How to Hire Your Future Boss

Serving as the hiring manager for a large group of stores in my state, I developed some simple strategies to hiring people that will stay with the company and perform. Those two things are the target of most anyone looking to hire employees. Are they going to return our investment when it comes to training and performance? Will they try to move forward in the company? All of these are questions that we ask ourselves while rummaging through the myriad resumes on our desk. These answers can be found if you look at the right information, and ask the right questions.

Finding the individual---Before you can ask a question, you have to have someone to ask. If you want to find high caliber people that are in your field, then you need to recruit. This takes some practice, and certainly some tact. The absolute best place to start is in your own field. Usually, if someone is a high performer in the field already, they will also produce results for you. That being said, recruit folks that are "in your circle of business". Put the word out on the street, so to speak, that you are looking to hire the position you are trying to fill. The calls will start to come in. If you know someone in particular that you would be interested in, a simple phone call to request a meeting will suffice. When they come in, sit down and talk to them with zero formality. It will allow the person to relax, and ultimately consider your offer with a clear mind.

Another way to find the individual is to post an ad. In this ad, leave simple, clear instructions for the interested party to follow. If they do not follow the directions, then you know you do not want them. Do not waste your time with someone that can't follow simple direction. This will weed out half of the people that reply. The other half, you will want to schedule an interview. Keep very good records of all the things of note, even with these initial phone calls. They may be important down the road.