4 Smart Ways to Hire Smart Employees
You need to hire smart if you want to crush the competition. But how do you do that?
Hiring is one of the most crucial tasks you will have as a business manager. It is a process that takes a lot of time, effort, and financial resources, but you don’t want to just do it blindly. There are devastating consequences to your business if you hire the wrong people.
Here are the specific steps you need to take in order to hire smart employees.
1. Include the necessary details in your job descriptions.
The first step in the hiring process is posting a job vacancy. If your job description is poorly written, you will attract the wrong applicants and scare away the right ones. The job description does not have to be lengthy. According to a study reported by the Wall Street Journal, using the “Needs-Supplies” approach produces better candidates than the “Demands-Abilities” approach.
In your postings, include statements like “Our goal is to provide our staff with constructive criticism so they can grow as successful professionals in their field,” and “You will be working with skilled and experienced individuals.” This means that you need to highlight what your company has to offer to your employees if you want applicants who fit the requirements.
2. Leverage the power of social media and digital trends.
Being on trend is an attractive trait for a company. Embedding a digital culture and showing it off to the public will help you attract and retain smart employees. Use LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram if applicable when you are in need of a new employee. Make sure that your website is mobile-friendly as 30% of Americans use their smartphones when job hunting.
3. Consider the applicant’s personality.
Soft skills are very important because it dictates the way a person handles certain social situations. Although it is also important that the candidates have relevant knowledge and experience, those can easily be taught or acquired, but personalities are harder to form or change.
If you think that a person with impressive skills and experience is perfect for the job, you need to change the way you think in this case. Emotional intelligence, communication skills, and social skills matter a lot.
4. Take a peek at their social media profiles.
Employers performed background checks on candidates even before social media was invented. But now that everyone is using social media, this can be a great source of necessary information about the individual who is applying for a job in your company. While it should not be a major deciding factor, it can give you a good idea of the candidate’s personal interests. It can help a lot if the candidate maintains a professional blog or portfolio related to the job.
The bottom line? Hire smart by using a system that will make your candidate screening process simpler and more effective.