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Do you know what a hiring manager’s worst nightmare is these days? Hiring the wrong person for the job just because they looked like the right employee during the interview process.
The candidate managed to present a stellar resume and give a compelling interview. However, in reality they have mediocre skills, experience, or even motivation to excel in the role they applied for.
Sometimes, resumes and CV’s can be highly misleading. This is thanks in part to websites that specialize in trimming off the fat so resumes can look like they belong to a seasoned professional.
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On the other hand, people candidate list as character references tend to overshoot their vouching for the applicant. Naturally, they’re trying to be polite. Or perhaps they are a close friend of the applicant or they owe them a favor.
Whatever the case, this means that making sure that you do everything you can to hire the right employee for your business won’t be a walk in the park.
Fortunately, however, there are a number of good tips and measures you can take. You can use these suggestions to confirm that the candidate in front of you truly is someone who will be a great addition to your company.
1. See How Consistent Their Work History Is
One good indication of whether someone will be the right employee is how consistent their work history is. However, don’t concern yourself with how long they’ve been working or how much work experience they have.
Instead, see how long they’ve been working in the same industry that your company or business is in. Also try to determine what kind of track record they had in previous jobs.
If they had a steady work history in the industry that your establishment is in, then you can at least be sure that they have the skills and competencies of someone who could be the right employee for the job.
On the other hand, if they are someone who has jumped frequently from industry to industry or company to company, you should treat this as a red flag. This is especially the case if many of their tenures are short.
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2. Make Good Use of Questions to Assess Situational Judgement
During the interview process, it is likely that every applicant did their research and stumbled upon the interview questions you use. Moreover, they practiced extensively so they could deliver their lines in a natural way.
There is nothing you can do about this. However, you could present them with scenarios or problems that regularly occur in your business. For example, describe conflicts with customers or coworkers, or talk about scheduling and other work issues.
Such situations, unlike conventional interview questions, are most likely to be unique to your business or industry. This will allow you to understand just how compatible the applicant is for the position. You’ll gain an understanding if they could be the right employee for the job by observing how they respond to such scenarios.
This give you insights into how good an employee they might be. And you’ll also be able to see if they truly have the skills, especially the interpersonal skills, they boast about in their application.
Through the use of these types of questions, you will have a good idea about their way of thinking. Use the insights you gain in this way to assess how they could either benefit or be a liability to your business.
Remember, the only thing that’s worse than a temporary financial loss is a permanent hit to your company’s reputation for hiring the wrong person for the job. This is especially the case if the role you hire them for requires regular interaction with potential clients and customers.
3. Consider Using a Psychometric Test
Psychometric tests have long been part of the hiring process for many businesses. In fact, many companies deploy them early on. This allows them to filter out incompatible candidates early in the process, thereby saving time, money, and resources.
Commonly known as aptitude tests, such pre-employment screening tools are used to confirm candidates’ cognitive abilities. This allows hiring managers to see if candidates meet the minimum standards for the position they are applying for.
One of the most reliable aptitude tests on the market is the Wonderlic Test. This is a multi-subject exam containing 50 questions of varying difficulty that candidates must answer within 12 minutes.
Due to the way it is designed, the Wonderlic Test also measures the test-taker’s decision-making and time management skills. This is because the test is administered under immense time pressure.
Consequently, this assessment allows employers to know things about a candidate that a resume or interview can’t reveal.
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4. A Personality Test Could Also Help You Determine the Right Employee
Apart from the Wonderlic Test, some companies also use personality tests. For example, there is the Harrison Assessment, which ensures that the candidate’s behavior and motivations are aligned with the optimal personality profile of the right employee for the job.
Personality tests typically follow a survey-like format. That is, the test-taker indicates their agreement or disagreement with a statement. Their answers, in turn, reveal particular personality traits and generate a personality profile. The employer can then determine how compatible they are with the job they are applying for.
For example, when it comes to upper management positions, a hiring manager naturally would prefer a personality profile containing strong leadership skills. For entry-level positions, on the other hand, the employer’s preference will depend on the specific responsibilities of the job the person is applying for.
As you can see, each type of testing has its advantages and disadvantages. You can expect candidates to prepare well for the Wonderlic Test, for example. However, when it comes to personality tests like the Harrison Assessment, you might pass on an otherwise competent employee who “fails” that test because they are unfamiliar with it.
Despite these drawbacks, psychometric tests have something to offer for every company. This is because they can help hiring managers see things beyond an applicant’s resume. This helps hiring managers and employers to focus on individuals who are capable of succeeding with their company.
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5. One of Your Own Interns Could Be the Right Employee
Most companies tend to seek out the best from the market. However, don’t overlook the intern you took on over the summer months. Although this person might not have the experience you seek, interns are more likely to be a perfect match for your business. This is because they are already familiar with your company and your workplace culture.
This means you can cut down on the amount of time you have to invest in training them. They have already become accustomed to how you and your staff do things. What’s more, they have become friends with, or at least they are cooperative with, your other employees.
Lastly, it is also likely you already know about your interns’ strengths and weaknesses. This gives you first-hand knowledge about how to guide them toward improving. Compare this process with what you would need to go through with a new employee, who would require a significant amount of your time to observe and then train them.
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Furthermore, hiring highly skilled and competent interns also builds up a strong sense of loyalty to the company. This is because they are likely to treat their employment with you with immense appreciation.
Moreover, they are likely to stay with your company in the years to come, boosting your employee retention rates and adding value in unforeseen ways.
