5 Tips For Recruiting Good Employees

There are some steps employers can take to ensure they recruit the best employees.

While the number of current job seekers has doubled from this time last year, employers are being faced with an abundant number of resumes and cover letters from those seeking work. While recruiting is often a time consuming process, the end results can often be rewarding.

According to an article by Recruit 2 Hire, there are five essential tips employers can take to recruit and maintain great employees.

The first tip is when reviewing a resume, an employer should consider the person's length of time on previous jobs, as a candidate with many short-term jobs could have a problem with commitment.

"It isn't necessarily a given that they were laid off because the company was cutting back," the article notes. "Star performers are not laid off if the company can avoid it. Be sure to check those references carefully, especially if the company is still in business. You don't want someone else's 'deadwood.'"

Employers also should look for gaps in employment and ask the candidate for an explanation, as employment lags could mean anything from going back to school to gaining a criminal record.

The candidate's resume should be closely scanned for overlaps in employment dates, which could either be a simple error or a sign that the candidate is falsifying information. Any overlaps should be explained by the candidate and verified by the previous employer.

Employers can benefit from having a copy of job descriptions when reviewing resumes.

"The more skills that match your job description, the more likely you will be to have a great match," the article states. "Focus on what they have done in the past that matches what you want them to do. If you need cold calls to develop new business, watch for that on their resume. Write a list of things you want them to do and then ask questions that will get those answers (or the lack thereof)."

Once done reviewing resumes, employers should sort them into two piles, one for those that look perfect and one for those that look good.

"Call the perfect ones on the phone and ask them why they want to work for your company," the article adds. "Pay attention to your instincts - if you need a receptionist, it is important that the person has a pleasant phone voice, that they are enthusiastic and articulate. If they don't make you feel good when you're speaking to them on the phone, they won't make a very good first impression on the customers who call your company."