The Art Of Hiring
Making The Right Hiring Decision
An organization’s success or downfall depends on the employees recruited to run it. Even though meticulously choosing employees can be a tiresome job, it is one of the most rewarding aspects of hiring. Every employee is an investment that needs to bear a good return. Hiring the right candidate will transform the performance of the company exponentially. Time and money are of the essence, which is why we at Ketto give great importance to hiring the right fit for every open position. We have listed down below a few tricks to master the art of hiring the best way.
- Ask The Right Questions
One of the foremost tasks of finding the perfect candidate is asking the right questions. Questions asked correctly can be used to identify if an applicant is apt for the job or not. But many questions could be asked, which is why we have classified them into the following-
- Job questions
These include questions that weigh their knowledge regarding the job role, their experience and their skills.
- Cultural fit questions
These include questions related to their work style, ethics and approach to problems and situations.
- Motivational fit questions
Ask questions that reveal the professional passion of your candidate
- Field knowledge and upscale related questions
Ask questions that test their field knowledge and the methods they use to stay up-to-date
- Expectations from the company
Ask questions regarding their expectations from the company and the reporting managers.
2. Make A Checklist
At any growing organization, hiring is a continuous process where it can get tedious at times. Be it filling out forms, reviewing job descriptions regularly or completing background checks, having a checklist helps. It will help you systematically track your hiring process and instil fair recruitment practices. It helps ensure the acquisition team is on the same page, contending labour shortages and keeping the hiring process moving.
3. Hire Internally
Hiring for positions externally brings in diversity, new perspectives and thought processes. However, you might want to hire a candidate internally if he has performed well and is ready to take up more responsibilities.
A study by Matthew Bidwell from the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania sheds some light on this area. The research revealed that external hires were 61% more likely to be fired or laid off from their role and 21% more likely than internal hires to voluntarily resign.
Hiring from within is advantageous as the candidates have comprehensive knowledge about the organization saving time and money.
4. Consider Past Candidates
You might have come across an exceptional candidate for a job role who fits right in. However, the hiring was not successful due to some reasons in the past. Whenever there is a new opening, it is time to revisit their resume. These candidates already know about your company and may have learnt new skills since you last spoke. Creating a pool of passive candidates is helpful.
5. Write Clear Job Descriptions
Having an appropriate and detailed job description is crucial. Here are a few things you should keep in mind before putting out a call for applicants.
- Use a clear job title
A clear title is necessary if you want to draw applicants from a niche with a particular specialization.
- Describe the tasks and speak directly to the candidates
Break down the expected responsibilities into clear duties and avoid using technical jargon that would confuse them. At the same time, do not designate unrealistic expectations.
- Job Specifications
It is preferred to specify your requirements from the applicant concerning job knowledge, applicable skills, abilities and other miscellaneous conditions.
6. Sell Your Company Uniquely
Many of the high-level applicants look for jobs passively. Render them with a reason to choose your organization over others. Giving them a glimpse of your work culture can strike an impression on the applicant. Ketto values transparency and presenting its rich work culture to set itself apart from other firms. Take a quick look at the Ketto Cultural Hub- https://www.ketto.org/new/about/about-us.
7. Have A Recruitment Goal At Place
Companies are adopting different strategies in their hiring process to catalyze recruitment and maximize retention. No matter how strategic the plan, without a goal, all efforts are in vain. Here are a few tips on how you can establish one.
- Define your recruitment goal
- Establish key performance indicators to measure the time taken to hire and set standards for the same
- Make sure you set reasonably achievable goals
- Align your intention with values and organizational objectives
- Set a timeframe to achieve the set objective
8. Initiate An Employee Referral Program
Interestingly, some of the best candidates may come from your current employees. Having an incentive-based Employee Referral Program(ERP) helps your hiring process significantly. The benefit of ERP is that it cuts the recruiting costs and shaves off the days taken to hire someone new. Most of the time, you can be sure that the candidates who come through a reference would be good, saving time off reference checks. Additionally, the current employees would get rewarded for their recommendation. Your employees should network and find great candidates like them in their profession. If your current employees are motivated and productive, they will be your best advertisers.
9. Refine The Quality Of Hire
While screening candidates, the objective is not to have a big pool of candidates but to shortlist the candidates who perfectly fit the job description. Asking the right questions, checking whether an applicant is an organizational fit while involving the teams and collecting the appropriate data would refine the nature of hire. A refined hiring process transcends further into a smooth transaction between recruiter and candidate.
10. Understand Candidate Expectations
Knowing the applicant expectations will help you curate a better environment for them. It will boost employee retention, customer metrics, productivity, and profitability. At the very beginning, if you figure out that the applicant and the company expectations are different, you will save a lot of time by dropping their application and moving on.
At Last, Hire Carefully!
Take the time up-front to hire the right person. Rushing the process or moving slowly will not help either way. Adjust your speed according to company requirements and the goals set. When you realize you do not have the right fit, acknowledge the lack of fit and move on. It will save a lot of time and effort. A bad hire will risk the flow of your business and build discrepancies. Being careful goes a long way if you want great value to the investment you make.
Authored by Kartik Kulshrestha
Edited by Vindy Damion Dias
