1. Treat recruitment and hiring as seriously as you would any other aspect of your business.

2. Create a company that people want to work for. Put energy into areas like employee retention, motivation, accountability, reward, promotion, recognition, and involvement. That way your existing employees will spread the word that your company is truly a great company.

3. Be involved in the entire interview process. Research has shown that one of the biggest mistakes small businesses make is handing over the interviewing process to someone else. It’s your company so why allow anyone else to make such a crucial decision?

4. Start developing a ‘candidate pool’ now. Don’t wait until you suddenly have a vacancy to fill. Develop relationships with employment agencies as well as recruitment officers from local colleges and universities.

5. Assess whether you really do need to hire someone. Consider if it is possible for the job to be accomplished without having to hire someone new. Could you improve processes, get rid of unnecessary work, or divide the work up differently between existing staff?

6. Hire people who have done the same jobs in the same industry with other companies like yours. That way you can compare their past behaviour and predict how they will behave in the future. And you’ll know that candidates like these won’t need hours and hours of training – they can be productive immediately.

7. Don’t just limit your recruitment drive to people who respond to your advertisement. Use your network of business contacts and even customers to find great employees. Ask your customers to help with your search for fantastic candidates. Ask colleagues and your existing employees to help in your search. Contact local training colleges and universities, as well as employment agencies, and any trade and professional associations that you belong to.

8. Don’t ignore your existing staff when you are recruiting. Always alert your existing staff to the fact that a position is available and if you do interview, treat them the same way you treat external candidates. When you let it be known that there are promotional opportunities for current employees, it boosts morale.

9. Whenever candidates apply for the job, acknowledge receipt of their applications. Let them know that you may be contacting them to invite them in for an interview. If not, you’ll keep their applications on file in case other opportunities arise within your company.

10. Assess applicants on their intellectual capacity and their emotional intelligence. Research has shown that IQ assessment alone doesn’t give an accurate picture of job success as when it is combined with assessments of an applicant’s social and cognitive abilities (emotional intelligence). An assessment of candidates’ emotional intelligence will however give you a good indication of how well (or not) they will fit into your company.

11. Be organised with your interviews. Have a standard list of questions that you ask every candidate in the same way so that you can better compare the answers from all candidates and to ensure that you conduct a fair interview process. Record each candidate’s answers to the questions.

12. Check each and every reference you receive. Be aware that references may not give you an accurate picture of the candidate – sometimes what is left out can be more telling than what is actually written.

13. Pay attention to your initial reactions to each candidate. If an employee you hire doesn’t suit the position but fits into the company culture, try moving them to another position that would better suit their strength and experience.

14. Be very clear about your expectations of the role you are seeking to fill. Make sure any candidate you interview is provided with a detailed job description so that they understand what the job will entail.

15. Involve your existing employees in the recruitment process. This will demonstrate your belief in them but also strengthen their commitment to helping the new employees succeed. Ask them to recommend people who they believe will be suitable for the role. Ask them to review the resumes of potential candidates. Even involve them in the interview process to determine how the candidates will fit in.