How to Hire Awesome Employees

Don’t neglect calling their references – and remember to ask the right questions. People list references who like them, so just asking if they were good employees isn’t going to give you much information. Instead ask questions like why they’re recommending this employee, what the person’s biggest flaws are, and where the person excels.

Don’t hire anyone who wouldn’t be good as a company representative.

Skills are important, but today with the popularity of social media, every single employee represents your company, even when they aren’t at the office. If you have to worry that the person won’t speak well about your company in public, they aren’t the right person to hire, even if they are the most qualified.

Think about office dynamics.

You already have some great employees. Don’t jeopardize their standing with the company by hiring personalities that clash. Some people get alone with almost everyone, but this isn’t a sure thing. Avoid hiring family members who have to manage or work under one another, try to keep romance out of the office, and have your current employees weigh in on the hiring decisions so you find someone who is a good fit for the team, not just a skilled worker.

Test their skills.

Job interviews are great, but what is even better is to test their skills. Have all prospect employees work for a day or do skills tests in mock situations to rate how well they will perform for your company. The best employees can jump right into the work without tons of training. They might make mistakes until they get used to working in the positions, but testing their skills with a very short trial run or mock situation will give you a good idea whether or not they have good instincts.

Give unlikely employees a chance.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Sometimes, the best employee is not the traditional person you think would be good for the job. Consider everyone from new college graduates to those changing careers completely to very experienced workers who are coming out of retirement. The best employee for you might not be the person you instinctually want to hire.