Northwest Staffing Blog

The cost of hiring the wrong person can be steep. Yet, as an employment firm serving the Northwest, we see many employers make the same mistakes again and again when it comes to recruiting. So how can you improve your odds of hiring a winner? Here are seven steps:

Step 1: Develop a Profile for the Position
Create a list of your expectations, including the specific results you are looking for a prospective employee to deliver. Next, develop a list of qualities or characteristics needed to accomplish those expectations. For instance, if you’re hiring a new salesperson, they not only need to be able to sell, but they also have to have good time management skills.

Step 2: Start Recruiting
Finding qualified candidates can be a challenge. Nowadays, you can’t just count on the traditional recruiting avenues, like running an ad in the paper, for delivering the people you need. So start thinking about other ways to recruit, such as:

• Referrals from your current employees
• Online recruiting
• Advertising in a trade journal
• Connecting with an employment firm

Step 3: Screen the Resumes
As you are screening resumes, look for patterns of accomplishments that are similar to your candidate profile. If you’re uncertain about a candidate, give them the benefit of the doubt and put them in the “yes” pile for a phone screen.

Step 4: Conduct Phone Screens
The next step is the phone screen, which is like a mini interview to see if you want the person to come in for a face-to-face interview. Gather as much information as you can during the phone screen to determine if you want to set up a second interview.

Step 5: Conduct In-Person Interviews
The effectiveness of your face-to-face interview is dependent upon the quality of questions that you ask. Your questions should be specific, not general. For instance, don’t ask a candidate if they work well under pressure. Instead, ask them to tell you about a specific time when they were under a lot of pressure to deliver and how they got the job done.

Step 6: Reference Checks
You’d be surprised how many employers skip this step. But conducting a thorough reference check is absolutely critical to a successful hire.

Step 7: Making the Decision
To make your hiring decision, break up your evaluation into smaller requirements and substantiate each. So, if you need someone with strong sales skills and you determine that a certain candidate has those skills, you should be able to back that up with real data. For instance, “according to her resume and interview, Mary was able to increase sales at her last company by 10%.”

The bottom line is that to hire the right person, you have to invest the necessary time and resources upfront. If you don’t have that kind of time, then consider working with an employment firm.

At Northwest Staffing, we are experts at recruiting and evaluating talent throughout the Northwest. We can help you find the people you need, without the hassle. Contact us today to learn more.

In the current economy, no job is completely secure. While things might be going great today, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be working tomorrow.

So what can you do to stay employed? As a Northwest employment firm with more than 20 years experience, we know there are certain steps you can take to ensure that you have a job – today and tomorrow.

Step #1: Work in an industry that’s growing.

For instance, if you’re a bookkeeper, rather than accepting a position with a print newspaper consider taking a job at a healthcare or IT company. The latter are industries that are projected to grow significantly over the next few years.

And despite what you think, you don’t need to be a nurse, doctor, or technology guru to work in these industries. All companies need administrative assistants, accountants, and marketing associates.

On the flip side, accepting a job in an industry that is declining is a one-way ticket to the unemployment line.

Step #2: Anticipate trends in your industry.

Once you land a job, research the industry you’re in. Read professional journals and trade magazines. Then ask yourself these questions:

• Are there trends, ideas, or innovations that might produce serious change at your company in the next year? In the next five years?
• How will those trends impact your job?
• What skills will you need that you don’t have yet?
• How can you acquire those skills?

If you want to stay employed, you have to anticipate what could be expected of you down the road – and prepare for it now.

Step #3: Get advice from a pro.

If you have a question or idea, get advice from a pro in your business or profession – whether it’s your boss, a colleague you look up to, or a mentor outside your company. Many experts are willing to share their knowledge and experience with those who want to learn. Regardless of the field you’re in or how much experience you have, there’s always someone else out there who can teach you something.

Step #4: Prepare for the possibility of unemployment.

Many times, people who lose their jobs due to downsizing knew ahead of time that their position was likely to be eliminated – but didn’t do anything to prepare for it.

If you’re in this situation, make sure you plan ahead. Take steps to:

• Update your resume.
• Create a 30-second introduction that explains why an employer should hire you.
• Enroll in a class or attend a seminar to brush up on important skills.
• Network, network, network. (Wherever there are people, there is an opportunity to network.)

At Northwest Staffing, we can help you find a great position in a growing industry. As an employment firm based in Everett, Washington, our mission is to match talented individuals with temporary and direct placement jobs in the Northwest. Contact Northwest Staffing today to learn more.