4 Hiring Tips for Small Business: Stop Losing the Best Candidates

Hiring a new person is stressful in the best of times. There is so much to think about. Are they right for the job? Will they fit in with the company? Will they work hard or never show up? There is no way to know the answer to these questions on the front end. All you can do is try to choose the best potential employee from the options you have.

You could be letting the perfect one fall through the cracks and not even know it. Here are some common mistakes (and hiring tips) made in interviews that could truly cost you the best person for the job, without you ever knowing.

You Give Off the Wrong Vibe

If the interview doesn’t reflect the company culture, you could be missing out on some great employees simply because they think they won’t fit in. For example, if your business is generally laid back, but the interview is conducted in formal business attire, you may lose a candidate that is looking for a more laid-back company, simply because they don’t’ know.

Be professional, always, but set the tone for the interview to match the daily tone in the office. This means also not conducting an interview in a less serious tone than the daily expectations. The same problem could arise.

Keeping the interview consistent with the office culture will help you and the potential employee determine where they fit, or if they fit at all.

Do Your Research

Research each and every candidate. Call references, check their social media, and know what you are walking into. This will help you ask knowledgeable questions and, in some cases, see beyond what they are willing to share in the interview.

Ask for Work Samples

Some people just don’t interview well, and not everyone is attractive to you. Whether you know it or not, you may be judging candidates on how they interview and how they look, which doesn’t always reflect the quality of their work. As much as possible depending on the position, ask for work samples.

Seeing what they can actually do will help you see beyond those things that may not matter as much in the long-term.

Get on the Ball

Don’t take an unnecessarily long period of time to get back with them. Dr. Steven Lindner of The Workplace Group advises employers to hire faster and smarter in 2017

“Job interviews are stressful for any applicant, but what is most frustrating is when the hiring process drags on without any meaningful feedback or a light at the end of the tunnel,” Dr. Lindner says.

People apply for jobs because they are looking for a job. They are going to keep looking until they find one, and if you take too long to grab them, you could lose them. Respect their time as much as you like your own time to be respected.