The employees in your company's office can make or break the business. They are often on the front line delivering customer service or managing critical information. Hiring highly talented and skilled individuals who will fit well into a company culture can seem almost ‘impossible’. When short staffed or during rapid growth, it may be tempting to hire almost ‘anyone’ as quickly as possible. This is usually a mistake because of the extra costs of carrying ‘dead wood’ on the payroll. The good news is that many office and administrative support occupations often require only a high school diploma with some specialized skills to qualify.
The Pacific Northwest is known as a new haven for tech companies which are continually seeking to add additional talent, administrative and otherwise. There is an ‘all-out-war’ for talent reported to exist in the Pacific Northwest.
Whether you are a tech startup, financial institution, or manufacturing organization looking to grow and prosper, hiring the right people for your open positions is a good place to start.
Here is a 10-step process to help your company recruit and hire the best office staff in the coming year.
1) Have Clear Objectives
This first step is often taken for granted and sets up new hires for success or failure. Before beginning the hiring process, it is helpful to know what your organization wants and needs to achieve its goals.
- Do you need someone who is a master at multitasking or a person who can quickly pick up your company's software system and analyze data?
- Are you looking for a candidate that will work well on teams or someone who is going to be an independent superstar?
Once you've established the position objectives, it's important to align them with those of your organization.
2) Define Your Company's Mission and Culture
Defining your company's mission and culture for job candidates is essential. Potential employees need to be interested in a particular position, and it’s vital they are also fired up about working for your organization. Let candidates know how the position will help the company stay true to its mission. Also, thoroughly describe the company's culture and have a quality discussion about the importance of how they can fit into your culture.
3) Write Detailed Job Descriptions
Did you know of the several approaches you can take to writing a job description? One method seems to get better results from qualified job candidates than the other. The Wall Street Journal reported on a study of two different approaches:
- The Needs-Supplies approach - which details what the company can do for the candidate.
- The Demands-Abilities approach - which outlines what the organization wants from its candidates.
While you should clearly state the requirements and demands of the job in your description, how you write this information matters. The study found that by focusing on what your organization can do for potential employees, you will attract the best job candidates for your positions.
4) Incentivize for Referrals
One of the best ways to get qualified job candidates for your open roles is to ask for referrals. Use your personal and professional networks to let everyone know that you have an open position. Most importantly, let current employees know that you welcome referrals and even provide incentives for a successful hire.
5) Write a Compelling Job Ad
The ideal scenario would be for you to have a long list of candidates who are excited to come to work for your company vs those who ‘just want a job’. The best way to attract top candidates is by piquing their interest with a compelling job posting. Be clear about the position and its requirements but also let candidates know about your dynamic organization and its goals.
6) Embrace the Internet and Social Media
Pew Research reports that nearly one-third of job candidates use their smartphones to job search.
Online ads and job boards offer great opportunities:
Few candidates are going to want to work for a company that remains in the digital dark ages, so it's a good idea to embrace technology and social media.
There is an excellent chance that a candidate will read online reviews about your company and do other research before applying for a position and certainly prior to an interview.
7) Perfect Your Interviewing Process
When you've taken the time to narrow the choices and schedule interviews, it would be a shame to waste those efforts by not conducting an effective meeting. Unfortunately, this is something that happens all too often. Leadership IQ released a study revealing that failures exhibited by new employees could be the result of a flawed interview process.
Not only do you want to ensure that your candidates have the technical know-how to do the job, but you also want to make sure they are good culture fit for your organization. Beyond those factors, you should also spend a significant amount of time evaluating candidates for soft skills.
8) Hire for Soft Skills
The truth is that many skills in an office environment can be quickly learned by the right person, but personalities and soft skills are a different matter.
Soft skills are things like leadership ability, communication skills, enthusiasm, dedication, and emotional intelligence.
Soft skills not only align with your organization's culture, but they are also crucial for success in certain positions. For example, a customer service representative should display a high level of empathy and have superior communication skills.
9) Make an Attractive Offer
If you want to hire the best candidates, you need to pay them well. Make an offer that is in line with your area's market, include benefits and other perks in your offer, and leave some room for negotiation.
10) Hire a Recruiter
Finding the best office staff can be a challenge for any type of business. Writing an accurate job description is tough enough, but the rest of this process may be too time-consuming and stressful for busy managers. One solution is to partner with an experienced recruiter who can help your company find the best candidates to fit your needs.
Whether your new office staff is going to be fielding your phone calls, updating spreadsheets, scheduling meetings, or creating presentations, these are the people who keep your organization running smoothly and efficiently. When it comes to hiring for these positions, it pays to take the time to find candidates with both the right skills and temperament. Whether you choose to hire in-house or enlist the help of a recruiter, your goal should be to find someone who can step into the assigned role and help your company meet its objectives.
