Fixing employment mistakes later down the line will cost you more time and money and could even put your business in jeopardy, so hiring the right people straight away is crucial.
When deciding who to hire, you need to be scrupulous in figuring out whether the candidates have the right skills.
Identify your business objectives, break these down into specific goals, and then think of practical steps your employee will need to make to fulfil those goals.
The first step is to create a job description, being as specific as possible, and then include this in the job advertisement. By clarifying what exactly your employee will be doing, you’ll be able to identify which employees will be the right fit or not.
By creating business objectives and performance goals, you’ll also be able to quickly identify whether your employee is fulfilling your expectations.
When you receive applications, take your time. Don’t do everything by yourself. Ask a trusted colleague or business associate to help pick out the best of the resumes you receive, and then work on setting up interviews.
James was the editor and publisher of SmartCompany and LeadingCompany for five years. He is now the Australian Financial Review‘s companies & markets editor, and a former BRW editor.
