No company wants turnover, but in most cases, it’s unavoidable. People leave their positions for a variety of reasons, many of which have nothing to do with being dissatisfied with their job. However, sometimes the reason things don’t work out is because of a rushed or hasty interviewing process. If your company is taking on new hires or creating new departments, here are some of the dos and don’ts of the process.
- Scrutinize Their Resume
It’s important to pay attention to details in business, especially when it comes to resumes. Be on the lookout for typos and spelling errors; you don’t want an employee to send out an email to an important client with gratuitous mistakes in it.
Don’t hesitate to check their references. It’s not an uncommon practice for applicants to put down fake or false references-thinking that no one will actually bother to call or check. Make sure you take five minutes to follow through on the critical interviewing step of checking references.
2. Do a Background Check
The laws and regulations regarding background checks are going to vary from state to state. You may be required to obtain the permission of an applicant before running a background check, so make sure you’re in line with your state’s laws. How do you do a background check? It’s a lot easier than you might think. There are a variety of online resources that can walk you through the steps or take care of it for you.
- Know Your Companies Hiring Goals
Before you begin the interview process, make a thorough assessment of the position and establish set requirements for the applicants. Make sure your hiring team or HR department has an open line of communication with the people your new hire will be working with. Consider allowing one of the open position department heads to join in on the interview process and allow them to ask questions.
- Don’t Judge by Experience
Rather than judge an applicant by their experience, judge them by their ability. Someone with five years of experience could have half the capacity of someone just starting out. If possible, request samples of your applicants work from school or previous employment. Looking at an employee’s prior work is going to give you a much better understanding of their value and ability to contribute to your company.
- Put the Interviewee at Ease
Your interviews are going to run much more smoothly if the interviewee isn’t nervous. Make sure you greet them with a warm welcome and offer them something to drink. When you begin the interview and ask questions, keep your tone and delivery light and friendly.
- Don’t Ask General Questions
Stick to detailed and formal questions; avoid inquiries such as, “What do you like to do for fun?” and “How would you describe your personality?” What an interviewee does for fun has zero relevance to their ability to perform their job and you can gauge a personality based off of their responses. Instead, ask questions that will reveal whether or not the applicant can solve problems on the spot or regurgitate information that they should have memorized.
- Discover Motivation
Find out your interviewee’s short and long-term goals at your company. You should ask questions like, “Where in your career do you see yourself in five years?” and “What do you hope to bring to the company?” You want an employee who is going to grow and develop their career right alongside your business.
- Be Open and Honest
When it comes to describing a position and its day-to-day functions, you’re much better off laying everything out on the table. If you embellish the perks of the job, employee benefits, or company culture, you might end up losing that employee quickly after you hire them. To prevent turnover, clearly explain every aspect of the job and follow up with the question, “Is this something you would be interested in?” You can get a relatively good understanding of a candidate’s genuine interest in the position with this tactic.
When it comes to hiring, make sure you stay prepared, know what you want, and ask the right questions. Take careful note of these do’s and don’ts and the all-star team of employees you’ve always dreamed of will be yours before you know it.
