When you are growing a business, it is inevitable that you will face the need to hire people to help you handle the increased demands of your day-to-day operations. The availability of information has made it possible for people to hone their skills and grow their knowledge base. For a business owner, this means that you have a large pool of talent from which to find the best people to add to your team. It means that you’re more than likely to find someone you can rely on and build a relationship that can be long-term and fulfilling.

Unfortunately, the larger pool of talent also means that you are going to have to exert more effort into finding the right people. You may face the challenge of hiring someone who does not mesh well with your team. You can also end up hiring someone who looks good on paper but cannot meet the requirements of the job. Not only do these challenges endanger the investments you make but it also makes it unnecessarily hard for you to grow your business, especially if you’re worried about your team’s performance and productivity. 

As such, if you’re in the market to grow your company, here are four questions you might want to keep in mind when considering job candidates:

1.  Do they match the skills you’re looking for?

Often, the problem with hiring new people to add to your team is that some of them may fall short of the skills they need to complete the tasks you set out for them. There are two things you can do to prevent this outcome. 

First, you need to create a job posting that is as detailed and as specific as possible. It has to have information on your expectations, the job’s requirements, the qualifications you’re looking for, and, of course, the salary. 

Second, you might want to invest in skills and knowledge tests, especially if the position you’re trying to fill requires technical knowledge. Though implementing such tests may take investments and make the hiring process longer, it’ll be worth the pay-off once you see that your new hire is equipped to handle the job. 

2.  Do they have natural abilities that can benefit you?

Another thing you may want to look for is the natural abilities of your candidates. These abilities refer to a unique skill set that your candidates may have. It may come in the form of the things they love doing, like working with numbers or organizing Excel spreadsheets. 

You may also be looking for personality-based natural abilities, such as working with people or interacting with clients. 

To make the process of identifying these natural abilities easier, you need to detail them in the job posting. Be as clear and concise as possible, and be sure to set your candidates’ expectations properly. You may also want to figure out a more subtle way of identifying their natural abilities–some interviewees are prone to saying they have specific capabilities just to get the job.

3.  Do their values match with yours?

The third factor you may want to look at is the values and principles of the person. In this regard, you might want to keep your company goals and vision in mind. Make sure that you’re looking for people who have the values you’re looking for in terms of their drive to achieve a goal, their work ethic, and their personality. 

The right person may not look the best on paper but actually have the attitude, skills, and natural abilities that can enable them to grow with you and your company. Honesty, trustworthiness, and accountability are only some of the values you look for if you want someone reliable. Being agreeable and well-mannered might be perfect if your company interacts with clients regularly. Never forget your company vision and mission when you’re scrutinizing your candidates’ values.

4.  Are they willing to learn?

Hiring a person requires more than thinking about how they can help you right now. If you want someone who can grow with you and your company, they must be willing to learn. 

Whether in terms of training or in getting the experience they need to take on more responsibilities, make sure that your candidates understand your company goals and are willing to achieve them with you. Gauge if they are people with whom you think you can build a long-term relationship. Finally, try to see if they’re a great fit for your team before you hire them. 

There’s a lot that a new hire can do to help you realize your vision for your company. In the right environment and with a great manager, new talent can push you to be better, to be more productive, and to be more driven.