The qualifications all new employees should have

When owning a business, one of the biggest investments you will ever make is hiring new employees. If you hire the right employees, it could help you increase revenue, operate more efficiently, and mitigate risk. On the other hand, if your turnover rate is high and your new employee is not the best, it could prove to be a very costly mistake. When you are looking to hire, there are several qualifications all new employees should have, and characteristics you should look for and keep in mind.

Education and certification

When looking to hire, the first factor to consider is the applicant’s education and certification. Depending on what you are hiring for, it may be advantageous for the employee to have a certain level of education or certifications in place. If they do not have these basic requirements for the job, it could be a great way to start eliminating potential options from the pool. You could also make a clause that if new hires are willing to get further education like an online degree in business management to help their status, you might consider them. This keeps your options more open when you have a limited pool to choose from.

Work experience

Another important qualification to look for when looking to hire is the background work experience of the applicant. Depending on your field, it can be very hard to find someone that has exact and most relevant work experience. If you do find someone that has relevant work experience, it will mean they will be able to hit the ground running and be productive starting their first day on the job. This can greatly help to reduce the amount of time spent training and educating a new employee.

Personality traits

When looking to hire a new employee, you also need to factor in the candidate’s personality traits and adaptability to the team. This qualification can be a lot harder to measure, but is very important. When making a major hire, try and spend as much time with the applicant as possible. This should include meeting with them inside and outside of the office, which could give you a chance to see how they act and respond in a number of different situations.

References

Always ask for references. The applicant should be able to provide you with references from former employers, educators, or even personal references. You should ensure to confirm these positive references prior to making a hiring decision. Don’t just glance at these. Call a few up and get a second opinion from people they’ve provided as a reference.

Hiring a new employee is a major investment for any small business. If looking to hire a new employee, there are a variety of different qualifications you should look for in the beginning. This will help you make a better hiring choice.

What do you think are the qualifications all new employees should have? Tweet us @CareerCamel and tell us in one word.