The Four Steps in the Interview Process

The Importance of the Hiring Process

You have an opening in your organization. You have a list of candidates that look good on paper. How do you know which person to select? Which person will be the greatest asset to your organization? How can you discern which individual has the edge?

Hiring the right person is more than just filling a position. Whom you select will have a definite impact on the organization’s future. If the person is a good match for the job requirements and your organization culture, that person will have a positive impact on your organization. If the person is a self-motivated, team player he or she will enrich the organization and everyone in the organization. The person will earn his salary and the organization will benefit exponentially.

However, if the person is not a good match for the position and the organization culture, the results can be disastrous. High hopes turn sour. Tensions rise. Productivity decreases. Then comes the awkward process of disciplining and eventually terminating someone. Now, in addition to beginning the process over again, you have spent thousands of dollars in hiring, training, and salary costs.

Do you see why the hiring process is so important?

The Hiring Process is Financially Expensive
The actual cost of hiring can be expensive. Whether it is the cost of using head hunters or the time spent shifting through resumes, it is a costly process. If the person works out, it is money well spent. If someone does not work out, though, it is money down the drain.
The Hiring Process is Emotionally Expensive
The hiring process is also emotionally expensive for organizations. Every time a new person joins the organization staff, relationships in the organization are affected. Even if the new person is outstanding, it is an emotional impact on the organization. If the new person is successful, then morale and productivity go up. If the new person is not successful, the emotional cost can be almost as much as the dollar cost.

Are You Hiring Haphazardly?

For all of its importance, though, many organizations still have a haphazard process for hiring new staff. They hire people because they “make a good impression” or “we know someone who knows someone who knows them.” If organizations handled their investment portfolio the way many organizations handle their hiring process, they would fold.

The good news is that the hiring process does not have to be a haphazard guessing game. If you know how to select good candidates and how to interview them properly, you can dramatically increase the effectiveness of your hiring process. That is the purpose of this material.

In the bestseller, Good to Great, Jim Collins explored companies that had differentiated themselves from others in their niche. One of the first common characteristics that he discovered in these companies was that they first made sure that they had the right people in their organization. Having the right people in your organization begins with the hiring process. If you want to ensure that you have the right people to help the organization achieve its goals and objectives, you must have a focused hiring process.