For busy business owners, the prospect of having to run an ad for a new employee and then screening all the applicants can be time consuming and frustrating. They know that selecting the right candidate for the job must result in ‘bottom line’ productivity for their business. So exactly how does an employer win at the hiring game?

If your job ad is unclear or vague, you’ll attract a broad range of candidates, some of these may or may not be qualified for the job you need done and you will have spent hours reviewing irrelevant resumes. It may seem obvious, but efficient screening starts with specifying clear job requirements. With a few tips from websites such as Human Resources Management for Employers and Small Business BC, employers can feel more comfortable making that critical decision.”Is this the right person for the job— A clear and concise job description, a list of the hard (job-related) and soft (interpersonal) skills that are required to do the job (qualifications); and, how you’d like the applicants to contact you, are a good start.

So what makes a good employee? As an employer, you’re looking not only for the right skill set required to do the job but also the right attitude. Have they got the motivation and aptitude to do the job they are being considered for? What about being a team member? Will this person be able to work effectively in your work environment? Can they learn from their mistakes?

Your first clues to the potential of a new hire start when you review their resume. This should give you some insight into the kind of work the applicant has done and how that fits with your requirements. Look for the obvious – spelling mistakes, irregular formatting etc. Is there incomplete or missing information? Their resume should be a presentation of their best efforts to impress you.

Fast-tracking your hiring process may seem like a good way to save a few dollars but hiring the ‘right’ person in today’s labour market is more important than ever as the ‘wrong’ person can be a very costly mistake for small and medium-sized business owners.

NEXT ARTICLE: How to Interview – Do’s and Don’ts for Employers