The cycle of life is quite interesting. A few years ago you were born into the world and nurtured by your loving mother, fast-forward some years after, you're sitting behind a desk in a finely furnished office, calling the shots. Truthfully, we all get to a point where we have to take responsibility for ourselves, our actions and those that follow behind us, no matter how overwhelming it may feel.
In my few years on earth, I have read countless stories on how a business partner, or employee suddenly acted unethical, or criminally. A forwardly advancing eatery could suddenly loose ratings due to terrible customer service from a staff, or a cashier, who was otherwise trusted, inexplicably steals a huge sum of money and his whereabouts left untraceable. It almost begs the question, what was the employer thinking having such people in his employ? No doubt all the cards can't be predicted but effort should be put in place to ensure that the right team of employees sits around the table of your business. While it's almost impossible to build a winning business single-handedly, it's very possible to do so with the right team. These tips help in choosing wisely.
-Focus on who the person is- Contrary to what people believe, who the candidate is, is more important than what they can do. While having the right skill is mandatory, it's important that as an employer, you know who the candidate is. Skills can always be learnt, but personalities cannot. Drastically reduce the chances of recording white collar crimes by hiring a candidate just because his resume fits the job. CEO and founder of starting and recruiting firm, Tom Gimbel encourages business owners 'not to become pigeonholed into thinking the person with the exact necessary experience is the right person for your business'.
- Investigate- You most likely already know that you need to do background checks on a potential hire. However to what extent do you do these checks? Be incredibly intensive in your investigation. Don't stop at 13 weeks ago on his profile on Facebook; go years back to properly decipher the personality behind the candidate. Check all social media handles of the candidate, do a Google search on the candidate's name and be intuitive on what comes up. Don't be distracted. It's very likely that a person's attitude on his social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook especially) will be replicated in the work space.
- How competent is the candidate? - It's important that the potential employee can do the job effectively and efficiently as the success of your business lies on how well they can deliver. Does he have the skill, education and experience to complete the tasks you need performed? In most cases employers train on the job so experience ranks a little lower on the chart. However, be convinced that the candidate has a ready heart to learn and be corrected while on the job.
- How compatible is the candidate? - No doubt, no one exists in a vacuum. Employees and team mates would have to work together at some time on some projects. It's necessary that candidates are compatible with other team members or employees. Depending on the role, ensure that the candidate can relate well with clients in the market space and have the potential to represent your brand if need be.
- Listen to the candidate- Don't just hear the candidate speak, listen. In most cases, it's advisable to encourage the candidate to ask questions and interview you as an employer. It gives you a feel of the content of the candidate and helps you determine if such candidates can translate to trusted employees or not. It also helps ascertain what's premium to the candidate to avoid low retention rates. While there are no 100% guarantees, it's is necessary that as a business owner, you check all these boxes in your bid to hire an employee or get a new team member.
These tips should help you weed out the fakes and spot the diamond in the pack.