In this tutorial, we will share useful tips that you should not overlook when hiring and discuss the best practices to adapt to boost your chances of hiring right. 

This tutorial will cover the following:

• The importance of skill testing
• Why request a video introduction 
• Why you should not hire based on resumes and CVS
• Why add a video to your job post 
• Hiring for potential vs hiring for experience
• Importance of making a holistic hire 

Let’s get started!

Tip 1) Don’t hire without skill testing — performance > polished answers

Nowadays, resumes are crafted using tools like Resume.io and Kickresume, perfectly tailored to match your job description. Cover letters are written in seconds with ChatGPT. Candidates are even using real-time AI interview tools like Parakeet.ai and AIApply, which suggest answers on the fly, provide live prompts during interviews, and make a candidate sound qualified, even if they’re not. 

That is why you must test for skills to assess whether someone can perform in the real world or not before hiring them, because polished answers do not reflect a candidate’s actual performance. By assigning a simple skill test, you also get to verify authenticity because some candidates also have a habit of presenting work that is not theirs.  Workscreen gives you a chance to assign a skill test in one click without you providing any manual input. To learn more about testing for skills at Workscreen, click on this detailed guide here. 

Tip 2) Adding a video to your job post builds instant trust

Candidates like seeing a face behind a brand because it makes the job seem more legit. That is why you should consider adding a Loom video in your job post to help build trust. You can record a short loom video introducing yourself, your role in the company, what the company is about, the role you are hiring for, and a brief explanation of your hiring process. 

Check out this example of a Loom video that you can create for your job post. Adding such a video to your job post makes it stand out and feel warmer as compared to most generic job posts available online lack such useful additions. 

Tip 3) Don’t rely solely on resumes or CVs

Resumes and CVs are slowly becoming obsolete due to the growing trend of AI tools like Enhancv, which help candidates create perfectly polished documents that do not reflect actual ability. Therefore, instead of relying solely on resumes or CVs to make hiring decisions, you must assess additional factors, such as real-world ability through skill testing, comparing candidates side by side, and requesting a video introduction. 

You can achieve all this using Workscreen, which helps you test for skills, compare candidates side by side, and request a video introduction. Considering all these factors helps you hire holistically based on real-world skills, adaptability, attention to detail, strong time management, problem-solving, and teamwork, instead of hiring solely based on experience, resumes, and technical qualifications. 

Tip 4) Request video introductions to screen for effort and communication

This is a good practice since it gives you the chance to get a feel of the candidate before you interview them. It can be particularly helpful when hiring for certain roles, such as a video presenter, when you want to assess how someone presents themselves beforehand. When you hire through Workscreen, you can quickly request a video introduction when creating your job post. 

It entails telling a candidate to record a 2-5 minute video of themselves as they share their skills and achievements. This gives you a chance to filter out low-effort applicants who don’t want to go the extra mile. You can also use some of the points they include in the video introduction to come up with follow-up questions for the interview to verify authenticity. 

Tip 5) Hire for potential

Do not always go for experienced people, especially if you have a startup. Sometimes, you need to hire someone with potential and train them on the job. With time, they will improve their skills. Hiring for potential works best when you want to hire for junior roles like customer support, sales representatives, marketing assistants, or data entry clerks. 

On the other hand, if you are a well-established company looking for expertise in a certain area in which you have no knowledge, it is better to hire an expert or someone with experience in that area to avoid wasting time. 

Tip 6) Always hire holistically

Instead of hiring based on a single factor, you should consider hiring holistically, taking into account various factors such as attitude, attention to detail, communication, real-world skills, adaptability, problem-solving, and teamwork, rather than relying solely on the documents a candidate shares. 

When you consider so many factors, you reduce the risk of ending up with a bad hire, which is costly for your business. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a bad hire can cost up to 30% of the employee’s first-year earnings. And that’s not even accounting for the loss of productivity or the damage to team morale or extra management time. But when you hire holistically, you end up making the right hiring decisions and avoiding such issues.