Nicole NicholsonWhen you are hiring for any position, you want to be sure you are hiring long-term employees. You don’t want to have to fall back into the hiring process all over again. Especially since, on average, it takes about 65 days for a hiring manager to fill an open position. With those 65 days comes a loss of productivity, a loss of revenue and the potential for a lot of stress. Needless to say, when you hire once you want to be sure you won’t have to do it again for quite some time. So what can you do to be sure you are hiring employees that are in it for the long-haul?
A lot of that depends heavily on you and how much you probe in the hiring process. You need to ask specific interview questions that can give you insight into how long this candidate is willing to stick around. Recently Spark Hire touched on how you can tell if you are interviewing a “right now” job seeker. In light of that, let’s take a look at how you can tell if you are speaking with a candidate that will stay in your company longer than just a few months.
Know the Manager/Supervisor Over the Role
Management style is a big reason why employees choose to leave their jobs. In fact, 17 percent of employees stated management or general work environment as the reason for leaving their previous company. Therefore, in order to make a great hire you should definitely know your management style or the management style of the person above this particular role. That way, when a candidate tells you what kind of work environment they prefer you can gauge if they would be a good fit or not.
Also, asking interview questions about preferred working environment will give you insight into how long this candidate will be able to stick around. If an employee does not fit in with the company culture you have then chances are they will leave as soon as another opportunity arises. What’s great is that you can use video interviews to ask interview questions like this right away in the hiring process. If their answer does not fit with your needs, then you can move onto another candidate. No time is wasted on your end- or theirs.
Accurate Job Descriptions
Not too long ago we discussed how important it is for employers and hiring managers to compose accurate and in-depth job descriptions for job seekers. For starters, if you are not depicting a clear image of the job you are trying to fill, then you likely won’t attract top talent. Job seekers want to know what they are in for when they apply for a job at your company and what the role entails. Not doing so can result in recruiting job seekers that are simply looking for any kind of job and a paycheck. On top of that, if they start the job and are expected to execute tasks that were not discussed in the job interview or in the job description, they may feel cheated and confused. That can easily lead to them leaving your company and trying to find a new job. Don’t be a bait and switch employer. Instead, attract long-term employees with accurate and clear job descriptions.
Mobility
You should find out early on in the hiring process if your job seekers are looking for a stable position or one they can easily and quickly move up the ladder. If you hire job seekers that are looking to advance their career in a short period of time, then they will likely be disappointed when it never happens. Or when it happens at a pace they feel is too slow. Considering 32 percent of employees leave their employers because of this exact reason, you need to be clear and honest about the position. Ask interview questions early on in the hiring process to see where this candidate wants to go in their career. Are they looking for a position they can take hold of and grow? Do they want to move up the ladder in the next 5-10 years? Are they simply looking for a specific role they can stay in for years?
You can find the answers to these interview questions early on in the hiring process when you use video interviews. In your one-way video interviews with job seekers you can ask them what their career goals are right now. Where do they see themselves in five years? You can also probe deeper in a live video interview and discuss this with them face to face. What do they expect from this role and the company? Find out early on to be sure you are bringing on employees that will stick.
Salary
Finally, it’s no secret that a lot of employees leave a company to seek higher pay. The figure is 22 percent to be exact. So in order to retain employees and be sure they are satisfied, you need to make sure you are offering a competitive salary. Know the industry standards for this position and factor in the candidate’s experience and skills. If they are top talent and you are not willing to pay them adequately, remember that some other company will.
What are some interview questions you ask in the job interview to make sure you hiring long-term employees? Share with us in the comments section below!
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by A Pillow of Winds
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