Aileron, Forbes.com

The single greatest challenge for any promising company is to hire, train and manage their employees. Although unemployment is over 8%, finding great people to effectively grow any small business is still difficult.

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How does the business owner hire the most effective people?

1. Write a clear job description. Forget about recycling the old one that was written years ago. Think about the three goals that the person in this job needs to achieve to be successful.  What role do they play in the overall growth of the company?  How will their skills complement the rest of the team?
2. Ask for referrals from satisfied employees. Forget the expense of a headhunter. Hiring is a team sport. The best source to hire more people like the current employees is to ask them. Human resources can help with the job description. Always offer an employee a referral bonus.
3. Listen during the interview. The employer can learn more by listening than talking. Always ask them to “tell you about a time when”…and then fill in the skill that is needed. Candidates recalling specific events will short circuit those that can just give a “good interview.”
4. Don’t fall in love. There is no perfect candidate or one that will be the missing “magic ingredient.” This type of thinking sets up for disaster. There is always another candidate.
5. Hire for attitude not just skills. While a certain level of skills is important, they can always be taught. Attitude and fit into the corporate culture can never be trained.
6. Formally train the new employee. Have a real training program instead of just throwing them into the deep end on the second day will ensure the likelihood of success. This is not a place to skimp. The employer needs to invest in the employee if they are to be productive.

Within the first 30 days, if it is not a fit, be “quick to fire.” Mistakes are made all the time and prolonging it does not change the situation.