The hiring decision is not an easy task!
Multiple factors, such as skills, references, cultural fit, salary, and benefit expectations influence the final decision on whether a candidate will be offered the position.
Making a wrong hire is common for many businesses, and it can negatively influence the whole team and cost you significant resources like time and money.
Therefore, in this article, we will dive deep into what exactly is a hiring decision and which criteria to consider when making the hiring decision.
Hiring process vs. hiring decision
The hiring process is the steps a company takes to find the right person for a job opening.
There are several steps in this process, including writing the job description, posting the job, completing technical and personality interviews, reviewing resumes, checking references, and finally, offering the job to the candidates, or making the hiring decision.
So, the hiring decision is the final stage of the hiring process.
The employer selects the best candidate, who was previously evaluated based on their skills and the potential fit in the company, and offers them the position.
Let’s assume a company needs to fill a marketing manager position.
The hiring process will include posting a job opening, screening resumes, conducting interviews, and checking references.
The hiring decision will be the employer’s specific choice to offer the job to a candidate considered the best fit for the role.
As part of the hiring decision, the hiring manager may have to negotiate the salary to finalize the job offer.
In contrast, other candidates who were not selected must be rejected.
Who is responsible for making the hiring decisions?
A common question among job applicants is who has the final say in hiring decisions.
Usually, the hiring manager makes the decision, while recruiters and HR professionals are responsible for executing the entire hiring process.
However, the hiring manager or the decision maker will only hire someone after consulting the recruiters and interviewers.
The hiring manager might like a candidate for their hands-on experience and technical skills.
Still, if the recruiter or another company Interviewer responsible for cultural fit has evaluated the candidate as someone who won’t fit the culture, the hiring manager will likely pay attention to them.
After the interview, the hiring manager the recruiter, and all the interviewers will discuss the candidate’s qualifications to decide if they are a good fit for the company.
If there are doubts about the candidate’s fit, it is better to avoid hiring them, as a bad hire can negatively impact the team, achievements, costs, and overall atmosphere.
So, in most cases, the recruiter, interviewers, and hiring manager work together to select the best candidate for the job.
How to make the right hiring decision
Making a hiring decision can be tricky!
You must judge a candidate’s technical and soft skills in a 30-45 minute interview.
Although there are some shortcuts you can take to make the process easier, some things cannot be uncovered through technical interviews alone.
It’s essential to watch for these factors when assessing candidates.
Be objective
Being objective during the selection process means not being influenced by your subjective feelings and opinions of someone, which is certainly challenging to achieve.
To avoid biased opinions that can lead you to potentially wrong hires, it’s best to prepare before the interview.
Here are some techniques:
- Make sure that you have clearly defined job requirements. Make a list of priority skills, experience, and qualifications.
- Create a consistent list of questions that you will ask each candidate. Having standardized questions in place will allow you to determine if the candidates meet your criteria. This way, you won’t have to judge the candidates based on your feelings; instead, you will have truthful results that show whether someone is a good fit for the job.
- Rather than making quick and rushed decisions, let yourself “sleep on the information” you have just received. Consider all job-related information, like their interview questions, resume, and referrals, before making the final decision.
Know what you want.
You should know precisely what you are looking for in a candidate, including their technical and soft skills before you post an ad.
Ask yourself:
- How much experience is needed for the job?
- How much training will the candidate need? What technical skills are a must for this position?
- What technical skills are considered an advantage?
- What are the critical soft skills required for success in this position?
You can think of this as creating a “perfect buying persona,” which means setting standards and expectations for your candidates, making it easier to choose who to hire.
It’s also essential, however, to keep your expectations realistic and to choose the candidate who can achieve most of the criteria you have established.
Ask behavioral questions
Determining whether someone is a team player or not, is performing well under pressure or not, is best done by asking behavioral questions.
Interviewers use behavioral questions to better understand the candidate’s ability to perform in a particular environment.
Examples of behavioral interview questions include:
- Can you describe a time when you had to work with a difficult team member?
- Tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
- Describe a situation where you had to handle a dissatisfied customer.
- Can you give an example of how you have adapted to a change in a previous job?
- Tell me about a time when you had to overcome a significant challenge.
You can use this technique to learn more about a candidate’s problem-solving skills, working style, and other essential characteristics.
Conduct technical interviews
A technical interview or interview task is almost inevitable in any hiring process.
The technical section of the interview is a realistic representation of the candidate’s skill set and knowledge level.
The technical interview should be prepared ahead of time and can be structured as a single interview round during which candidates are asked questions related strictly to the job.
Technical interviews are often stressful experiences, so try to create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
Allow time for the candidates to think about the questions, but also leave room for them to ask you something if they are faced with difficulties with the questions.
Ask your team for help and take their feedback seriously
There must be more than one person deciding to hire a candidate.
Before making a final decision, consult with the recruiter or HR manager, who can provide insights on the candidate’s fit with the company culture.
Additionally, seek input from team members where the candidate will work, as they will collaborate with the new hire.
Think through your dilemmas.
If you’re facing a dilemma during the hiring process with a candidate, here are some steps you can take to overcome it:
- Sort all the information you have about the candidate, including their resume, interview answers, and notes you have taken during the interview.
- Try to detect what exactly is causing your dilemma and whether it is something that can be overcome or is non-negotiable.
- Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses and see which ones prevail.
Conclusion
Hiring a candidate can be a complex process affected by various factors. Finding the right fit for your startup is crucial, as this can contribute to its success.
Avoiding hiring mistakes is essential, and seeking assistance from a professional recruiting agency such as Stavreska Recruiting can help you find the right candidate for your company.