Make It Your Business to Truly Know Who is Working for You

When you are in charge of running a business, you wear myriad of hats.

From being the person who ultimately oversees the purse strings to the guy or gal who is responsible for growing the company, the tasks seem to be never-ending.

Oh, did we mention having a hand (if not the final decision) in hiring people?

Yes, the hours and days can quickly add up, especially if you’re not always bringing in the best available talent.

Do Your Research

In order to avoid having a revolving door when it comes to your employees, it is critical that you make the right choices the first time around.

Yes, from time to time you will miss out on hiring the better employee when interviewing a number of applicants, but you need to have a high percentage (90 to 95 percent is good) of bringing in the right employees from the start.

With that in mind, here are some factors you should never overlook in the hiring process:

• Background – There was a time when both employees and some employers for that matter wondered what is a background check? Unless one was applying for a position with the government, local or state law enforcement, the medical field or children, background checks were not all that common years ago. Fast forward to today and they’re all but a guarantee. Background checks are not meant to pry into one’s life, but to find out if there are any potential red flags before you consider hiring them. From potential arrests to issues with former employers, background checks can yield a wealth of information for your business before you offer someone a job;
• History – While a background check is more for financial and any potential criminal red flags, one’s job history is very important during the interviewing/hiring process. If you have someone who has been job hopping for a number of years, the odds are they’re not going to be with you (in the event you hire them) for a long period of time. Job hopping can be the result of a number of factors, among which can be things such as unsatisfactory performances, difficulty getting along with co-workers or looking for more income. Ask the candidate why they have had a notable number of jobs over the years. The reason/reasons may certainly be valid, but better for you to know then to be surprised a few months after hiring them;
• Attitude – You can tell a lot about someone just from an in-person or phone interview. Are they confident in their abilities? Do they ask questions about your business? Are they primarily just interested in salary, potential vacation time and benefits? What kind of introduction do they make to employees in your office in the event you take them on a tour of your company? These are all things that should be high up on your priority list when gauging their overall attitude.

If your business has not used background checks in the past, give them serious consideration moving forward.

When all is said and done, background checks can save you time and ultimately revenue.