don't make hiring an issue

What’s your calendar like today? Let’s see… You’ve got five hours of meetings, and you still have to finish that report for tomorrow. Your inbox is overflowing, and you need to leave a little early to pick up your dry cleaning. Oh, and you’ve got to backfill that employee who just left — and find time to delegate all their work among the rest of your team.

With so much on your plate, finding time to make a hire can be downright daunting — especially if you want to make the right hire. And making the wrong hire can be even more problematic. But following a thoughtful, repeatable process can make hiring easier, faster and far less risky. Here’s what you need to know.

creating the job.

First thing’s first: before you decide who you’re missing, you’ve got to determine what you’re missing. If you’re down a marketing manager, don’t just post the same job description you used last time. Take a step back, and evaluate the skills your team needs most right now and in the near future. Are there other team members who can take on many or even most of the marketing manager’s duties? If so, what’s left? Is there a more pressing area of expertise that’s missing? Maybe what you really need is a content strategist, not another marketing manager. By identifying skills gaps in your current team, you’ll be ready to move onto the job description.

selling the job.

Now you’re ready to write the job description — but what should it include? The perfect job description is simple, clear and, most importantly, attractive. It’s not just about telling candidates what to expect. It’s also about what they’ll gain, like new skills or experience. After all, today’s best candidates aren’t just looking for a checklist of responsibilities. They’re looking for an employer that will help them grow, thrive and succeed. Remember, today’s talent landscape is a seller’s market, and the best of the best have plenty of gigs to choose from. So you’ve got to step up your game if you want them to choose yours.

advertising the job.

How — and with whom — will you share your new job description? It’s possible that you don’t have to look very far, as the ideal candidate may already be on your team. If not, look for online resources that cater to specific industries or functions, like professional organizations or associations. These often host job openings, and they can be a great way to filter out unqualified applicants. And if you really want to supercharge your talent search, consider working with a staffing partner. They often have pools of pre-screened talent readily available, which can shorten your hiring cycle and ensure a great fit.

interviewing for the job.

Now that you’ve gotten the word out, how will you decide on the right candidate? And who gets to make that decision? Start by deciding on a cohesive interviewing process that identifies who interviews the candidates and at what stage, what questions will be asked at each step and the criteria you’ll use for making the hiring decision. And be sure to account for any additional steps that may be required for specific roles. For example, a STEM-oriented position may require some technical assessments in addition to a typical behavioral interview. Or, if the job requires plenty of collaboration, bring some team members into the interview process so they can offer insights on the candidates, as well.

starting the job.

Congratulations — you found the one! However, there’s still one more thing to do before you call it a day. While your latest hire may be the perfect fit for the role, they’re still going to be “the new kid on the block” for a while. Getting them off to a strong start means you’ll need to have a thoughtful and effective onboarding process. Create and document a process that gives your new hire ambitious but attainable milestones for what they should learn and when, as well as when you expect them to be fully ramped-up.

With so much to learn, one way to accelerate the onboarding process is by pairing your new hire with a colleague in a kind of mentor/mentee relationship. Think of it like “an office buddy.” Not only will the buddy system give the new hire a readily available resource for their inevitable questions and concerns, it can also increase employee engagement and even provide a leadership opportunity for one of your team members.

Hiring is a challenging task, but you can get it right by following these five steps. Do each one correctly, and you’ll land the talent you need quickly — and with far fewer headaches along the way.