The hiring process can be expensive, time consuming, and draining. It’s no surprise that the right team can make or break your company. Hiring the right people, especially in your business’s early stages, is imperative. One mistake, particularly for smaller companies, can prove to be a huge hindrance to growth. Remember: Great companies, services, and products are driven by people.
1.) Create A Marketing Plan
If you create a marketing plan for your business, why not create one for your recruitment process? The goal is to increase the volume of applicants and attract the right people. This plan should include a clear definition of who the ideal candidate is and what you’ll need to do to achieve your goals and bring in those types of candidates. You should also prepare a list of things you’ll need to do to achieve those goals. This list might include creating targeted ads on LinkedIn, a thorough jobs page on your website, or promoting the position via social media and AngelList.
2.) Maintain Culture Fit
Culture fit is something you do not want to compromise. This doesn’t mean that you should hire people that you could see yourself being best friends with; rather, you’re hiring people whose values and interests mirror that of the company’s. By having the same values, it becomes easier to cultivate organic friendships and working relationships. Keep in mind that company culture fit comes first, and social fit comes second. These new hires will also shape the culture fit of the future, as they will eventually have to hire candidates themselves.
Be sure to describe your company’s culture in your job description as well. It’s important to portray an accurate picture. For example, if you’re a virtual company, communication is imperative and group Skype meeting might be a staple in your calendar. If you’re a startup, some values that could be important are thinking outside of the box, curiosity and creativity. If there are incentives you offer, be sure to mention these as well.
3.) Take Your Time
An individual’s resume cannot be the only indicator of future success with your company. Outside of their experience, take your time to get to know them and gauge their interests. Ask questions about their previous positions, personal hobbies, and where they see themselves in the future. You may even want to have them speak to other employees, who can offer insight into what they think of the candidate as well. As equally important as the answers to your questions are the questions they ask you. Allow the interview to be an open forum of discussion.
4.) Have a Great Training Plan
Throwing your new hire straight into work isn’t the best idea. Your onboarding process should be thorough and cover all the basics. Over the course of these first few weeks, your hire will likely form long-lasting conclusions and judgements about your staff, company culture, and product. During this onboarding process, your new hire should spend a decent amount of time familiarizing themselves with what your company does, both customer-facing and behind the scenes.
Give your new hire a quick runthrough of the roles each person plays at your company. For example, if you’ve just hired someone to tackle your PR plan, you still may want them to know your web designer and the big projects he or she is working on. By giving them an understanding of what each (or the major) employees are working on, you are providing them with a high-level overview of the company and its goals.