Your current team is great, but they don’t have all the skills needed to take your company to the top. Knowledge gaps have begun to hinder productivity, so it’s time to tighten things up.
Conduct a skills assessment — if you haven’t already done so — to determine exactly what your team is lacking to properly complete projects now and in the future. It’s possible some of these skills could be acquired by your existing employees with a little training. Investing in them is certainly the quickest and easiest route, but it might not solve everything.
If you need to seek external candidates, you’ll want to dig deep to make sure those hired already have the abilities needed to hit the ground running.
3 Tips to Hire for Skills
Give Candidates a Skills Test
There’s no better way to see if a potential new hire has the skills needed than putting them to the test. If possible, include some aspect of the test in the application process, so you can quickly eliminate those who don’t have what it takes. Get as specific as possible during the interview phase by physically having the candidate perform the kind of work they’d be doing if hired. This is an efficient way to see if they measure up.
Ask Job-Specific Interview Questions
When meeting with candidates, you probably ask an array of standard interview questions. Don’t stop doing that, but do add in questions tailored specifically to the skills you need. For example, you might ask them to provide a step-by-step explanation of how they would complete a certain task requiring a skill the team needs.
Check References
The last thing you want is to hire a candidate who falls short on expectations. Checking references might seem like an unnecessary step, but in reality, you can’t afford to skip it. Former managers, colleagues and other associates will be able to speak to the person’s ability to use the skills you’re hiring for in real life. This will either verify your belief the person is a great fit or send a red flag that can save you from a major hiring mistake.
Need a little help finding the right skills match for your light industrial team? Malone Staffing Solutions is here to assist. Contact us today to fill automotive positions in Detroit, logistics openings in Louisville and so much more!
