There is one thing you need to understand before reading this article; there is no guarantee that you will get the right hire on the first try. That being said, there are many tactics you can use to increase your odds on getting it right the first try.

First, be honest with the nature of the job you need done. If you really do not a hard driving type A person to consistently be able to keep shelves stocked, then quit asking for one. We tend to spend way too much time looking for purple squirrels, or someone who already has all the skills we need, and too little time on finding characteristics that will make someone successful in the job. Businesses often over-hire and then wonder what went wrong when the person becomes bored or an offer for a better position comes from somewhere else and they leave. The problem is that you did not need as much as you asked for. Find someone with the correct personal characteristics who can be challenged and grow into the job vs someone who can step in immediately and end up without a sense of self-worth from too easily being able to do the job.

On the other side of all of this, be honest enough to say if you really need characteristics of creativity, dedication, perseverance, or innovation and look for those. Try to narrow applicants down by characteristics and not their skills. While there must be a certain level of skills met, skills can be learned but characteristics are very challenging if not impossible to teach. You can help an employee learn new software or style of work, but you cannot teach them to have perseverance or to be innovative.

When it comes to finding the right hire on the first try, use these tips to fine-tune your search.