<div class="tldr">
<h2>TL;DR</h2>
<ul>
<li>Hiring the right employee is crucial for customer service, business growth, and reducing turnover costs.</li>
<li>Use diverse tests to assess candidates’ skills beyond their resumes.</li>
<li>Ensure candidates are compatible with your company culture to maintain a positive work environment.</li>
<li>Continuously improve your hiring process and clearly define job requirements.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Hiring a great employee is one of the most valuable things you can do for your organisation. It is also one of the easiest things to get wrong.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The stakes are significant. A strong hire contributes to team performance, customer satisfaction, and long-term business growth. A poor one costs far more than the salary: research from Inc. indicates that 80% of employee turnover is directly linked to poor hiring decisions, and the total cost of replacing a single employee can range from half to three times their annual salary when you factor in lost productivity, recruitment costs, and onboarding time.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The challenge is that standard hiring processes, often <a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blogs/interview-process/tips-for-interviewers">built around a 40-minute interview</a> and a resume review, are not designed to surface the qualities that predict long-term success. Skills can be assessed. Commitment, cultural alignment, and genuine potential require a more deliberate approach.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">This guide covers nine practical tips for hiring great employees in 2026, from how to assess candidates more accurately to how to structure a process that consistently produces strong results.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Why Hiring the Right Employee is Essential?</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Hiring a new employee who is the right person for the open position is always essential. Your business is as good as your employees. Employees represent the facet of the business; they communicate with clients in large spaces. On the other hand, hiring the wrong one will cost you more than money.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Here are some reasons why hiring the right employee is essential from ZenithFlow, a <a href="https://virtualassistantservice.ph/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">virtual assistant agency in the Philippines.</a></p>
<pre><img src="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/upload/blog/Impact_of_Bad_Hire.webp.dat" alt="Impact Of Bad Hire" width="2240" height="1260"></pre>
<h3 dir="ltr">Customer Service</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Hiring the right person will help you provide great customer service and be responsible for providing the best customer experience. In the competitive world, managing and handling potential customers is challenging.</p>
<p dir="ltr">According to the research, <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/service/customer-service-stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">49% of American customers shifted </a>to other companies last year due to inadequate customer service. Hence, hiring the right person will help you improve customer service.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Business Growth</h3>
<p dir="ltr">The right hire does not just perform their role. They develop within the organisation, take on greater responsibility over time, and contribute to growth in ways that extend well beyond their job description. A high-quality employee hired today can become a team lead, manager, or subject matter expert within a few years, reducing the need for external hiring at more senior levels.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Reduce the Turnover Rate When you Hire the Right Candidate</h3>
<p dir="ltr">The overall process of hiring a new employee is time-consuming and requires many resources and money. But hiring the right candidate will save you all these things in the future.</p>
<p dir="ltr">When you hire the wrong one, often, after a while, you have to hire another by removing them, or they will leave the company very soon. Hence, this will increase the company’s turnover rate, which is the reason for additional expenditures like conducting interviews again, <a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blog-explore-the-top-onboarding-software">onboarding process</a>, and so on. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.inc.com/chuck-blakeman/the-biggest-thing-wrong-with-hiring-is-the-people-doing-it-managers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the research,</a> 80 per cent of the employee turnover rate is the consequence of poor hiring decisions. Thus, <a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blog-3-ways-to-avoid-the-bad-hires">avoid bad hires</a>.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Top 9 Tips for Hiring a Great Employee</h2>
<p dir="ltr">This article is about tips for hiring a great employee, and it is helpful, especially for the recruiter or the companies who are willing to conduct the hiring process soon. So, here are some tips to ease out the<a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blog-proven-ways-to-improve-hiring-process"> hiring employees process</a> and help you in hiring a new employee:</p>
<pre dir="ltr"><img src="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/upload/blog/9_Tips_for_Hiring_Great_Employee.webp.dat" alt="Tips for Hiring a Great Employee" width="2240" height="1260"></pre>
<h3 dir="ltr">1. Look for a Committed Employee</h3>
<p dir="ltr">You want to hire a committed candidate for your company. When you hire an employee by conducting a time-consuming hiring employees process, you want them to stay with you for the long term and not switch jobs after working for just a few months.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It is not only problematic if the employee you hired leaves the job in a few months as the project they were working on will be left hanging, but you will also have to go through the whole process of hiring an employee to find a new employee.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Loyalty is a key feature of a great employee and you must always seek motivated and committed employees. You can do so by looking at the candidate's work experience and the frequency at which they change their jobs. If a candidate keeps on switching jobs, they might not be the right candidate for your company.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">2. Put Your Candidates Through Different Tests</h3>
