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Make Sure Your First Hire of 2017 Is Your Best Hire!

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Your business couldn’t work without your employees. Often, the people working for you are one of your most prized assets. When choosing new people to join the team, it is important that you find the best match possible for both the position and current culture.

Whether you are filling an existing vacancy or looking to expand your operations, here are some tips to make sure you select the best candidate available to get 2017 started right.

Properly Prioritize Skill Requirements

When creating a job posting, you often have a laundry list of desired skills and abilities you hope the applicants will possess. And while touching on that information is helpful, it is more important that you understand which skills should carry more weight than others.

If your team current has a skills gap, then looking for a candidate that can meet those specific needs to critical. Regardless of their experience in other areas, if they cannot fill that gap, then they might not be the right fit. By recognizing that certain knowledge areas or abilities are critical for the proper function of the team, you are more likely to pick someone who can make the team better as a whole.

For times when it isn’t a particular skill that is required as much as a candidate’s ability to perform certain functions, consider orienting your job posting to reflect the problem that your ideal candidate would solve instead of just hunting for skills. This may lead you to interesting candidates who might not have appeared qualified simply based on keyword searches.

Review Applications, But Confirm Credentials

An application or resume is merely a first impression. It provides necessary information regarding their experience, education, and other credentials. However, you can’t always take the information on a resume at face value.

If a position requires specific credentials, take the time to verify that information on candidates you are considering for interviews. In some cases, the organization that issues the credentials have online search options that can be used to see if the information is entirely accurate. This allows you to pursue only those candidates who appear to have potential based on their applications, and who you have confirmed to possess the required credentials.

Hold Prescreening Interviews

Another way to get additional information from prospective candidates before determining if an interview is warranted is to do some prescreening. Often, these are mini-interviews that can be conducted over the phone to confirm key pieces of information.

While a quick skills review is fine, take the opportunity to learn something about the candidate’s personality prior to interviewing. Cultural fit is just as important as having the right skills. Consider asking candidates questions about their familiarity with your company or industry. Often, those who are most enthusiastic about the opportunity will have answers to these questions, while less interested persons may not.

An alternative to managing these early stages yourself is to work with a professional staffing company. They can prescreen candidates based on your requirements and present only those most likely to be a good fit. If you need help finding a great candidate for the new year, TempStaff is here to find what you need. Contact TempStaff today and make your first hire of the year the best it can be.

 

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