5 Things You Need to Do Prior to Hiring a New Employee

Growing your business is an exciting next step that takes plenty of careful planning no matter the size of your operation. Because your focus is constantly set on pushing forward, it’s your responsibility to make the right decisions that promote growth rather than stagnancy, or worse, regression. They say that employees are the lifeblood of a company, so it’s well worth your while to invest time and money into your hiring process.

Before you bring anyone on board, there are few things you should do to best ensure you’re onboarding the right person and that you’re doing it the right way. We’re here to guide you through the five most important things you need to do prior to hiring a new employee.

1. Create a Hiring Plan 

Poor planning breeds poor execution and poor execution is ultimately a waste of your money. Creating a detailed hiring plan that covers the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the position is a necessary first step. A good hiring plan will follow the answering questions:

  • What position do you need filled?
  • What qualifications are needed to successfully fill the role?
  • How quickly do you need the position filled?
  • What is your budget for the position?
  • Who will be responsible for onboarding and training the new hire?
  • How much experience will you require from candidates?

Because hiring is one of the biggest expenses your business will take on, having definitive answers to these questions better ensures that you hire with purpose and pointed intention.

Pro-tip: Strategic hiring begins with looking at the biggest weaknesses in your operations and creating positions that bridge those gaps.

2. Assess Your Budget 

As previously mentioned, hiring new employees is expensive. From covering their salary to their healthcare benefits, there are plenty of costs to consider when budgeting for a new hire. Looking at your bottom line, the hiring process accounts for the following associated costs:

  • Third-party recruiter fees
  • Advertising costs
  • Sign-on bonuses
  • Relocation costs
  • Referral bonuses 

As you narrow down the details of the position and the budget you have to accommodate a new hire, be sure to look at forecasted data for the future to gain better insight into if a new employee is an affordable investment for the short-term and long-term

3. Create a thorough job description

The first interaction potential candidates will have with your company is through the job listing you post online. If your listing isn’t alluring, detailed, or informative, odds are pretty likely that job searchers will simply click off and move on to the next one. Take the time to create a job description that covers the following: 

  • Position title, role description, the department the position is in, hours, and pay grade
  • Day-to-day job duty summary
  • Necessary qualifications, including any education, degrees, certifications, and years of experience preferred
  • Special demands, such as physical labor, travel, standing, etc.
  • Application information including how to apply, who to call, and what to include

Once you’ve created a final product you’re proud of, post your job listing on reputable sites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Monster, and ZipRecruiter. These sites can connect you with eager professionals and broaden your applicant pool.

4. Screen Candidates

One of the most common mistakes companies make during the hiring process is forgoing the screening process. While you may be wondering “how long does an employment background check take?” or “what is the purpose of screening?”, a single background check will change your mind. At the end of the day, you want to do everything in your power to protect yourself from hiring someone who isn’t qualified for the position or the right fit for your company culture. An employment background check will be able to give you better insight into these justifiable woes.

5. Standardize a training program

If you’re working with limited resources that may prevent you from establishing full-fledged formal training, the very least you can do is standardize a training program that will give your new hire enough stability to start their new position with confidence. The less direction you give, the worse off the employee—in fact, studies have shown that the highest rate of employee turnover occurs within the first 90 days of their tenure.

It’s these early days that give your new hire a true look at your company’s organization, and in order to impress and retain, you’ll need a robust fundamental training that allows them to get comfortable in their role before blossoming.

With these 5 tips, your business will be in better shape to hire than ever. Happy growing!

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