How to Hire the Right Person for the Job

Keller Media CEO and founder Wendy Keller believes fewer hiring errors means less wasted time and money. After all, the success of a company or a business greatly depends on the people working behind it. She also points out that the smaller your business, the more critical each person becomes. No matter how desperately you need help today, taking the time to choose the right people will be worth it in the long run.

The Benefits of Learning about Personality Types

Understanding personality types can help hiring managers to narrow down their choices for the best person for the job. Inc Magazine explains that personality tests allow employers to use data in order to understand what candidates will do rather than what they have already done. For the marketing industry, personality tests come in handy to see who will fit in with the company’s culture.

A personality test reveals a candidate’s ability to handle stress, prioritize, and control their emotions among others. It can also allow employers to see any red flags that may not have been obvious in the initial interview. Personality tests are becoming increasingly common, with Special Counsel explaining how The Keirsey Temperament Sorter®-II is used across the world. This test “sorts people according to preferences in how they communicate and how they act.” In highly demanding and stressful industries, like law and marketing, it’s important that hiring managers get the best understanding of a potential candidate that they can. This will reduce costly errors in the future.

Thinking Outside the Box Helps Get a Better Idea about Candidates

Apart from the standard interviews and tests, it also pays to talk to candidates while walking around the office or taking them outside to a more relaxed setting. The New York Times notes that there are two key qualities to look for: if the person is genuinely interested in the work of the organization and if they treat people as equals regardless of the title. Good potential candidates are naturally curious. They ask questions about what people do and how things work.

Hiring managers can also take candidates out for a meal and observe if they are considerate of others—from how polite they are to the people serving them to how they react to small challenges. In my post on ‘Least Effective Way Of Selecting and Hiring New Employees’ I discuss how relying heavily on references and interviews is the worst way to select new employees. Thinking outside the box and looking beyond a person’s past experiences can help employers find the best people for the job vacancies they have.