Bringing the right person onto your team can feel like a challenge, no matter how many times you’ve done it before. Between crafting job descriptions, reviewing résumés, and interviewing candidates, the process takes effort, but finding the right fit is always worth it.
In this guide, we’ll review everything you need to identify and hire the best employees for your business.
Define the role
When hiring for any role within your organization, use job descriptions like you do with marketing copy to attract your target customers, making the descriptions as specific as possible to appeal to your ideal candidates.
Every job description should include:
- A title that’s tailor-made for the specific role and responsibilities.
- A captivating opening summary to pique qualified candidates’ interest in both the role and your company.
- The hard and soft skills required for the job, as well as its core responsibilities, and a description of how this role fits into the broader structure of your organization, including whether there are opportunities for growth and advancement.
- A snapshot of your company’s mission, values, and culture, which should include the benefits and professional development opportunities you provide employees.
Structuring your job descriptions this way will help fill your pipeline with qualified candidates who understand the position and feel confident in their abilities to fulfill the necessary requirements.
Remember, in many cases, job descriptions are candidates’ first impression of your company. To that end, make sure they’re always easy to understand, free of errors, and that they provide a comprehensive snapshot of what your expectations are of the role and the candidate who is hired.
Build your pipeline
It’s important to consider all available recruitment avenues when searching for ideal candidates for your open positions.
Your recruitment strategy should be a multi-pronged approach that includes:
- Publishing open positions on your website and across your social media channels, especially if you’re looking to hire millennial and Gen Z candidates, as they frequent these platforms.
- Encouraging referrals and asking your employees to share open positions with their networks.
- Reviewing former employees, especially if they parted with the company on amicable terms.
- Considering previous applicants who interviewed well and aligned with your company’s culture and values. They may have acquired new skills and experience that better qualify them for the position.
- Attending industry-related networking events, conferences, and job fairs to meet and interact with potential candidates.
Consider proactively (and continuously) building a passive candidate pipeline through recruitment marketing efforts on LinkedIn and other professional platforms, job boards, and recruitment apps. You might also be successful exploring nontraditional avenues, such as second chance hiring and seeking out former entrepreneurs, in rounding out your prospective talent pool.
Review résumés fast and fairly
When reviewing résumés, here are some tips to streamline the process:
- If a résumé is rife with spelling and grammatical errors, move on to the next candidate.
- Check if candidates tailored their résumés to showcase their experience and skills that are applicable to the role they are applying for.
- Prioritize candidates who provide concrete performance metrics to prove their qualifications over those who merely list the responsibilities of their current or previous jobs.
- Look for employment gaps, which can be potential red flags, especially if they go unaddressed by the candidate.
- Consider including a couple of prescreening questions in your application to help identify the most qualified candidates to interview.
Treat potential candidates as you would a customer, and be open and honest about your hiring timeline. Keeping candidates waiting for a reply for weeks on end can diminish their excitement for joining your company and signal a lack of respect for their time and attention.
[Read more: 6 Clear & Simple Steps to Building a Successful Small Business Hiring Plan]
Interview smarter
Finding the right hire starts with a well-planned interview. A good place to begin is to shortlist applicants through résumé review and initial screening, then invite your top candidates to interview so you focus time where it matters most. Allow candidates to schedule interviews through an online calendar so they can choose an open slot without unnecessary back-and-forth communication.
Once you get to the interview, you can structure it into three parts:
- Set the context for the role and expectations.
- Ask behavioral and situational questions that reveal how the candidate solves problems, collaborates, and learns from setbacks. Use this as an opportunity to go beyond the résumé by listening for clear examples and outcomes.
- Have them complete a short work sample or mock scenario that mirrors real tasks of the position.
To reduce bias and uncover the various strengths of different candidates, try rotating interviewers and refreshing questions. Finally, standardize note-taking and ratings so you compare candidates consistently. Creating templates for questions and scorecards can speed up decisions without sacrificing quality.
