Recruitment is a tricky process and it is imperative that you come out the other side with the ideal candidate for the job. This isn’t necessarily the person who had the best interview; you are searching for someone who will fit best with the team overall. Here are some of the things you need to consider if you want to hire the best candidate you can.

Limit Options Before You Even Begin

Instead of posting your job advertisement on every site you can think of, consider placing it somewhere where only the top talent can see it. For example, a hospital might advertise on a dedicated medical recruitment website or someone looking for a graduate to join their start-up might go directly to a university.

These routes may produce fewer applicants than traditional posting methods, but you can be assured that a higher calibre of applicant will arise instead. It is a worthy trade-off, in our opinion

Give Them a Problem to Solve

It is important to know how your candidates will approach a problem in the workplace. Putting them on the spot and asking them to solve a problem will allow you to assess their ability to keep calm and adapt.

If you are interviewing graduates, consider giving them a problem which you know they cannot solve with the knowledge they will have from university. It is more important to see how they approach the issue than whether or not they can solve it. 

Expect Questions

The ideal candidate should be interested in the job and the lifestyle they will be acquiring. Everyone will come prepared with the information about the company made available to the public, but how many of them will inquire about the day-to-day life in the office. Do they seem genuinely curious or are they just ticking boxes? The types of questions they ask will give you a clear indicator of the type of person they are.

Hold a Group Interview

If you have a few candidates who fit the role with their experience and knowledge, a group interview is a great way to assess each of them socially. Pay close attention to each of them both while they are speaking and when they are listening to their competitors. Do they speak over each other or are they gracious? Are they quiet but intelligent or extroverted and joke-cracking?

Set them a project to do together. This will allow you to see who naturally emerges as a leader, who works as a team player, and who comes off as abrasive. Use it as an indicator of who would fit in well with your team.

When it comes to recruitment, only you can know exactly who is best for the job. Make sure you take the time to properly review each candidate and hopefully you will find someone who fits both the role and the office life perfectly. The right team makes for an excellent workday.