How to hire the best talent

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

A business’s most valuable asset is not its matériel or product. Its most valuable asset is its people. That’s why good, talented workers are in constant demand.

But how do companies get the best people on board?

Recruitment can be a long and arduous process, and it may not guarantee a good yield. Steve Jobs even said, “Recruiting is hard. It’s just finding the needles in the haystack. We do it ourselves, and we spend a lot of time at it. . . . So I take it very seriously. You can’t know enough in a one-hour interview.”

Yes, recruiting is hard, but there are some ways a company can get the best out of it. A few of those methods include the following.

Play the numbers game

Like Steve’s needle-in-a-haystack metaphor, looking for the perfect candidate can take time—a lot of time. By attracting a lot of applicants, a recruiter can increase their chance of finding the right individual.

Modern companies have the advantage of using jobsearch engine sites, where they can put up a listing of their job vacancy.

It’s important that recruiters post a detailed job description. A lot of bad hires get in because they are unsuited for the job. The responsibilities they expected are different and are not aligned with their skills. A clear job description will also dissuade people who have no relevant skills from applying, ensuring that the ones who do apply are suited for the job.

Those applicants can be subjected to a technical test then short-listed depending on their performance. The remaining candidates can then be invited to interviews. Conducting multiple interviews will reveal more about a candidate than conducting just one meeting does.

Screen Applicants through Requirements

Companies may require their new hires to undergo drug tests. In safety-sensitive positions, such as operating machinery or driving a vehicle, this can help ensure that employees are fit and competent enough to work. Even in states where marijuana use is legal, employers may still require candidates topass recent blood drug tests to check for THC levels in the blood.

For employees who openly admit to being prescribed medication, an employer can ask for a doctor’s note to verify the claim. However, an employer cannot ask about the diagnosis or other private medical details.

Another way to check if an applicant is eager to get the job is to have them submit preemployment requirements.

A responsible candidate who really wants to get the job will do everything to complete all requirements. In contrast, one who isn’t so enthusiastic will make excuses, which can be a hint of their bad work ethics.

Do a thorough background check

Résumés with character references are useful, because, usually, applicants will cite their former managers or supervisors as their reference. A recruiter can call and ask these references about the applicant’s character.

For résumés that do not state a valid character reference, a recruiter can use other tools for background checks.

One final consideration

Some applicants may be well-educated and experienced enough to be skilled in their job but have an attitude problem. Skill can always be trained; attitude is inherent.

For recruiters, doing an interview and making a background check are the best ways to determine a candidate’s “soft skills” (i.e., behavior, work ethics, attitude). Determine first if those are as good as their talents (a.k.a. hard skills), because the most talented candidate may not be the perfect recruit.

Sometimes, the “best talent” can be the applicant who has the right attitude for the job.