How to hire the right employees?

[Alan Cobain]

How to hire the right employees? What to focus your attention on when you hire new employees?

[Hine]

For example, I'm consulting with employees who I want to hire. I'm paying attention to their honesty and how they want to work. I recommend to you do something similar, because you can see by yourself everything. And you can feel, this guy will steal or not, etc.

[James Lavud]

Choose your employees carefully. Decide beforehand what you want them to do. Be specific. You may need flexible employees who can shift from task to task as required. Interview and screen applicants with care. Remember, good questions lead to good answers. The more you learn about each applicant's experience and skills, the better prepared you are to make your decision.

[Mike Taylor]

You can try the traditional interview method. During an interview, it's most important to ask questions which aim to draw out the sincerity from interviewees, such as “How would your previous boss describe you?”, or “Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years?”. Not everyone is willing to dive straight into the deeper topics, so you may want to warm up with a few simpler topics like "What are your hobbies?" or "Describe your high-school life".

You might find the best staff through your circle of friends, and for others you may have to advertise in even the most obscure places, starting your relationship from nothing. Questions may be answered more truthfully after developing a personal relationship with potential staff first. We've developed a sample list of useful interview questions categorized into groups to find an employees' past, present and future ideas and results.

With that in mind, there are many other methods which you'll need to implement to get more in touch with employees. For example, you could personally take them out for a coffee, or to other social events... or maybe it’s wiser and to ask other trusted employees to spend time with them? Before hiring employees, you may choose to offer them a trial period to verify if they truly practice what they preached during the interview. Observe practical skills, i.e. as a barista, or check how smooth they are with the lastest tech or their people skills when they're amongst customers. It can be official and unofficial, with an everpresent balance.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Mike Taylor

[randy456]

One thing I've learned is that hiring for attitude and reliability often pays off more than hiring solely for experience. Technical skills can usually be taught, but qualities like accountability, communication, and a willingness to learn are much harder to develop.

I also think having a clear hiring process helps a lot. A structured interview, a practical task (if appropriate for the role), and checking references can reveal much more than a résumé alone. It's also important to be upfront about expectations, company culture, and growth opportunities so both sides know whether it's a good fit.

Retaining good employees starts with hiring the right people, but it also depends on providing proper training, recognizing good work, and creating an environment where people want to stay.

Edited August 3 by randy456