Having a vacant job position can be both exciting and stressful for companies, particularly their hiring managers. Finding a new employee can be a great opportunity to bring energy to the team, but it can also create problems if the wrong person is hired. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 74% of employers have said they’ve hired the wrong candidate for the open position.
Because of this, companies should be as careful as possible in recruiting the right person. The best way to ensure you’ve made the right hiring decision is to invest time in creating a well-written job description and defining your company culture before the vacant position is even advertised.
However, this is not the only step good hiring managers and their teams should take. In this article, we will discuss how to attract and recognize the ideal candidate and make the best hiring decision for your company.
Who Has The Final Say In Hiring A Candidate?
If a company has a wide talent pool and an effective recruiting strategy, there will be more than one great candidate ideal for the open job position. This can be particularly difficult for recruiters since every qualified candidate comes with their own merits.
Typically, the hiring manager is the ultimate decision-maker. They are the person new hires report to or the leaders of the department where they work. Therefore, it makes sense they have the final say in choosing a new employee. But, a good hiring manager rarely makes decisions on their own. They are smart enough to consult their own manager to ensure they know the requirements of the position. They can also interview the candidates, or at least the finalists, and they don’t shy away from including other team members in the recruitment process. At the end of the day, those team members are critical voices as they will be working closely with the new hire.
Therefore, the manager should strive for a collaborative mindset to make a good hiring decision. Here are some additional tips to help make the best hiring decision:
1. Know What You’re Looking For In A Candidate
A good hiring manager is aware that, although they know the basics of the role for which they are hiring, they probably don’t know all the specific requirements. That is why it’s always smart to consult someone who knows the ins and outs of the job in question. Write down the duties of the role, the educational requirements, and what kind of experience is needed.
Also, write down which soft skills a potential candidate should have in this position and what attributes she should possess that could set her apart from other job seekers. Outline all the criteria needed to judge the suitable candidates you’re about to screen. Based on how many boxes they’ve checked, you can decide whether or not to consider them further.
However, you should know there is not always an ideal candidate that checks every single box. Building an unattainable expectation will put you at risk of turning down great talent because they aren’t as perfect as you envisioned. Keep your expectations realistic and look for talent who can do the job at a high level with many valuable qualities of a good employee. When you’re not sure whether you’re expecting too much, talk to your teammates and see what they think of a specific candidate.
2. Potentially Use Testing To Narrow Down Your Choices
By incorporating standardized candidate assessment tests, you could gain valuable insight into your candidates’ skill levels. But first, you need to set a benchmark that can help you assess the scores received to see who stands out the most. Tests are a great way to evaluate suitable candidates as they aren’t biased and can provide solid, consistent results. This is particularly useful when deciding which candidates are going to the next round of the hiring process.
3. Standardize Your Interviews
Standardized interviews are when you ask the same questions in the same order while giving points for each answer based on a scale you’ve previously prepared. This is another valuable assessment tool with some added benefits. First, you can eliminate any bias on your side, and second, you can be consistent in your hiring process. So, make sure to prepare a solid set of questions and create a good marking scale for the answers you will receive from candidates.
4. Look At Skills And Attitude
Although candidates’ skill level is important, you should also consider how they conduct themselves. What is their attitude during the interview process? How do they talk, sit, or act?
If you get swayed by a top talent who is great on paper but has a bad attitude, you might negatively impact performance and/or morale. You could even risk losing some employees because of a bad team hire. Put effort into understanding who they are, what are their goals and values, and how they deal with work pressure. In the end, you might get more value from a less-experienced candidate who is willing to learn than an expert with a lousy attitude.
5. Limit The Number Of Interviews
If you don’t want to wear yourself out and have all candidates mixed in your head, make sure to limit the number of face-to-face interviews to no more than eight candidates. Another way to choose the right candidate is to schedule a 10-20 min phone call asking them to walk you through their resume. Ask them to start from the beginning of their career so you can understand why they’ve made certain career moves or why they work at a certain company.
6. Closely Inspect Equal Candidates
If you have two candidates that seem equally qualified for the job, closely inspect their references. A reference check can provide you with the nuances needed to make the right decision. You may also give them a small project to work on with your team to evaluate how they would fit in.
7. Share Your Expectations
Expectations go both ways. Just as you want to find an ideal candidate for your company, the candidate also wants to find a perfect company for their needs and desires. Because of this, answer every question, clear any doubts, and detail every process involved with the position. Make sure to let the candidate know what your expectations are, and if you have someone in the company who can clear any other doubts, make sure to make that connection.
8. Don’t Rush The Recruiting Process
If you want to get the best candidate, you need to take the time to implement all of the steps above. Be patient and thorough, and don’t rush your decision because it may cost you a lot more than time and money. If you’re going to do it, do it right and do it once.
Conclusion
A lot goes into filling an open job position and making sure that you’ve found the best talent for the role. One such responsibility is deciding on whom to hire. It is important to be diligent about evaluating candidates’ skills, experience, and education to be sure of your decision. However, this can be a time-consuming process, and that’s where recruiting agencies can help.
Hundreds of new candidates are looking for job openings every day, and CIBR Warriors are here to help you find the right one for you. For more help in advancing your career or finding a qualified candidate in IT and Cybersecurity, contact us. We’d be happy to answer your questions and provide you with the best advice for getting started.
