Here are some ways to handle hiring that can save you time and money:

1. Go to the local colleges or universities and talk to the university placement program. Tell them what you are looking for and they can put you in the right direction with their recent graduates and current seniors. There are thousands of enthusiastic, well- educated, professional young men and women that are seeking an opportunity to grow and learn with a progressive company.
2. Spread the word through your local chamber of commerce, trade or business organizations that you are looking for a qualified person. Old-fashioned word-of- mouth can bring in several qualified candidates for the job.
3. Talk to your customers, friends and family to see if they might know someone in their network that might be suited to the job. Having a personal recommendation is quite powerful so you know the character of the person you are interviewing.
4. Make an offer to your current employees of a special bonus or gift for referring a person that you hire. Make the stipulation that the person has to stay on at least a certain period of time for the employee to be eligible for the bonus. This is just a "trial period" so your employees know they have to recommend the highest quality people in order to get the special bonus.
5. Use classified advertising in your local or regional newspaper. Be sure to be extremely specific about the skills you are looking for; otherwise, you will waste your time being deluged by people who don't fit your needs.

Once you get the inquiries into the position you are offering, you must find out what really matters about potential employees.

Important Tip - Find out what a person has accomplished at former jobs and what they actually produced and how they produced it - not just what they "did" on a daily basis. What was their major contribution in their prior employment? How did their former employers benefit from their work and bottom line production? You want solid producers, not just a person with an impressive resume and good interview skills. There has to be substance along with the sizzle. If you find out bottom line value and benefit they have produced in the past and can offer you in the future, you avoid hiring a person who could turn out to be incompetent.

Ten Important Questions About a Job Candidate a Manager Must Consider:

1. Is this person mature enough to discuss conflicting ideas and job performance without being offended?
2. Can this person listen attentively and follow directions?
3. Is this person able to make decisions and be held accountable for those decisions?
4. Is he or she able to actively participate as a part of the team without shutting themselves out?
5. Is this person willing to work overtime when necessary?
6. Can this person be as dedicated to your company's success as you are?
7. Is this person's resume an accurate representation of their history? (You should check out salary history, education, experience, budget or managerial responsibilities and actual dates of employment)
8. Do this person's references check out?
9. Will this person make you and your company look good?
10. Do you feel good about this person and relate to them well?

If you hire right to begin with, you will save enormous amounts of time and money and have the satisfaction of knowing you got what you were looking for in the first place.