<p dir="ltr">To test the candidates, you must use different methods so you can test their analytical as well as learning skills. Do not assume that a candidate is fit for the job based on just their resume. If the candidate seems confident, that is a great quality but putting them through some tests such as an <a href="https://brainmanager.io/blog/spiritual/what-is-an-enneagram-beginners-guide-to-enneagram-personality-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">enneagram assessment</a> will prove their ability to do the job. Skills are equally important in comparison to educational qualification and work experience.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The tests should be designed according to the skills required for the job. Other than the interview, it is valuable to provide the candidate with a few tasks to determine their skillset.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">3. Check Compatibility</h3>
<p dir="ltr">You do not want to hire an employee that does not fit your company culture and regret later. <a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blog-things-to-know-about-the-company-culture-and-onboarding-process">Company culture</a> has become highly important these days as it leads to employee experience and your brand image. So, before hiring an employee, you must check if they are compatible with your company.</p>
<p dir="ltr">See if the candidate has decent social skills, and if they get along with the current employees of the company, especially the team, they will be working with regularly. Hiring an employee that is not compatible with your company will not only make them uncomfortable and end up with them having a terrible working experience but also disrupt the company's work environment.</p>
<p dir="ltr">You can know about their compatibility skills by asking them about the work they did in their previous work and the way they handled their business clients.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">4. Keep Improving Your Hiring Process</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Hiring Process is not a one-time thing. You<a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blog-a-complete-journey-from-candidate-to-employee-ismartrecruit"> will be hiring new employees</a> and hence it should be designed smartly. It is important to remember that the hiring process must be updated regularly to attract the best talent and hire the right candidate for your company. <span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">You might even consider hiring or <a href="https://www.cloudtalk.io/blog/international-expansion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expanding internationally</a>.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">There are few factors that you must mainly focus on when hiring new employees such as instead of asking them random questions, you must get to know them, their skills, and their potential. Also, when you put out a job vacancy, say for a <a href="https://www.growthcollective.com/blog/fractional-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fractional marketer</a> position, you must clearly mention the job profile, requirements for the job like educational qualifications, work experience, skills, and knowledge to filter out unnecessary applicants.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It is also wise to involve other people when deciding upon a candidate as this will provide you with varied opinions which will lead you to make better decisions.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">5. Hire Interns</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Hiring interns may seem irrelevant to the hiring process, and this is where many people mistakenly forget to give importance to <a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blog-things-to-know-while-hiring-interns-ismartrecruit">hiring interns.</a> When you hire an intern and train them, they learn the workings of your company and the company culture. Similarly, you learn about their potential, knowledge, weaknesses, strengths, and much more. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So, when it comes to hiring an employee for your company, you already have a candidate in your intern who is already well-trained for the job. This way, you kill two birds with a stone, and you get an intern as well as a potential candidate for your company.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">6. Check out your Candidate's Social Media Profile</h3>
<p dir="ltr">These days the world exists on <a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blog-social-media-recruitment-guide">social media platforms</a>. So, instead of going to the old school by asking questions about the candidate's personal life, it is better to check out their<a href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/blog-social-recruiting-practices"> social media profiles.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Social media accounts not only give insight into the candidate's work and personal life but it also describes their personality. This would make it easy to analyze if the candidate fits into the job profile. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the best places to look for candidates' profiles and post job vacancies.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">7. Pay Close Attention to the Questions Candidates Ask</h3>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The questions a candidate asks during an interview reveal as much about them as the answers they give to yours. A candidate who arrives with thoughtful, specific questions about the role, the team, the organisation's direction, and what success looks like in the position is demonstrating preparation, intellectual engagement, and genuine interest.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Conversely, a candidate who has no questions, or whose questions are limited to logistics like holiday entitlement and working hours, may not have invested significantly in evaluating whether the role is right for them, which raises questions about their level of genuine interest.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Strong candidate questions tend to focus on:</p>
<ul class="[li_&]:mb-0 [li_&]:mt-1 [li_&]:gap-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3">
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">The specific challenges the role is expected to address</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">How success in the position will be defined and measured</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">The dynamics and working style of the team</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">How the role connects to broader organisational strategy</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">What the career development path looks like for someone in this position</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">What the interviewer values most in a colleague in this type of role</li>
