When you have a business of your own, you might start the process working from an office at home, with just you running things. As things get busier, you might ask friends or reliable family members for favours, or perhaps hire a freelance admin or virtual assistant to do a few of those things for you. But as the business gets bigger and bigger, it is only natural that you will come to a point where you will look to hire new people to help the business to carry on growing and expanding. If you have not hired anyone before, though, where do you start? After all, it is your business and you want to hire the talent that is going to help your business, rather than hinder it. So choosing the right people for the job is a really important step. Here are some of the things to think about.
Avoid Standard Interviews
We all know what to expect when we are invited to a job interview. But how about changing things up a little? Make the questions a little more creative, for example. They may have scenarios where they have shown good customer service, but what other things could you ask them that would demonstrate this kind of thing to you? At Oxford University, historically they have been known for unusual interview techniques when it comes to students. Because they get so many applicants with all of the same grades on paper, they do some unusual and interesting things to really test the candidate in the interview. So that is something to think about, for sure.
Move Around and Try Different Scenarios
Interviews are normally done in a formal office setting, sat down and answering questions. But one way to see how they are with other people, is to get them out and about on the floor talking to people. It could be giving them a tour of the office space and introducing them to people. If you work in retail then how about set them a challenge to ask one or two people if they need any help. It will show if they are cut out for this kind of thing and if they really are keen to work for you. When you have people that want to work for you, as long as they enjoy the job, then they are likely to stay longer.
You could also think about arranging an interview in a public place such as a restaurant and having a meal or drinks. A different scene or scenario can be fun, and you can see them in a really natural way. What are they like with the servers, for example? It could also help to put them at ease as it is an environment that is much less formal. So it can be a way to see them in a more natural way and then you can think about how they could slot into your business and fit in with any other team members that you have.
Consider Outsourcing
When you think about hiring formal employees, then there can be a lot of extra costs involved. For example, an employee on payroll could be eligible for things like pension contributions, as well as holiday pay or sickness pay. Plus, they have to be paid regardless of what happens; if they do their job or not. So in some instances, especially if you are on a tight budget, it could be better to look at this hiring site or others like it, depending on what industry your business is on. Look at the tasks that need to be done and then what budget there is to get it all done, and that can help you to decide how many people you will or won’t need.
Ask Creative Questions or Throw Curveballs
Creative questions are a really good way of testing the candidate, especially as they will have to think on their feet. They’ll be expecting the bog-standard questions and will likely have some verbatim answers prepared. So asking them some things on the spot can help to really think, and you can see what they are like under pressure. Ask them things that make them think a little; something like what are people’s biggest misconceptions about you, can be a good question to ask as it shows their self-perception, which can always be an interesting take. It is important to remember that when you hire someone, you are going to have to work with them, and knowing what they are like and little more about their personality can really help.
You could really go off-the-wall and ask some unusual questions, much like what kind of animal would they be, and why. It can be fun, but it does give you an insight into their personality a little. Lion as an answer, because it is king of the jungle, can be an indicator of confidence, for instance. You could also ask questions that demonstrate some of their values, such as what are the things that they value most in their parents. We are all influenced by people and it would be interesting to see what some candidates thought and what influences them. Their answers can reveal a lot, and it can be a nice question to break the ice with, rather than a formal question.
The recruitment process is a really important step, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Not only does it take up time, but it can cost money too. So you want to make sure that you get it right, so that you don’t have to do it all of the time. Look out for details on resumes that stand out, and look for things that can lead to transferable skills. Someone doesn’t need to have exactly what you are looking for, but if they have skills that can stand them in good stead for the role, then that is what you can focus on them. Plus, you need to be prepared to invest in your employees, so choosing the right ones is a must.