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HIRING MANAGERS -How to Hire Smarter Before Interviewing
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Hiring Managers – How to Hire Smarter Before Interviewing

The Betts Team
June 13, 2016

If you’re hiring a new employee, you most likely needed to fill the position yesterday. Discovering a need in your company’s organization can put a lot of pressure on hiring managers to find a candidate as soon as possible. Before jumping into countless interviews, know the following things to ensure you’re focusing your search for faster results.

Know What You Need

Narrowing down the actual duties of the employee you need can help ensure you find a job seeker with the correct skill set. Oftentimes, companies can put out a job posting with a title and description that are completely unrelated to the actual responsibilities of the employee. Starting with daily activities and working your way up to an prospective employee’s overarching role helps focus your attention on the need you need to fill now.

Know What It’s Worth

Setting out your compensation restrictions ahead of time is best practice. Knowing what your stretch amount is will make sure you’re not interviewing candidates that aren’t a possibility. Be cognizant of the average salary of the position you’re looking to fill as well. Working off old data can keep great job seekers from applying to your company due to feeling undervalued. Outline where this new position fits in the company’s greater organizational chart as well to ensure a clear path of career advancement is available, both in position and pay.

Know the Musts and Must-Nots

Hiring managers, just like job seekers, should always set out the basics well in advance. Having concrete answers to common questions regarding vacation time, bonuses, benefits, and other similar inquiries will aid in your search. Understanding ahead of time whether or not you are comfortable with remote work, or flying someone in for an interview can save a hiring manager a lot of time while weeding through resumes. Similarly, knowing required skill competencies, such as a CRM system or presentation program, will eliminate other appealing candidates that don’t have the right background. If the skill set is a make or break, set it out ahead of time so hiring managers understand the hierarchy of must-haves in a prospective employee.

Know Your Timeline

Hiring managers should clarify the hiring timeline before beginning a search. If your company has a need, but its not pressing, the hiring process can run slower, with more vetting, fewer interviews, and more targeted sourcing. If you need to find an employee immediately, utilizing a group hiring event may be your best option, or reaching out to a recruiter who has more tools to do initial vetting in a shorter amount of time. Recognizing that the shorter the timeline the more outlined your must-haves and must-nots should be is crucial. Setting up the search with clear parameters is the best way to find the ideal fit.