Hiring a dream team is the most important step your company can take to be successful.
Of course, what you do at your organization is meaningful. You care about the services or products you provide. But it’s who does this work that truly matters. Your employees bring your mission to life, connecting with your clients or customers, and forming a strong company culture.
Hiring isn’t just another pesky task to cross off your to-do list. It’s an exciting opportunity to shape the future of your company – because bringing the right people on board makes all the difference. Follow these hiring best practices from our professional development and consulting experts.
Keep it personal.
Remember that every candidate who sends you a resume or comes in for an interview is a real person – not just a list of qualifications or an appointment in your busy schedule. Make an effort to get to know them on an individual basis. For example, prepare for the interview by doing a little research on LinkedIn. Does the candidate have certain skills listed or specific endorsements?
Abandon the dreaded panel interview and have a one-on-one conversation instead. Try to get a sense of who they are, how they work, and what they care about. A little empathy goes a long way. Ask thoughtful questions, listen carefully, and treat applicants as you would want to be treated. This exchange will also help you see if a candidate will be a good fit for your company.
Make hiring a priority.
Set clear steps and milestones for your hiring timeline. Focus on quality over quantity when it comes to interviews; limit this phase to no more than two rounds and do your homework in advance so you can capitalize on your time with the candidate.
Be transparent with applicants about what the hiring process looks like, and when you expect to decide. Let them know when you will follow up and stay true to your word. Show that your company is reliable, respectful, and attentive.
At York Solutions, we streamline the screening process by only holding a limited number of interviews to very specific candidates. This allows us to be more precise with our interviews and put in the time necessary to get to know the candidates as well as provide thorough transparency.
Have fun with it.
Who says hiring must be stuffy and boring? Make each step of the process interesting, engaging, and unique to your organization – it will make it more fun for both you and the candidate. Get creative: move your interview outside the office for a change of scenery, or ask candidates to jump in on a real-life brainstorming session with the rest of the team. Create a comfortable environment where people can show their skills and personalities.
Need help building a team of IT talent? Learn more about York Solutions’ services.