How to find the best candidate for the job

By Kailynn Bowling, Co-Founder of ChicExecs PR & Retail Strategy Firm< em>.

Did you know that it takes an average of 41 days to fill a vacancy in your company? That means you have just over a month to hire the best new employee you can find.

You want to hire the right person from the start so you can step in and do an amazing job together. After all, small businesses are only as strong as the people who work there.

But how do you recruit the best person for the job? If you've ever been burned, you know how important it is to hire well. Follow these six tips to help you find the best candidate for the job.

1. Make it casual.

Candidates are on their toes during interviews, making it difficult to understand what it would really be like to work with them.

Try to make the interview casual and comfortable. Stuffy, formal settings prevent you from really getting to know the candidates, so try interviewing them over coffee or even a meal.

Be sure to talk about their hobbies and life outside of work - they'll be more comfortable talking to you and you'll get a better sense of who they really are.

2. Ask relevant questions.

Don't ask silly interview questions like, "How many golf balls can a school bus hold?" if this answer is not relevant to your work.

After all, is it "What is your greatest weakness?" tell you something really valuable about a candidate? Usually their references, work history and portfolio will tell you a lot more.

When talking to a candidate, make your questions count. There's no need to google common interview questions because your candidates do too. They rehearse their speeches and will give you robotic responses that will make it difficult to tell the candidates apart.

There's nothing wrong with asking a candidate about their strengths and weaknesses, but also ask questions that help you understand their abilities. Use hypothetical questions to see how the candidate would handle a tricky situation. This can tell you a lot more about how he works and if he is qualified.

3. Committee interview.

Try to involve other employees in the hiring process if possible. Your employees can assess whether the candidate is a) a good fit with the culture and b) giving them red flags.

When candidates talk to multiple employees at a company, it also gives them an idea of ​​what it would be like to work with you.

4. Do a test project.

Not sure of a candidate's qualifications? Ask them to prove it with a small work project. Test projects are a great way to ensure candidates can follow instructions, think independently, and produce great work.

Test projects are the best way to see how a person's mind works in the workplace. But there are a few caveats here you need to remember:

1. You must not use candidate work projects on your website, social media, etc. Its purpose should be only to evaluate, not to work for free.

2. Keep the duty short. This shouldn't take candidates more than an hour from start to finish.

3. If you really need a longer project, compensate candidates for their time at a contract rate.

5. Trust your instincts.

Sometimes a candidate looks great on paper, but when you meet them, something seems... weird.

You can't describe what it is, but you have a negative feeling about a certain candidate. If you're hiring by committee, ask your employees if they have any reservations about the candidate. When several people have doubts, it is a sign that you should choose another candidate.

6. Hire to fit the culture.

Did you know that