Which common hiring method is best for your business?

The process of hiring a new employee is not as straightforward as it once was. Technology has made it easier to filter candidates, communicate and conduct interviews – sometimes, without even meeting in person. For some roles and businesses, not meeting in person is completely appropriate, but for others, it is an absolute necessity. Whether it be an initial phone call or an additional skills test, find out which common hiring practice would work best for your business based on the role you are trying to fill.

From start to finish

First and foremost, it is important to identify the need for a new hire. This is the first step in SmartRecruiters’ 15 Steps of the Hiring Process – regardless of other logistics, there must be a need for a new employee. At the same time, a hiring team should be drafting a job description and make sure everyone involved is on board and prepared for a new hire. A job listing is then usually promoted through the company website and job board site. Job boards can be a great resource for finding outside talent, LinkedIn alone has over 645 million users worldwide.

Once the hiring staff, or even the hiring manager themselves determines the most qualified candidates, the next step is usually to set up an initial phone screening. This common practice has been standard across industries for as long as it has been accessible. Even with new technology, the Society for Human Resource Management found that phone calls were still more widely used during the screening process as opposed to video calls. Beyond this first encounter with a potential candidate, the common practices differ depending on the specifics of the job.

The majority of businesses still use a phone call to screen potential candidates.

Small Businesses – A small business has a different atmosphere when compared to a large corporation. Potential hires may be attracted to a smaller office where they feel their individual work is highly valued and can know their co-workers personally. For this reason, Glassdoor recommends that small-business owners take top candidates out to lunch or around the office to meet other employees. This can be beneficial in seeing how well an employee could fit in on a team or with the office dynamic.

Remote Workers – With the plethora of communication tools today it is not uncommon for remote workers to never physically meet their employer as long as they are delivering their assignments. Of course, this is not true for all remote workers. As SHRM points out, if an employee is going to be communicating or meeting with others as part of the job, an in-person interview should occur to make sure they have the interpersonal skills necessary.

Skilled Workers – If the open position requires a specific skill set or knowledge, it is extremely important to determine that a potential candidate can deliver. Even if a candidate moves forward from a phone screening or in-person interview, you cannot be 100% certain they are capable of the position requirements. An additional skills test can be used in this situation to determine if the candidate has the expertise needed for the role. The results can be used alongside references to determine if they are the right fit.

While there is nothing wrong with following a more traditional hiring practice of phone screening, in-house interview and references, make sure you are using the most efficient process for your needs. Utilizing technology can save time and money, but sometimes understanding if an employee can excel in a position requires more information and a physical meeting. There is no universal hiring method, but some of these common practices can be a start to understanding what works best for your business.