Hiring just the right person either saves or costs you money. It pays to get it right! Let’s say you’ve posted the job and talked to several candidates--suddenly it’s time to choose the very best person for the job. It’s tough, but here are some pointers to help you.

• Make a list of criteria to evaluate applicants more effectively. Your list might include:

1.      Basic qualifications.  Look at education and experience.

2.      Company culture. Does it look like goals and temperament make the candidate suitable?

3.      Longevity. Is the candidate able to grow with the company?

4.      Personality: Will everyone get along?

5.      Problem-solving abilities: How much hand-holding will be required?

• Consider inviting an interesting applicant for a second interview to be sure you hire the right person. You will be able to recap what you learned in the first interview and extend the process in measuring a person’s fit to your company. Include questions like:

1.      Is the most important career goal you’ve fulfilled?

2.      How do you prioritize equally important projects?

3.      Verify availability.

4.      Invite other team members to meet the candidate.

5.      Be clear about the process and when a decision will be made.

• When you must make a difficult decision, as sometimes happens, the New York Times suggests getting creative:

1.      Invite a candidate to lunch and look for courtesy, the ability to keep a conversation going and ease in social situations.

2.      Take a tour together. Strolling through your work space may be a 10-second jaunt or a several minute exploration…but either one speaks volumes. Both you and the candidate can explore the potential fit.

3.      Throw some curveballs. What is one of your natural strengths? If you could be any animal, what would it be? What’s the biggest misperception people have about you? The

The keys to hiring the right person is to get to know the candidate in a variety of situations, including your team in the process and stepping away from your desk. When you inject the creativity of an alternate setting, you begin to see more than the canned responses applicants have learned to offer. You don’t want the best interviewee. You want the best person for the job. These are not always the same person.

Take some time to write down and file away what you have learned from the hiring process on this time around. Keep a list of questions you asked and what led you to the impressions you had during the interview process. If the candidate turns out to the a lemon, you’ll want to know how to avoid similar train wrecks in the future. If the candidate turned out to be perfect for the job, you’ll want to remember what you did to ensure continued success.

Hiring is vitally important in growing and managing your company , but it’s a very risky business .  While basic competencies are basic, don’t overlook personality. A person who lives in a more depressive state may need a lot of hand holding and emotional support. A person who almost maniacally happy may be an irritation. The smaller your company, the more of an issue the new hire’s personality becomes. Remember—it’s like marrying someone into your business. Ask yourself a very basic question: How will you feel about looking up from your morning coffee to see this person at a desk next to you? Now go with it. You’re welcome, lol.