Naturally you want the best candidates for open positions with your company, but finding the right person to hire requires time, effort, and energy. The wrong match for your team could have disastrous results, so make sure to prioritize interviews and hiring protocols to make the process smooth and, ultimately, rewarding.

Some hiring tips include:

Spend money to find qualified candidates. Use employment staffing services to find qualified candidates for open positions, and save your time for other tasks. Check with agencies in your area about finding screened, vetted employees to join your team. They can alleviate the burdens of checking on references, criminal histories, and medical screening for you, making it substantially easier to find qualified applicants and hires.

Take time to check references. It is not uncommon to ask for references when hiring staff, but do you actually contact these individuals? Also, it pays to carefully consider the questions that you will ask of references ahead of time; make sure that you dig in to areas relevant to your business. Shed stale ideas of conventional interview questions, and consider asking about situations, scenarios, or experiences that relate directly to the service, product, or business that you offer.

Consider a panel interviewing technique. Appoint a panel, three to five people, and adopt a group-style interview technique. Ask each of the participants to help come up with questions, so that there is no repetition or wasted time. Compare notes and discuss candidates after to find the best match for your team.

Participate in staffing events. Register for trade shows, recruitment events, and employment fairs in your area. This is a great way to find recent graduates, qualified expatriates, and diverse candidates to join your staff.  Furthermore, these types of events are great venues for networking and mingling with colleagues and potential clients.

Make the most of the interview. Set aside a designated time for the interviews, and make sure that you are not interrupted during meetings with potential hires. Plan ahead to ask compelling questions that don't waste either of your time. One-on-one interviews should typically be at least a half hour, while a panel-style interview may require an hour.

Finding the right team for your company can be challenging, but is integral to maintain a productive and pleasant work environment. Don't underestimate the importance of careful screening, interviewing, and engaging with potential staff hires. Consider hiring an agency to provide qualified applicants and staff without expending your own time and resources in the process.