There are a lot of clever people out there working out the “perfect” recruitment process, putting potential employees through psychometric testing, a series of eliminating interviews, a neediness for a CV akin to running for presidency and more detailed than Webster ‘s. In reality, much of this can be dispensed with by trusting your own judgment and reactions. Oh, and just check they really do have the qualifications they say they have! Here are some thoughts on the process of a good hire for a small business.
Don’t make the process more complicated than it needs to be. This is especially important when you’re running your own small business. There isn’t time for umpteen dozen interviews to make sure he is the one or she is perfection. Too many interviews can actually intensify unnatural behaviors and end up giving you Artificial results anyway. Keep it simple!
Trust your judgment. Hire according to personality first, skills second. Unless you’re building rocket ships, many, many skills can be taught. However, personality cannot be reshaped no matter how many training courses you send this employee to. Even where skills are of the essence, you need to look for the personality fit as a key indicator of success. Only government and very large corporations can afford to carry people who know their stuff inside out but don’t care to communicate with anyone else on the planet.
Don’t hire against your better judgment. Once you get a feeling about a person, don’ t talk yourself out of it by admiring their CV, their skills, their phenomenal sales track record and ignore the aggressive stare, the quivering lip, or the avoidance of eye contact. Body language and personality have told you something; listen to it.
Ask your own team for their thoughts. If you can’t make up your mind, ask your fellow interviewers for feedback (which you should be doing as a matter of course). Walk the potential employee through your business and introduce him or her to existing employees. Ask these employees afterward how they felt when they met this person and use their responses to help weigh yours.
