4 Tips on How to Hire and Retain Rockstar Employees | EMyth

Finding the right employees can feel like a constant struggle. The hires you’re not crazy about end up staying while the great ones always seem to leave, causing you to wonder again and again, “Am I missing something or is this just the way it is to manage people?” 

The truth is you are missing something. Finding the best employees for your business— employees that do things the way you want them done—is more about you than it is about them. There’s a process to hiring and retention that starts with your own vision for a particular role, what type of candidate you’re looking for, and how you’ll manage them in a way that promotes both team engagement and personal growth. 

Not getting the right fit signals that you’re not paying attention to the process. Hiring frequently begins from a reactionary place—someone quits or maybe a spike in sales creates a new job opportunity. Either way, you’re left with what you see as a gaping hole in your day-to-day. You react, you make a hasty decision, and then you’re surprised when the new hire doesn’t turn out how you hoped they would. 

Why would you continue to do something the same way over and over again, and expect different results? 

In developing a brand-based hiring and retention system, you’re able to identify your ideal candidate, how to find them and what questions to ask. It’ll prevent you from making some horrible hiring mistakes, and in turn, help you find people who will work in the long term and help to make your company vision a reality. 

Here’s how to get started:

1. Write a result statement for the open position.

• What are you trying to achieve with this role?
• Why does the position exist?
• What do you want to happen and why?
• How does the company benefit by having this position?

1. Create a work listing that includes both strategic and tactical job duties, along with position specific and company-wide standards.

• What tasks do you want this person to do everyday?
• Are you hiring a Technician or a Manager?
• Create an Ideal Candidate Profile

1. Write an attractive job posting.

• Write about who you really are. What stage are you in as a company? What kind of person are you looking for?
• Think in terms of values instead of qualities like “detailed oriented” or “good communication skills.” What type of person will thrive in your business culture?
• End with specific instructions on how to apply and only select those who follow them.

1. Conduct a personality-focused interview.
• Create value-based interview questions that focus on how a candidate might fit into the culture you want to create.
• Hold multiple interviews.
• Evaluate the candidate in the moment rather than after you interview several candidates. This eliminates any comparison in your immediate impressions.

None of this matters of course, unless you’re first clear about your brand. Decide how you want to be perceived, and what kind of felt experience you want for your customers and your employees. Knowing this will make all the difference.