Finding the right person to fill a job role in your company is both time consuming and difficult, and it’s easy to want to get the task over with quickly. But in trying to find just anyone to fill a role, you can often make your life more difficult than it needs to be. That’s why it’s important to try to keep a few things in mind when it comes time to search for candidates and meet them for interviews. Some of the most important things to remember are:

Don’t Stake Everything On The Interview

The interview is in many ways, a blessing and a curse. It gives you a chance to finally meet someone that looks good on paper, but it’s also a carefully controlled encounter for both parties involved. Some potential candidates have been very diligent, taken courses, or read up on all the important points of behavior they need to hit when they make an interview. As such, they can make an amazing interview impression, even though ultimately, they may not be all that strong for the job.

Conversely, some people find the interview to be a disastrous nerve wracking experience which, even though they are incredibly valuable workers, puts them in a bad light due to their own interview anxieties. An interview is a first impression, but it should not be the sole basis for determining how a person fits in at your company.

Don’t Succumb To Friends, Family & Other Connections

One of the worst things that any company can do is take the process of trying to find a suitable candidate for a critical role in the company, and use it as an excuse to exercise nepotism or cronyism. If you are responsible for hiring people in a company, it’s important to resist requests from management or other coworkers to simply bring in a family member, friend or some other acquaintance sorely on the grounds of, “I know this person.”

Every job in a company needs to have the best person qualified in that role. The family or friend connection often also means implied privileges or special treatment that other employees do not enjoy. Not only is this unfair, but once it becomes public in an office that nepotism or cronyism is at play, it’s demoralizing for staff morale and you may even lose existing employees as a result.

Not Having Clear Requirements

You may need someone to fill a role, but do you know exactly how you want that role filled? Do you value experience, education, or a mix of both? Do you want a team player, or someone that is capable of working autonomously with little need for direction? Is there anything positive or negative you have learned from the person previously in this position that you would like to implement in the new hire?

By having a clearly laid out series of goals and requirements for the position you want, you make it that much faster to find someone appropriate. Vague needs can often slow down hiring and encourage a lot of ruminating and indecision. Be clear about what you seek in people for this position.

Why Confidence Is Key To Getting The Job