How to Find the Best Employees in 4 Steps
The right employee can revolutionize the way your company operates. They bring along a new perspective, big ideas, and a renewed sense of excitement. But how exactly are you supposed to find these one-in-a-million mythical creatures?
Trust us: they’re out there somewhere. Unlike Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, it’s not too hard to draw them out into the open. Leave your binoculars at home and follow these four simple steps instead.
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Write A Compelling (But Accurate) Job Description
Lying to potential employees right off the bat is never a recipe for success. You may feel the urge to oversell the position and your company along with it—an amazing opportunity to flourish in a caring, compassionate workplace with like-minded individuals—but this doesn’t actually say anything about what the job entails.
People are busy. Your ideal candidate is likely very busy.
Your job posting has to grab their attention in a sea of hundreds (or even thousands). Here’s how to do it:
- Start with a short, descriptive title—two to four words is great. The title doesn’t need to include every relevant detail; that’s what the job description is for. Senior Operations Manager, Internal Communications Coordinator, and Junior Content Creator are enough to get the right person clicking “See More.”
- Get straight to the point with a summary of the position rather than an “About Us” or “Our Company” section. Include key responsibilities, which they’ll report to, their starting salary, and any important benefits like medical, vacation time, and bonuses.
- Could you keep it simple? Think of your job posting as an advertisement rather than a formal contract. Avoid technical jargon, legalese, and overly complicated terminology.
Post on Reputable Job Boards: Find the Best Employees
Qualified candidates know where to look for jobs. That’s why you need to meet them where they already are. Use reputable sites and services to get your posting in front of the people you actually want to be seeing:
- LinkedIn – Because of its reputation as a professional networking site, LinkedIn is home to many well-connected candidates.
- ZipRecruiter – How exactly does ZipRecruiter work? This unique job search platform invites qualified candidates to apply to your job (instead of hoping they’ll stumble across your posting on their own).
- University job boards – They may not have a ton of experience just yet, but college graduates are hungry for work and excited about their industry. Connect with local schools to promote your job openings, especially entry-level positions and internships.
Even when you use a reputable job site, you should always run a background check just in case. The internet simplifies the hiring process, but it can also open you up to dishonest candidates. But will this slow down my onboarding timeline? How long does a background check take, anyway? Many online background checks can take mere minutes, so don’t let that stop you.
Prioritize Skills Over Experience
Just because a candidate has worked in your field before doesn’t mean they’ll thrive at your company. The opposite is true for someone with zero direct experience but plenty of transferable skills and success in other industries.
You can always teach a competent candidate how to use your customer relationship management software or format client contracts according to your company policy. But there are a lot of important assets that can’t be taught. These are what you want to keep an eye on during interview rounds. These traits include:
- Internal motivation
- Creativity and resourcefulness
- Passion and excitement about your industry and company
- Adaptability and eagerness to learn
- Leadership experience or potential
- Ability to collaborate
- Punctuality and professionalism
A candidate will either have it or they won’t—and if they don’t, stop wasting your time and find someone who does.
Ensure They’re A Good Overall Fit
The perfect candidate won’t seem so perfect when they fail to get along with the rest of your team. Adding a new senior-level executive who can’t communicate with underlings or accept feedback from their superiors will only harm your staff morale. To avoid that, loop multiple current employees into the hiring decision to ensure you’ve found someone that everyone can work well with.
As the Spice Girls say, if you want to be my [new employee], you gotta get with [the rest of the office].
Find the Best Employees: To the Job Boards!
With all this in mind, it’s time to get posting. The best candidates get snatched up fast, so don’t put the job hunt off any longer.
Just remember: hiring is like dating. There has to be mutual attraction, and it can take some time before you find someone you really click with. But it’s not a marriage. You can always break up and start again until you’ve found the one.
