How to Stop Recruiting the Wrong People and Start Hiring the Right Ones

Effective Employee Selection: Finding the Right Fit

You thought you had found the right fit for your business but alas, things are not going well.  Whether they are not performing, upsetting other employees or not being reliable; each can be equally stressful.

As a Business Coach and Consultant, I work with businesses across many industries. I find this problem comes up again and again, no matter the size or industry. One client had an employee that trashed his work vehicle and wrote negative reviews online.  How do you avoid these nightmare scenarios? Should you hire a recruiter or go it alone?   Below I set out my key experiences and findings from helping businesses in this area:

1. Clear Job Description

Not spending enough time creating a specific job description is where you can go wrong. The more specific and detailed you are, the more likely you are to find the right match. I understand it is a tough market, but it always pays to wait and find the right person.

2. Improve Your Interview Process

Even when you think you have done everything, there is always more. Sometimes it is a matter of changing one thing to get a different result.

Remember to listen to your gut instinct and ask that extra question. Often people feel something is not right, but they hold back from digging that bit more. One extra question can make the difference between finding the right fit or the wrong one.

3. Extended DISC Behavioural Profiling

Behavioural profiling works for both recruiters and business owners. I’ve had some business owners later regret not utilising EDISC.

DISC is common, but most people don’t know there are over 50 types of DISC. Extended DISC is a hundred times more accurate and can read someones emotions. EDISC has an 86% accuracy rate and over 700,000 profiles have been undertaken across the globe. More and more businesses are relying on this tool, which has been in existence since 1951.

In a nutshell, EDISC puts people into four main categories – D, I, S or C energies. We all have all four within us, but one or two will be more dominant than the others. If you want to make sure you have the right people in the right roles, EDISC is a great starting point.

One of my clients recently recruited an employee who didn’t have any ‘C’ energy. The C energy is a Compliant person who is detailed, analytical and introverted. C energies work well in repetitive roles.

Unfortunately, this person’s low C energy was a problem. Being accurate was essential. My client was having to amend her work and was getting frustrated having to look over everything. This is why it is important to match the specifics of the role to the person.

The benefit of an EDISC assessment is that it includes a 24-page report. This report will include lots of information about your potential employee including their:

• professional and personal behavioural style;
• strengths;
• development areas;
• motivators; and
• how they are feeling about their career right now.

If you are going to utilise EDISC, between the first and second interviews would be the best option.

4. Second Interview

Businesses tend to wait until they are desperate to hire someone. The more time that you have, the more likely you are to make the right decision. It’s best to take your time during the process especially as some people do not interview well.  A second interview will give you another opportunity to get to know someone and ask more detailed questions based on the EDISC or trial.

5. Key Questions to Ask

Values-based questions are questions people tend to miss. These are key when assessing cultural fit. For example:

• Why is this role or your career important to you?
• What do you find takes up most of your time when you’re working?
• What do you enjoy most about your role right now?
• What inspires you the most about your career?
• Where do you see yourself in 3 years’ time?

6. Ask Your Coach to Sit in on the Second Interview

A coach has expertise in listening and reading between the lines. They know you and your business well, and they have no attachment to who you choose to recruit. I often work alongside a recruiter to help the employer make the right decision.  This usually involves profiling and sitting in on the second interview and asking key questions.

7. Trial Day

A great option is to ask candidates to go along for a trial day. You can pay them if you wish and this is generally recommended.

A trial day gives you the chance to see how a future employee works, and how they will fit into your team and culture. This also gives those who aren’t good at interviews a chance to shine.  I have seen clients end up employing someone who was terrible at the interview but amazing on the trial day.  They turned out to be a fantastic hire.

8. Should You Hire a Recruiter?

No matter the size of your business, the right recruiter is going to save time, energy and increase your chances of success. Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad recruiters out there. This is why I have a recruiter that I recommend to all my clients who is also affordable.

ALSO READ: How to Deal With a Problem Employee That Outperforms the Rest of Your Team