There's no question that the hiring process can be daunting, but with a few tweaks, you can make it much easier on yourself – and improve your chances of finding a great new employee.
Here are three ways to do just that.
1. Know Yourself and Your Leadership Style
When you are clear about what you want, how you lead, and what desired results you simply will not achieve on your own, you can be very decisive about what and how you want to delegate. This will give you clarity about the strengths, skills, and values you want most in your next new hire.
2. Prioritize Your Hiring Needs Carefully
It can often be very easy to compile a wish list of endless tasks and responsibilities that you either want to take off your plate or need to add or replicate so that your business can grow. However, going into the hiring process without a detailed priority of your must-haves versus your nice-to-haves will make it very difficult to tailor the best job advertisement (the precursor to the job description), create the right interview structure, and evaluate a candidate effectively. Being certain of your deal-breakers will make the process much more efficient for yourself and for your prospective candidates.
3. Take Your Time Selecting a Candidate
Approaching the hiring process with a sense of urgency or desperation is one of the worst-case scenarios - for both the hiring manager and the job seeker. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you’re feeling this energy, often the best thing to do is slow down. Take the time to focus in on who you really want to take on this new role and step into the emotion of what it will feel like when the right person shows up. This will help you recognize the right person much more intuitively and give you a greater ability to recognize and let go of, a candidate who is not the right fit.
The sooner you can start assessing what you need in a new hire, the better. The more thought and organization you put into it upfront, the better prepared you will be when the right candidate comes along.
If you’d like some additional tips on how to get clear on your hiring needs and attract great candidates, grab our FREE Job Ad Checklist at jobadchecklist.leadwithharmony.com
Andrea MacKenzie, Founder of Lead With Harmony is an MBA and leadership and team-building expert with over 20 years of experience in corporate America. Andrea enjoys working with growth-oriented business owners and executives who advocate for the advancement and well-being of the people they serve, hire, and inspire.