One of the most important steps in hiring is making sure you understand why the role exists. It is not uncommon for companies to get into the habit of blindly refilling roles even if they have outdated job descriptions or might no longer be required. By evaluating the job and the current job description, you have the opportunity to not only be more successful in finding a good fit but also potentially improve workflow and operations.
An accurate job description will allow you to be as specific as possible when you run your ad. It will help to weed out candidates who are missing some important qualities. Including important personality traits and being realistic about what the job entails can help discourage unsuitable candidates. For example, is there a lot of overtime? Do you have expectations for the person to be very sociable? Will they be expected to work weekends? Do you expect them to participate in the company’s charity work? All of these things help you find applicants who will make a better fit based on both skills and personality as well as a mutual understanding of expectations.
You should also include a list of your core values in your recruitment ad. It provides a bigger picture of where they will be working. Stress things that are important to the way the company functions such as teamwork, problem-solving, integrity, and so on. Values can attract the right people and turn off those who aren’t suitable.
Take a look at team members who have proven to be effective within your organization. That can help you create the traits for an ideal candidate. You can use this list during the interview process to help you weed people out who don’t hit the majority of the qualities on the list. It also enables you to focus more on the individual during the hiring process.
Avoid lateral movers who can’t seem to stay in one position for very long across more than one industry. Someone who has remained in the same industry tends to have both knowledge and passion for the work, which always makes for a better fit. Ask for work-related success stories to get a feel for their passion as well as their knowledge of the industry and their role.
Make a short list of candidates who can spend time with the team they will be joining. This is always good for a final gut reaction and to see how well they will work with others. Also, the people on the team will be better equipped to offer honest answers about the role and what candidates can expect.
This process will provide you with a broader selection across many demographics. You will see people beyond biased labels and how they will work as an individual, as part of the team and finally within the culture of your organization.
