4 Things You Need to Hire Your Next Top Performer

Did your top performer just give notice? Now what? This article will outline 4 recruiting essentials to help you hire your next successful candidate.

Job Descriptions

Every position in your organization requires a skill set, involves a set of tasks and responsibilities, warrants a specific pay scale and generally holds a essential role within the organization. Creating an effective job description will help you understand the position you are recruiting for. You cannot expect to recruit for a position with just a job title. You need an idea of the day-to-day activities, the level of responsibility, the travel expectations, physical demands, and know the department and people with whom the eventual holder of the position will work.

Current job descriptions may be a helpful place to start and save time when you begin recruiting, but the great thing about job descriptions is you can review and update them as the position changes.

Attractive Job Postings

A job posting serves its purpose when it attracts the right candidates to your company. All job postings should include job requirements, skills needed, and a summary of the job description. They should also include features that make your company stand out, such as:

• Insight to your company culture
• Interesting facts about your company
• Unique benefits your company offers, such as tuition reimbursement, volunteer pay, flextime, or floating holidays
• Office location (Ocean view? Metropolitan location?)
• Casual dress code

Once you've created the job posting and communicated the great things your company has to offer, consider speeding up the publishing process by creating a job posting template specific for your company. Remember to include information on how to apply for the job, and that you are an equal-opportunity employer.

Job Specific Interview Questions

Well thought out interview questions can help you distinguish good candidates from the great ones you'll hire.

A combination of behavioral, competency, and situational interview questions specific to the job you're recruiting for will help give you the information you need to continue your hiring process. Asking behavioral-based interview questions can provide insight on how candidates have dealt with situations and job responsibilities in the past. Past performance is generally the most accurate predictor of future performance, so including interview questions on how the candidate performed, versus how the candidate would perform, is often essential for predicting their future performance with your company.

Once you've determined which questions to use, ask them of each candidate so you'll have the tools to truly compare them based on the job requirements.

Support From Management

Your management teams needs to support your hiring search. Support includes:

• Flexibility – you may need to shift around your schedule and availability to prioritize recruiting
• Time – you may need your managers to set aside some time to assist with interviews and orientation

Your management team should be educated on the importance of hiring the right people and the potential liabilities for the company when your new hire is not a good fit. You bad hires are typically the ones costing your company time, money and potentially creating a negative impact on company morale.

Once your management teams understands the importance of the new hire process and the impact it truly has on your company, they'll be more helpful and supportive.

Recruiting can be a challenge but also an exciting experience. With the right tools and resources available, your next hire will be a great one!