</ul>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Make space for candidate questions at every stage of your process, not just as a courtesy at the end of the final interview. The depth and relevance of their questions will consistently prove to be one of the most reliable signals of candidate quality.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">8. Hire for the Skills the Role Actually Requires</h3>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">One of the most common and costly mistakes in hiring is evaluating candidates against a generic ideal of a good employee rather than against the specific skills and capabilities the role demands.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Every position requires a distinct combination of technical competence, problem-solving approach, communication skills, and domain knowledge. A strong candidate for a data analyst role may look completely different from a strong candidate for a client-facing account management position, even if both are described as requiring "strong communication and analytical skills."</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Before beginning a search, work with the hiring manager to identify the three to five most critical skills and capabilities that will determine success in the role. Use this as the primary evaluation framework, and design your interview questions and assessment tasks to generate direct evidence of these qualities.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">This approach reduces the influence of subjective impressions and keeps evaluation focused on what actually predicts job performance. It also makes your hiring decisions easier to explain and defend.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">When assessing skills, look for:</p>
<ul class="[li_&]:mb-0 [li_&]:mt-1 [li_&]:gap-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3">
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Evidence of application in relevant past contexts, not just claims of proficiency</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">The ability to explain and demonstrate the skill in practical terms</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">An understanding of where the skill fits within a broader professional framework</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Awareness of the limitations and development areas alongside the strengths</li>
</ul>
<h3 dir="ltr">9. Access for Practical Experience</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Typically, every employer prefers to hire candidates who have both suitable qualifications and experience. Despite that, employers never meet the ideal candidate with all the needed requirements. Instead of qualification, give a limelight to the experience of the candidates, which is a fundamental component. Their experience indicates how quickly they can involve themselves with the job. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Experienced candidates already possess some type of skills and have a faster learning mindset than a fresher one. Hence, the employer can save plenty of money and time for training. It is a fact that every employee has to go through the adjustment period, but the experienced one always takes less time compared to the fresher.</p>
<h2 class="text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold">How to Use These Tips Together</h2>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The nine tips in this guide work best as a connected system rather than as isolated practices. Defining the skills the role requires (tip 8) shapes the tests you design (tip 2) and the interview questions you ask (tips 7 and 9). Checking cultural fit (tip 3) is informed by the questions candidates ask (tip 7) and how they interact with the team. Continuously improving the process (tip 4) means using what you learn from every hire to make the next one better.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The organisations that hire most consistently well are not those that occasionally apply one or two of these principles. They are the ones that build all of them into a repeatable, evidence-based process and review it regularly.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Hiring well is a discipline, not a one-time task. Every great employee you bring on board is the result of a deliberate, well-structured process that evaluated the right qualities in the right way.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The nine tips in this guide will not guarantee a perfect hire every time, because no process can. But they will significantly increase the quality and consistency of your hiring decisions, reduce the cost and disruption of poor outcomes, and help you build a team that contributes meaningfully to your organisation's long-term success.</p>
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">The time you invest in designing a strong hiring process pays dividends with every candidate you evaluate.</p>
<pre dir="ltr"><a title="Streamline your hiring process now!!!" href="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/request-demo?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_cta_image&utm_campaign=cta_demo"><img src="https://www.ismartrecruit.com/upload/blog/blog_cta_image_final45.png" alt="Streamline your hiring process now!!!" width="1260" height="230"></a></pre>
<div class="faqs">
<h2>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</h2>
<h3>1. Why is hiring the right employee important for business success?</h3>
<p>Hiring the right employee ensures great customer service, fosters business growth, and reduces costly employee turnover. The right fit helps maintain a positive workplace environment, which ultimately benefits the company’s reputation and performance.</p>
<h3>2. How can I assess if a candidate is compatible with my company culture?</h3>
<p>Checking a candidate’s social skills and how they interact with potential team members is vital. Asking about their previous work experience and client handling helps understand their compatibility and if they will fit well within your company’s culture.</p>
<h3>3. What role does testing play in the hiring process?</h3>
<p>Tests assess candidates’ skills beyond their resume and interviews, highlighting their analytical and learning abilities. Using tailored assessments like personality tests helps verify if they have the skills necessary for the job.</p>
<h3>4. Why should I consider hiring interns during the recruitment process?</h3>
<p>Hiring interns allows you to train and evaluate potential candidates in your work environment. This approach saves time and resources, as you might already have a well-prepared intern to transition into a full-time role.</p>
<h3>5. How does iSmartRecruit assist in making better hiring decisions?</h3>
<p>iSmartRecruit streamlines the recruitment process, helping you attract qualified candidates and efficiently manage interviews and assessments. It supports better decision-making by organising and simplifying your hiring workflow.</p>
</div>