before you even begin recruiting applicants for the job.  It should be a repeatable process that you can refer to each time you hire someone.  
2. Clearly outline the job that you are hiring for–be as specific as possible.  For instance, you aren’t just hiring a third grade teacher or a web designer.  Be clear about the knowledge they should have, the tasks they will be responsible for and what the job will look like when it is done and done well.
3. Don’t depend on employment advertising—  Your best referrals will come from current employees who are excellent at their work.  They know the work and the culture.  Encourage them to recommend people who would fit the mold when you have openings. Give them a bonus if you hire the person and they make it through the probation period.  If this is your first hire, talk to other entrepreneurs in your business and see if they can recommend some candidates for your job. Or consider connecting with a strategic partner that can suggest referrals.  For instance a business school, a design school or some other institution that would be connected to potential applicants. 
4. Make the first interview short and to the point–typical first interviews are one of the worst ways to evaluate whether someone is a good fit for your business.  You need to have one to begin the process but use it to cover the basic facts and make sure the person meets the minimum requirements. Withhold judgement until they have made it through the whole process.
5. Review the resume and references— this is necessary but again should simply be the beginning point.  A resume is really a sales sheet and represents how well the individual has learned to sell themselves.  Hopefully no one is dumb enough to give bad references, but you should check them anyway.
6. Assess personality style-How you are wired is a better predictor of success and happiness in a job than ability. Many people are good at doing their job…but lack other qualities that are necessary for success in a specific work environment. And it is pretty much impossible to evaluate all the personality characteristics in an interview that you can evaluate in a personality assessment that only takes about 30 minutes. There are a lot of tools available but I find the easiest and most effective is the DISC personality assessment. This assessment will not only give you information about the individual that you are hiring, but how they can be expected to interact and work with your team (who have also completed personality profiles).  It will tell you where you will have complimentary styles and where you may encounter conflict.  If you use a DISC tool that includes a sales profile, you can learn how your potential employee will best promote your product.  
7. Assess enthusiasm–You want someone who is excited about coming to work.  When you talk about the mission of your business, are they on fire for the same things that you are?  Do you see that enthusiasm played out in their everyday life?  For example if you are hiring a teacher, does your interviewee have lots of stories about how they are committed to making a difference in the life of a child?  If you are hiring someone to build websites, do they love exploring the  mission of a business and then translating that into an online presence?
8. Share the core values of your business–First it’s important that you know your core values!  Then make sure that you share them with the potential employee and check for how they express those values in their work life. Make sure training in your core value is part of learning the job. 
9. Use a creative interview process– Do something different that puts the individual in the midst of the job.  Have a teaching candidate teach a sample lesson.  Have the web designer create a sample web page. Give all the applicants a problem to solve or a project to complete.  Bring them in for a day in a working interview where they not only shadow another employee but actually work by their side.  Take them and their family to dinner to get a different perspective of their life, their goals and their motivation.
10. Take your time–I know you want someone to get to work right away.  I know you have deadlines to meet and jobs to complete.  But a good hire will save you time in the long run.  A bad hire… will suck the life and energy out of you, as well as your business.  It’s worth it to trust the process and use it in your favor.

    Need some help with personality assessment during the hiring process? It is pretty much impossible to evaluate all the personality characteristics in an interview that you can evaluate in a personality assessment. The assessment is administered online and only takes about 30 minutes. Once the assessments are completed, I will provide a comparison report that details the strengths of each candidate and recommendations based on your job description. A DISC assessment is not the only tool for making your selection, but hiring an employee to work in their strengths, personality wise can be a win/win for you both.

    Want to schedule a personality assessment for applicants in your business? Contact me at dream@lynnewatts.com to schedule a time to talk about how DISC profiles can ensure a successful hire for your business.