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The Online Advisor - December 1999
How to find the right employee
To find and hire the best employee for the job, consider these suggestions:
Job descriptions. Develop a job description that accurately portrays the essential skills and personality characteristics needed for the job. Have current employees participate in writing job descriptions.
Applicants. Soliciting applicants through newspaper ads may not be the most efficient way to find suitable applicants. Instead try referrals from employees and others (friends, colleagues, ex-employees, family, former professors, and former candidates). Many businesses offer rewards for referrals, with a bonus when the referral stays on the job for a given period of time.
Interviews. Train those who do the interviewing to ask questions that elicit critical information. In evaluating applicants, visualize how each might "fit" with other employees and customers. Ask trusted employees to participate in the evaluation of candidates.
The offer. Be patient -- wrong hires will be costly! For key employees and hard-to-find skills, pay above the market and review salaries quarterly. For others, pay the market rate for your industry and region. Package a benefit plan tailored to individual needs (but avoid plans which discriminate). Remember that flexibility is critical for many candidates.
New hires. Assign another employee to act as a personal contact to new employees to help them "fit in." Take time to discuss how the new employee's expectations differ from on-the-job reality.
Establish a program. Having an active recruitment process in place will reduce the time needed to fill positions when they do become vacant. Keep a file of applicants who were not hired, along with a network for making contacts.
Hiring the right person begins with the right search. Reevaluate your current hiring process and adjust it to improve your chance of hiring employees who are a perfect fit for your company.