Top 10 Business Tips: How to Find and Hire the Perfect Candidate
The hiring process can be a tough one. At times, it’s made difficult and time-consuming due to the need to complete core tasks before a candidate can even enter the office for an interview.
If not planned strategically, time and resources can be wasted during the recruiting process as well. This can include posting the wrong job descriptions, publishing positions on ineffective websites and forums, as well as not having a comprehensive vetting system in place.
In this post, the Find Your Audience team will be providing 10 useful tips to help companies find and hire the best possible candidates for their business.
- Create clear job descriptions
Before posting job descriptions up on different platforms, make sure that the text is clear, correct, and up-to-date. This can involve putting the job responsibilities in bullet points to make it easier for applicants to digest the information, bolding the instructions for how to apply, as well as adding the certificate or license requirements in each posting. Work with an editor to ensure that the spelling and grammar is correct, too. This is because clarity can mitigate any misunderstandings from the get-go.
- Post on the right websites
Think about the websites that your ideal candidates would visit while on their job-search. Being familiar with a variety of them is a step in the right direction because it allows positions to be discovered in the first place. For instance, if your company wishes to hire interns or candidates who have just graduated from postsecondary school, then a college or university website is the place to make job postings. If you are looking for more experienced professionals, then LinkedIn would be a viable option.
- Look for an online portfolio
If your company is hiring for graphic designers, writers, web designers, or photographers, then don’t be afraid to ask for their online portfolios. These websites showcase what candidates can do for their clients and how well they can adapt to project demands. You can ask for a link to an online portfolio within a job description in order to save time as well.
- Ask for up-to-date references
References can be very useful during the screening process. Whether it’s a professional, previous employer, or former coworker, learning more about an applicant through these individuals can help determine whether or not someone will be the right fit for your company. Don’t forget to ask questions about the applicant’s work ethic and how they work individually and within a team-based environment.
- Read the cover letters
Cover letters can differ in lengths. Some of them may be brief and succinct, while others may provide details and examples of a candidate’s previous work experience. Reading someone’s cover letter can tell you a lot about them, as it challenges the candidate to write and sell themselves on paper. You can check an applicant’s attention to detail within cover letters as well. This can be done by checking for any spelling or grammatical errors.
- Screen the resumes
Carefully going through the resumes of job applicants is just as important as reading their cover letters. Resumes should outline a candidate’s work experience, education, as well as skills and knowledge. They should be clear in wording and provide a succinct summary of what the applicant can bring to the company. Like with a cover letter, make sure to check for an applicant’s attention to detail and the way they type out their resume. Look for grammatical errors, spelling errors, as well as formatting inconsistencies.
- Check LinkedIn profiles
Checking a candidate’s LinkedIn profile page is an effective way to figure out whether or not they are indeed skills in the duties outlined in their resume and cover letter. In addition, a company can learn more about a candidate’s ability to conduct themselves on social media platforms. The ability to remain professional on a website such as LinkedIn can determine if a candidate would be the right fit for the business as well.
- Interview applicants in-person
An in-person interview can tell you a lot about a candidate in terms of their mannerisms, how they interact with others, as well as whether or not they can adapt to a new environment quickly. This type of interviews can also help a company get a better idea if a candidate has good communication skills, which are integral when working with clients, coworkers, and customers alike.
- Use skill assessments
Skill assessments are useful tools to have when trying to determine if an applicant is truly capable of the tasks they have outlined in their resume and cover letter. These assessments may occur during the interview process in the form of an assignment, during the application process, or even once an interview is over. Evaluating a potential new employee’s skills ensures that they will indeed be the right person for the position.
- Follow up with candidates
When an interview has been conducted and a candidate seems to be the right fit for the company culture and the position itself, then don’t forget to follow up with them. Outline their next steps, as well as guide them through what your business requires of them before they can officially be onboard. This ensures that the candidate has your company at the top of mind as well, since excellent candidates may have other businesses that wish to hire them as quickly as possible.
Finding and hiring that perfect candidate can be a daunting task, however, with the help of these tips and a thorough consultation with Find Your Audience, your business can succeed in its hiring pursuits. For more information, as well as customized business strategies, contact Find Your Audience at either 647-479-0688 or hi@findyouraudience.online.