When you’re stretched thin, it’s tempting to fill a seat fast. But quick fixes almost always become long-term problems.Samantha Grant, Co-Founder of Pitch Peach
Test your candidates
Preemployment testing helps you quickly confirm who fits the role you need to fill by measuring job knowledge, cognitive ability, work behaviors, and personality traits that predict performance. Place a short skills assessment early in the process to filter out mismatches, then add a role-specific task for finalists, such as a writing test, a customer email, or a simple spreadsheet exercise.
Automated platforms make it easy to test candidate skills specific to your workflow and to share results with the hiring team. Use tests to inform rather than replace the interview process. Share expectations in advance, keep time limits reasonable, and apply the same scoring rubric to every candidate for a faster and fairer path to top talent.
Hire based on attitude
When two applicants have similar hard skills, choose the one with the right personality for the job and the business.
“Hire for mindset and problem-solving ability, not just résumé or credentials,” advised Jason Wong, Founder and CEO of custom packaging company Paking Duck. “Skills can be taught; curiosity, accountability, a can-do spirit, and communication cannot. I’ve found that people who take ownership and think independently end up being 10x hires in a small business environment.”
Natalie Dawson, President and Co-Founder of Cardone Ventures, recommends conducting a core values interview to assess a candidate’s attitude and alignment with your organization.
“Skills matter, but if a candidate doesn’t align with your company’s mission and core values, they will never thrive long-term,” Dawson explained.
While you want people who align with your values, you also want candidates who can bring fresh perspectives who strengthen decision-making and improve performance. Hiring for cultural add promotes diversity of thought, improves collaboration, and supports retention by building inclusive teams with room to grow. Ask questions that reveal how the candidate would improve your culture and where they see opportunities to add value.
[Read more: What Is Human-Centric Hiring and How Can It Help Your Business?]
Make objective decisions
When it comes to hiring, resist the urge to settle for the first available candidate. If your applicant pool isn’t as strong as you’d like, restart your search rather than compromising on a subpar candidate. Focus on your organization’s immediate needs and search for candidates who have already succeeded in similar roles, including those already within your company.
While technology and AI tools can help streamline the recruiting and interview process, the final decision requires human insight and instinct. In addition to information gleaned from the résumé, interview, and any other touchpoints, gather input from references and others who’ve seen the candidate in comparable settings to get a full picture of their capabilities. Finally, keep your current team in mind; your new hire should not only complement their skill sets, but they should also mesh well with (and ideally, add to) the culture.
[Read more: AI for Job Applications Has Small Businesses Rethinking Hiring]
Avoid common hiring mistakes
Hiring the wrong person can be costly, both financially and culturally. Still, in a competitive labor market, it’s easy to make a hiring mistake, especially if you rush the process or settle for “good enough” just to fill a role.
“When you’re stretched thin, it’s tempting to fill a seat fast. But quick fixes almost always become long-term problems,” warned Samantha Grant, Co-Founder of Pitch Peach. “Slow down, define exactly what you need (both technically and temperamentally), and wait for the person who fits.”
One of the biggest pitfalls to avoid is hiring without a clear understanding of what’s truly needed. When expectations are vague, even talented employees can end up in positions they aren’t quite right for. Take time to define the must-have skills, personality traits, and responsibilities before interviews begin.
Most crucially, do your due diligence. Résumés don’t always tell the full story, so make sure to speak with candidates, check references, and trust your instincts — the right hire will align with your company’s goals, values, and culture. Remember, taking the extra time during this process will almost always pay off in the long run.
Close on your top choice
Once you’ve found the right person, it’s time to close the deal. Extend a written offer that feels personal rather than merely transactional and reflects the conversations and priorities you’ve discussed throughout the process. Be transparent about salary, benefits, and any next steps (such as background checks and new hire documentation) while also getting them excited about joining the company and maintaining open, friendly communication. A thoughtful, honest approach can turn a job offer into a lasting professional relationship.
Nicole Fallon contributed to this article.
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