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How to hire the right person for your company

15th December 2021 Print

Hiring new staff can be a daunting prospect, particularly if you’re not experienced in the world of recruitment. With job vacancies rising and nearly one in four Brits planning to find a new role, you may find yourself bombarded by hopeful applicants. The question on every hiring manager’s lips however is the same, “How do I make sure I hire the right person for the company?” 

This concern is completely understandable. The importance of a cultural fit between an employee and their employer has been greatly underestimated for some time, and businesses are now beginning to see the need to find someone who not only has a strong work ethic but is also aligned with the company’s values. Whether you advertise the role yourself or opt for one of the many executive search services to help you source the best talent there are a number of steps you can take to improve your chances of choosing the right candidate. Here’s what you need to know.  

Do your research   

Before offering a job to a candidate it’s important to run a background check on them. At a minimum you should confirm their previous work history matches what their CV or LinkedIn profile claims, including the dates of which they were employed.  

You should also obtain references from several of their previous employers to get an idea of how they work and how well they collaborate with their colleagues. If the candidate doesn’t have any previous work history or has had a long career break, ask for references from someone who knows them personally, such as a teacher or a sports coach.    

Do a pre-screen  

When shortlisting candidates to interview, keep in mind the skills and qualifications you require the successful candidate to have, but also pay attention to transferable skills and experience. For example, someone with 5 years’ experience in marketing could have the skills and knowledge to adapt to a role in your sales team.  

To save time for both you and your applicants, it helps to display the salary range of the role on your job advert. However, if you choose not to do this, it would be beneficial to ask your shortlisted candidates what their salary expectations are prior to offering them an interview. This will allow you to filter out those who require a higher salary than you’re willing to pay.  

Ask the right interview questions  

Take some time to think about what knowledge and skills are needed for the role before you decide which questions to ask during the interviews. By tailoring the questions to the specific role, you’ll be able to easily see who matches the person specification and who doesn’t.  

It may be helpful to set your candidates a task or assessment to complete, so they can display their skills in practise. For example, if you’re interviewing for a new assistant accountant you may want to see how strong their Excel skills are.