A top position is opening at your company. It’s a position pivotal to maintaining forward growth. A bad hire is never good, but in this case, it could be devastating. What steps can you take to ensure that your chosen candidate is not only NOT a bad hire, but also IS the best person for the position?

I. Take the time to write an accurate job description
• In one or two sentences, summarize your company’s mission, culture, and values. If you can’t get a clear picture of who you are – how can you have a clear picture of who you want to support company growth.
• Give the position a straightforward title with easily searchable and familiar wording.
• Give details – concisely. Find the balance between the ends of the spectrum. An honest picture here is crucial.
• Differentiate between absolute requirements and supporting skills/experience
• Summarize the personality and cultural fit of your ideal candidate – this is as essential as experience and skills – if not more essential.

II. Now that you know exactly what you are looking for, dig deep at your interview – you are not only seeking true skills and experience, but also mining for genuine substance and abstract skills – leadership, adaptability, compatibility, etc. Concentrate on four areas.

•Skills and experience: Do they have the absolute requirements, of course, but do they also continue to grow. Have they attended conferences or participated in webinars in the last year? When was the last time they earned additional certification in related technologies? Can they offer specific projects they have successfully completed?

•Abstract skills: Are they discerning – having insight into future trends/changes and courage and flexibility to embrace and utilize them for growth? Are they able to respond to wrong decisions, evaluate, choose the best solution, and turn it around for good? Pay attention to their responses. Did they listen to your questions, and reflect before giving solid answers?

•Personality and cultural fit: Do they come across as self-focused or team-focused? Do their answers indicate confidence tempered by humility, a bar setter tempered by compassion, courage and decisiveness tempered by thoughtful reflection? Do they give credit to people who have played significant roles in their personal and professional growth? Helpful questions include:
What makes you the perfect choice for this position?
What unique quality will you bring to the table?
What is the most significant lesson you learned through a bad decision or major professional failure?
What’s your story – the chapter that you can’t convey on a resume?
Have you ever stood against the majority, when, and why?

•Their Questions: Pay special attention to the questions they ask. Do they indicate an in-depth understanding of your company? Do their questions reveal an interest not only in connection within the company but also with co-workers after-hours?

III. Don’t just confer with the people involved in the hiring decision. Ask the receptionist his/her opinion of each candidate based on his/her interactions by phone/email when setting up the interview and in person on the day of the interview. Talk to others who have had interaction during the process. Confer with your staffing firm. Of course, they only sent you’re the best of their best candidates, but ask them why each one was chosen. Finally, take the time to absorb all the information, think about working with each candidate and don’t’ forget to pay attention to your personal instinct.

Carefully following the above steps will help ensure wise choices when filling crucial positions. Choices that make positive impacts on company culture and spur company growth. At Springborn Staffing, we work hard to send you the best candidates for interviewing, candidates who match your accurate job description as well as your culture. Contact us today and discover the difference our searching and screening can make in your hiring journeys.