Hiring: Turn over rocks. Learn before hiring

It is common to have hiring "surprises". There are several ways to learn more about a potential employee before hiring them.

Digging deeper than resumes and interviews pays off. Assessment tools and tests can provide deeper insights. If your Human Resources department is limited, purchase them from service agencies. Examples are legally allowed background and credit checks, aptitude and skill testing such as Excel for accounting, DISC behavior assessment for sales positions and a basic math test for proficiency.

Related Best Practices

• Hiring and Interviewing
• Right person for the right job
• Pre-Employment Background Checks

Author

The author of this page is Terry Gardiner

Terry Gardiner is the founder and President of Silver Lining Seafoods and NorQuest Seafoods - a medium-size Alaska seafood processing company; and currently a Board member of the Anvil Corporation, an employee-owned company specializing in oil and gas engineering.

His co-operative experiences include member director of the Commercial Fishermen Co-operative association; creation of legislation for the Alaska Commercial Fishing and Agriculture Bank; and advisor to the US Dept of Health and Social Services for the state Health CO-OPs.

Terry served ten years as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives -several legislative committee chairmanships, Speaker of the House, Chairman of the Alaska Criminal Code Commission and board member on various state and federal boards and commissions.

His non-profit experiences include National Policy Director for the Small Business Majority in Washington DC; working with the Herndon Alliance and ForTerra.

Terry authored the leadership book, "Six-Word Lessons to Build Effective Leaders: 100 Lessons to Equip Your People to Create Winning Organizations".

For more check: Terry Gardiner Long bio