How To Hire Good Employees

Chances are, you have - at one point or another - heard horror stories about 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 a better reaction would be the introspective one, asking, "Why 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 uncovering those treasures who you can promote again and again, those employees who become key cogs in the machine of your company. How do you make sure you hire such employees? It is really quite simple.

If you want to hire good employees, start at the resume. Begin by cutting out the unqualified applicants; it might be easy to just interview everyone, but in the long run it will save you time and headaches to narrow down your field. 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.

When it comes time for the interviews themselves, focus on the applicant's attitude and intelligence. 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, during the interview, let the interviewee ask some 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. You can gain a greater understanding of the applicant as a person by doing this; after all, future "prize employees" are likely to have intelligent questions to ask now.

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.