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5 Ways to Hire the Right Employee for the Job

Rachelle Wilber

February 05, 2016

Hiring the wrong employee for the job can be costly. It takes time and money to train an individual. If the wrong employee is hired, the recruitment process must start all over. Instead of re-hiring multiple people for the same job, follow these tips to hire the right employee for the job the first time.

Resumes and Letters

Review resumes and letters carefully. Resumes and letters often reveal personality traits that may or may not be desirable for the job description. Look into applicants’ credentials before following through with an interview. Pay attention to how their resumes and letters are formatted. This may reveal their level of attentiveness. Look up their achievements. Make sure the applicant is being honest with the information they provide. Check for misspelled words or awkward phrasing. For instance, an applicant applying for a law-related job should write their letter in an organized and precise manner, which establishes that they are able to communicate well and are logical.

Interview Questions

While some interview questions are relatively standard, throwing in some random questions can help recruiters pinpoint who they want for the job and who they don’t. These types of questions can assess whether an employee can think on their feet, if they’re a people-person, whether they’re imaginative, if they can think outside-the-box, they’re honesty, and whether they’re analytical. Certain jobs require certain strengths. Posing the same questions over and over will result in run-of-the-mill answers, which doesn’t allow a recruiter to weed out the wrong people for the job. Asking “Would you be willing to spend one Saturday out of the month with your coworkers?” will discover if the applicant is a people-person and is truly committed to the job they are applying for.

Follow-Up Interviews

If the applicant passes the first interview, follow up with another interview. Allow some time to pass between the two interviews. Keep careful notes of the first interview. Focus on asking questions aimed at the applicant’s honesty. Do not ask the same questions as in the first interview or remind them, if necessary, of their previous responses. Ask similar questions, and delve deeper into finding out whether they are honest. Applicants won’t be perfect, but finding an honest applicant means that they will care for their job, and they will strive to learn new ways to improve their job skills. Honesty also establishes trust, which translates into greater company profits, efficiency, and overall employee morale.

HR Applicant Tracking Software

The process of using HR applicant tracking software saves a lot of time in finding the right person for the job. Information can be both stored and retrieved electronically. Using an HR candidate tracking system  allows recruiters to search for applicants through keywords, former employers, schools attended, years of experience, skills, and other desired information. This software can be used online or on a smaller scale. HR applicant tracking software encourages applicants to keep an updated copy of their resume as it searches for relevant information the same way a browser searches for relevant websites.

Applicant Presentation

They say that attractive people are more likely to be hired than less attractive people. However, viewing an applicant’s presentation should not reflect on looks. Instead, focus on hygiene, professional behavior, and a positive and cheery demeanor. An applicant who takes their work, and themselves, seriously will be dressed professionally and will take time to be presentable. Do not focus on how expensive their attire is, but focus on whether it is ironed and clean. View applicants' nails and hair. They should be kept neat and clean as well. These habits establish whether an applicant has self-respect and confidence. People who have these traits show emotional maturity and respond well to others.

Use these tips to look over the applicant.  Discover whether they’re a good fit for the job description and whether they have integrity. When a recruiter discovers these attributes, they will be confident in hiring the right person for the job.

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