The Big Day is behind us. Now on to the next chapter: New Year’s.
Most of us probably have some personal and career-oriented New Year’s Resolutions we’re considering: get fit, take a class/get some technical certification, eat better, go to more networking events.
If you’re a manager, chances also are great that you may see yourself hiring one or more people next year. That being the case, we offer you some New Year’s Resolutions pertaining to hiring. Take a look below.
- Resolve to make a hiring decision quickly.
This year was a candidate’s market and 2018 is shaping up to be the same, at least in the near term. Dawdle on a hiring decision and don’t be surprised if you lose out on a great candidate.
- Promise to consider the “imperfect” candidate.
Face it: in todays’ war-for-talent climate, finding someone who matches everything your job description says she should and then hiring her at the price you can afford is going to at least somewhat difficult (and that’s an understatement).
So look beyond the perfect and consider other “perfectly good” attributes:
- Cultural fit
- Personality
- Trainability (hire for personality and train for skills)n i
- Work ethic
Many wonderful job candidates are out there if you only you would look at their “flaws” for the hidden potential within them.
- Pledge to embrace the reference check.
Too many people interview well and/or look great on paper. If you’ve never hired someone who appeared to be more-than-good-enough only find them a disaster once onboard, you’ve no doubt seen a supervisor or manager in your past do so. Many hiring mismatches could be solved by performing a thorough background check.
In fact, rather than look at the reference check as a formality, don’t even think of hinting at an offer of employment until you’ve spoken to several professional colleagues in the candidate’s past.
As you speak to references, ascertain if the candidate is as team-oriented as she says she is, truly can get along with anyone and can deal with an angry customer on the phone with grace and aplomb no matter how tired she is.
The main things to look for are to see how well the new hire will fit in with your current team. Most people don’t turn into a “bad hire” because they don’t have the skills but because they just don’t fit in with your corporate culture.
- Vow to ask for help.
As a manager in a department or supervisor of a few people, you’ve a lot on your plate. Hiring someone to fill a departure or new personnel need can take up a lot of your time, time you’re not spending on the tasks for which you were hired.
That’s why working with Helpmates can be a smart move as you gear up for hiring in 2018: we can source, vet and even place terrific people in your temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire openings.
Resolve to help make 2018 the year hiring employees isn’t overwhelming and contact the Helpmates office nearest you.
Happy New Year!
