How To Hire Good Employees

Perhaps you have heard stories - you might even call them horror stories - about those nightmare employees. In fact, if it is your job to hire employees, it is likely that you have encountered one or two nightmare employees of your own. The reaction to nightmare employees can be to wonder, "How on earth did this person get to be this way?" But the introspective reaction is actually more appropriate here, wherein you ask, "How on earth did I hire this person?" Of course, hiring is not just about avoiding the nightmare employee; it is also about hiring the employee who will become a prize of yours down the road. It is about finding those special employees who will benefit the company in a number of ways, employees who can be promoted again and again. How can you go about making sure you hire such employees? The answer is actually very simple.

The hiring process begins with the resume. While it might be easy at first to just interview everyone who applied, it will save you time and headaches in the long run if you cut out the applicants who are unqualified. If you come across employees you are not sure about, don't just make a decision on a whim; after all, you might end up discarding a great applicant, or you might end up interviewing someone who is a big waste of time; instead of making a snap judgement, take the time to call these applicants. Finally, take the time to examine the attention the applicant gave their resume; an applicant with a sloppy resume is likely to become a sloppy employee.

Focus on the applicant's intelligence and attitude when you enter into the interview process. Someone with fewer accomplishments but a good mind and a good attitude is more likely to do a great job for you than someone with lots of accomplishments and a bad attitude.

Finally, while interviewing, allow the interviewee to ask questions. In this way, you can gain a greater understanding of the ways in which this person's mind works, and you can get to know them better. Future "prize employees" are likely to be full of intelligent questions, and anyway, allowing them to ask questions helps you get to know them better.

Of all the elements that go into making a successful business run, hiring is among the most important. After all, it all begins with the employees; and if you are the one hiring the employees, it all begins with you.