Hiring a new employee to your team can be a fun and exciting time. You get to expand your team and potentially improve your business.
There are some risks, though. The obvious one is the new hire might be terrible at their job, but there are plenty of others to be worried about. For instance, a new employee might quit within a few months, always show up late to work, or be flat-out difficult to work with.
You take some risk hiring a new employee, but you can reduce that by taking some precautions ahead of time. Here are six things you should consider when you decide to hire a new employee.
Do they make a good first impression?
You have to consider if your potential new hire is putting an effort to impress you from the start. They should do everything in their power to make a good first impression for their potential new boss.
Some things to look out for are:
- Dressing nice
- Showing up to interviews on time
- Bringing copies of their resume
- Displaying confidence
- Being polite and courteous
There might be some excused circumstances, but if they can’t do any of the above, it’s probably a good sign they won’t be a good hire. If they don’t display respect from the beginning, they probably won’t in the long run.
Can they legally work in your country?
This one primarily comes once you’re ready to hire a new employee. If your potential new hire can’t or refuses to share any vital records to show they can legally work in your country, you should be concerned.
Sure, identity theft is a serious problem in this day and age, but when someone refuses to show their new boss any form of identification, you should avoid them. It generally means they’re in the country illegally or have something to hide. Another thing to keep in mind is that expats may need a work visa or permit. Sometimes, if they are an expat, you can negotiate pay because you can offer some benefits to them that you can’t to citizens. For instance, the 30% Dutch ruling lets the expat earn 30% of their income tax free.
Do they have a good attitude?
While skills match is an essential part of the job hiring process, it’s even more critical if your potential new hire has a good attitude.
A good attitude toward work isn’t something that’s quickly learned. It falls in line with emotional intelligence, which carries a lot of weight in the workplace. They don’t have to be rainbows and sunshine every day, but they should display enthusiasm and positivity in their work. At the very least, you want an employee who can put on a cheerful face when the situation calls for it.
Do their references check out?
It’s tempting to overlook someone’s references if you’re ready to hire, but you need to follow through and see if their references check out.
References can reveal a hidden side of a potential hire for better or worse. For example, success-driven people associate with others who strive to achieve lofty goals. They can give articulate evaluations of others while sharing insightful information.
On the opposite side, lazy people tend to surround themselves with other lazy people. They don’t show much enthusiasm for anything, nor will they provide good information about someone.
Will they be around for the long term?
It’s generally a good idea to find people who will stick around and help you develop your business in the long term.
Ideally, you want a new hire to last at least two years. You should take a look at their resume and see how long they’ve lasted at their past jobs. If they tend to switch jobs every few months, odds are they are still struggling to figure out what they want to do in life or have commitment issues.
Can they answer your questions?
One of the most basic things someone should be able to do during the hiring process is answer your questions.
Sure, doing a job interview, it’s normal to be nervous and struggle to come with answers on the spot, but that feeling should gradually loosen as the interview continues. When someone doesn’t bother or refuses to answer most of your questions, they’re most likely not going to be a good hire.
Hiring a new employee can be tough but quite rewarding. You can never be quite certain what someone will be like until you start working with them. Sometimes they’re not a good match, but when they are, your business will improve.
