As an employer, do you feel like you are hiring the most qualified employees out there?

For many business owners, they will likely say yes to that question. Others, however, may feel like they do not always get the best and brightest talent.

In some cases, they may end up essentially getting someone in to keep a seat warm for a few months, only to have that person move on (be it to another job of their choosing or being let go).

While there is no crystal ball you can use to make sure you get only the best hires, there are some steps you can take to better guarantee your chances.

The most important item to remember is that your hiring choices do in fact reflect back on you. If you make great hires, those under your wing will look at your decision process as being solid. On the other hand, a number of bad decision choices, some under you may question your leadership abilities.

When all is said and done, taking the time in making the right hires is as an important a task as you will have running a company.

Making the Right Choices

So that you can make the right hiring choices more times than not, here are five tips to remember:

1. Research – Above all else, make sure you (or your HR department, recruiter etc.) put some time and effort into researching all prospective employees. The research is actually made easier these days, especially with all the information one can find on the Internet. Part of that research is remembering that employers should use background checks. By using such checks, you can get to know a lot of background about an individual before they ever set foot in your office or elsewhere for an interview. That information can also help in weeding out bad candidates from those deserving of an interview;
2. Social media – With millions of people on social media, you’re more than likely to find some of your prospective job candidates active there. As a result, you can get a glimpse into their lives, be it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram etc. While their social activities are their personal matters, coming across questionable posts and/or images may lead you to think twice about hiring them. Remember to keep the posts in context, knowing that such posts do not necessarily mean they are bad candidates.

Only the Motivated Need Apply

3. Motivation or lack thereof – Some candidates will have overwhelming interest in your openings, others not so much. Even a short phone interview can prove an interesting nugget. If someone seems to be less than enthusiastic about the opening, are they still worth bringing in for a sit-down interview? Use your intuition to determine if someone is truly interested in the job or just sending out resumes on the fly;
4. Personalities matter – Most employers will tell you that team chemistry is a must in their offices. The lack of teamwork (and personalities that can co-exist) can prove detrimental to any office. That said it can be hard to gauge personalities from just a short sit-down interview and/or phone call. Introducing prospective candidates to those they’d be working with is not a bad idea. Such short introductions allows you to see how they mingle with others, along with giving your current staff a chance to provide some feedback;
5. Making them want to work for you – Finally, it only stands to reason that a good job opening will attract good prospective employees. When you have a company that people want to work for, you usually avoid having to interview (maybe even hire) individuals not up to par. By offering a competitive salary, reasonable health benefits, along with a good working environment, you should get some outstanding resumes.

When the time comes to hire new employees, will you bring on only the best?

As an employer, what tips do you have for others running companies as they prepare to hire?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web. Part 2 (how job applicants can improve their chances of landing a position) runs on Friday, Oct. 21.