Hiring someone who’s wrong for your business can be costly. Anecdotal evidence suggests that time starved businesses often concentrate on filling a gap right now versus finding the ‘right candidate’ who will add value and strengthen the business. In this case, the future under-performance of an employee can often be traced back to the interview process where a candidate’s skills and knowledge compared to the job you need done is incorrectly matched… and whose fault is the future under-performance in …

A clear recruitment procedure – which can be very practical and tailored to your small business – involving some standardised approaches can help you save time and headaches later on. Be clear about the skills and experience you really need this person to have Prepare two or three questions to find out more about their experience – and don’t be shy to probe for specific details. If the person talks about what the team achieved, or what “we did…”, ask them what …