How to Tell an Applicant Has the Skills You Need

When you’re scanning applicant resumes for an open position in your company, you might get several that appear to have all the skills you are looking for. But should you just take the applicant’s word that they possess this skill and knowledge? In short, no. It’s best to get some verification to ensure the person you hire can implement the necessary skills.

 

There are a few ways you can be certain an applicant has the skills:

 

1. Test the applicants. For skills like working with Microsoft Office or Quickbooks, there are online talent assessments available that you can use and many employment agencies also have such programs available Not only will this show you they have the skill, but you’ll also see how well they can use it. Other skills are harder to test, but talk with an employment professional to find out how to best assess your pool of applicants.

 

1. Have someone who is familiar with the open position interview the applicants, along with other management as needed. This person can ask the applicants detailed questions that should show whether or not the interviewee actually knows what they’re talking about.

 

1. Call references and verify education and certificates. This seems fairly basic, but it is shocking how many employers don’t do this. Call the schools and organizations the applicant listed to ensure they did receive the accolades they claim. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, Facebook can also be used to recruit employees as well as find inconsistencies between their profile and their resume.

 

If you seem to have problems finding employees with the right skills, you aren’t alone. According to Human Resource Executive Online, there are many jobs open but no one to fill them, even with high unemployment. Why? Older employees are retiring and younger ones don’t have the same skill sets, so there are very few people who can fill these job vacancies. More and more companies are turning to creating talent instead of talent hunting.

 

Not sure how to find the right candidate for an open position in your company? Call the employment professionals at Sequoia Personnel Services, Inc.

 The information provided in this blog is intended for general information purposes only. Readers should seek the help of an HR professional for guidance on specific issues.