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.