Finding and hiring good employees has always been a challenge for business owners, but it’s especially true today. The labor market is tight, leading to higher expectations from employees for special perks or accommodations, and less incentive to stay. Even a successful company that is well-run and has a healthy workplace environment can find it difficult to retain employees.
Needless to say, a great deal of time and effort go into hiring a new employee, which makes the question of how to find good people—people who are the right fit for a company—more pressing than ever. In this article, we’ll share three hiring tips that can be used to help ensure that each new employee is a good fit for the team.
Look for transferable skill sets – When you are considering a potential candidate for a job opening, look past the job titles from her resume and pay close attention to the work that the job entailed. Just because the job title isn’t an exact match with the one you’re hiring for doesn’t mean that the candidate isn’t qualified. Look for broader skill sets that could play into the role.
For example, let’s say you’re looking to add a customer service rep to your team. It’s a junior-level position, so you’re not trying to find someone with years of experience. However, as a small company, it’s critical that every member be a full contributor. The candidate you are considering has never been a customer service rep before, but she worked retail jobs through college. During the interview, you come to discover that she loves working with people and is resourceful in finding ways to help them. She thinks well on her feet and has the kind of upbeat energy you want for your brand. Without having customer service experience per se, this person has enough transferable skills, coupled with the right attitude and natural abilities, to do very well in the role.
Establish clear roles & responsibilities – One of the most foundational things employers can do to attract the best people is to be clear and detailed about what the role entails and what the responsibilities include. This is not to say that there won’t be some amount of fluctuation in the position, especially if the person stays for a significant length of time. However, when a new employee begins, there should be consistency between the job that was described and the work he is expected to do.
Consistency, thoroughness, getting to the details and considering all aspects of a position—these things are time-consuming but well worth the effort. It's easy for employers to forget the unique perspective they hold, coming from within the company, and assume prospective employees share the same knowledge. In truth, when people are accustomed to a work environment, they take certain things for granted. Before advertising for a job, take the time to ensure the description you’re presenting is as accurate as possible. During the interview process, go over the description and ask questions; allow the candidate to ask questions, too. Eliminating the guesswork will provide clarity for both sides.
Start with strong Brand & Core Values – An often-overlooked component of good hiring practices, Brand & Core Values are critical to attracting the right employees. Brand Values are essentially a company’s promise to the market, while Core Values are the promise to the team. Both speak to the ideal experience that the company strives to create, whether that’s for their clients or for the employees as they work together on a daily basis. A company that clearly states those values to potential employees is setting expectations right from the start. Someone who finds those expectations unreasonable or unappealing is less likely to take the job, which saves both parties from wasted time.
Another advantage to being clear on Brand & Core Values is that an employee who is in alignment with those ideals is more likely to stay with the company, even in cases when there are other, more lucrative opportunities available. Brand & Core Values function like glue in keeping a company united behind the same ideals and in keeping customers coming back for more products or services.
Good employees are the strength of every successful business. While you can’t control many things about the applicant pool, you can do a lot to ensure that you’re creating the best conditions in order to attract, recognize, and retain the best candidates.
At the ReWild Group, our mission is to multiply the number of exceptional businesses globally. In this article, we’ve touched on two of the 11 Elements of an Exceptional Business – Brand and Core Values and Organizational Structure. Click to learn more about the guidebooks for each of the elements, and start the journey towards making your workplace exceptional.