Business owners also have something else to worry about regarding recruiting and hiring… negligent hiring. Negligent hiring means you and your company can be held liable if one of your people injures other employees, especially if you could have foreseen a problem but did not do a thorough check of the new employee before hiring.

The following are the top 3 hiring mistakes and how you can prevent them.

Mistake 1: No Job Description

What are your needs?The first step in the hiring process is to determine your needs. Write out the duties, responsibilities, skills, expertise needed, experience, education and training required for the position. Prioritize these needs and develop a picture of the person you need.

Write a job description. A good job description serves as an important guide for hiring as well as for performance appraisals later. What is the jobholder supposed to do? What are they not supposed to do? How much decision-making authority do they have? …On what type of decisions? The more specific you can be, the better job you will do screening candidates. You will also have guidelines to manage by, once the new-hire is on the job.

Mistake 2: Relying Too Much on the Interview - Trusting your “gut” too much

The interview is an important part of the hiring process, but it's only one part. Most managers tend to put too much weight on the interview. They are looking for that feeling in their gut that tells them, “This is the one.” Unfortunately when it comes to hiring, most “gut feelings” fail miserably.

A University of Michigan study measured the usefulness of the interview in overall success on the job. The typical interview was found to increase success in choosing the best candidate by less than 2%. You'd improve your chances by 48% if you just flipped a coin.

The problem is not the interview, it's the gut. Most managers ask good questions, but they don't spend any time up front determining the best answers or what they mean. Without an understanding of what a good response would be, the interviewer judges a candidate only on rapport and communication skills by default.

Go back to the Job Description and determine the skills and qualities that you'd like to be displayed in an answer to each of your interview questions. Ask for an example of how they handled a hypothetical situation in the past and look for those qualities. Count how many of the requirements they used. Put a number to it. Then put a value or a weight to the number, relative to the priority of the skill listed in your job description.

If possible, arrange a group interview. Conduct a panel interview, or multiple interviews with other managers or employees in the position's peer group. The team approach to the interview will help negate the “charm” factor of an experienced interviewer and will also build consensus toward the candidate's fit within the culture of the company.

Mistake 3: No Reference Check

Most companies, large or small never check references. Calling references and verifying credentials may be the written policy, but for whatever reason, in a large majority of the cases the check is never done. Couple this with the fact that as many as 30% of job applications and resumes present false information, and you've got the recipe for a problem employee.

Thoroughly check references before you make a job offer. Some companies use the checks as a screening system for applicants, but by saving this step until after the interview, you will have an opportunity to verify information discussed in the interview.

Reference checks can be handled over the phone, but you may need to request it in writing. To avoid litigation, many former employers play it safe and verify only dates of employment and salary. If your reference checks are a dead end, that in itself may be a red flag. The candidate needs to provide to you references that are reachable and responsive. Ask for more. An interview only tests the candidate's ability to interview well. A reference check may be the single most important step of the selection process.

A drug test and DMV background check are also a good and inexpensive precaution, especially if the job requires operating machinery or driving a vehicle.

In summary, the more you do at the beginning of the hiring process, the fewer problems you will encounter during the process and after the person is hired. It is much easier and less expensive to hire right the first time, than to repeat the process over and over for the same position or to have to deal with people who are not the right fit for the job. Nothing you do will be more important than getting the right people into the right jobs.

As for the “negligent hiring” by documenting that you took all of these steps, you've gone a long way toward protecting yourself against a lawsuit. And more importantly, you've taken the first steps toward finding an employee you can trust and with whom you can establish a successful employment relationship.

Dress for the job you want. It is always best to dress one step up from the job you are applying for. If you are dressing a level up you will be putting your best foot forward and showing that you care and will be attentive to dress codes and respectful. Don't walk in to even pick up an application in your cut off or ripped up jeans. Take a moment to comb your hair and change into nice walking shorts (if acceptable attire where you are applying), or clean slacks or jeans prior to even picking up your application.

Fill out your application in full and list at least 3 references (or bring them along with you if there is nowhere to list them on the application). References can include a former babysitting employer, a teacher or doctor, clergy or even close family (adults) friends.

Write neatly on applications. Do not scribble things out or erase and leave large smudged area's. Better to grab an extra application and rewrite it neatly than to turn in a sloppy application.

Be flexible and willing to accept the crummy shift that no one wants. At this stage in the game its more important to secure the job than to always have your nights and weekends free to go hang with your friends.

Manners, manners, manners. Be prompt and on time for your interview. Do not go in to the interview chewing gum, sipping your coffee or a soda or in inappropriate clothing. Find out what the company dress code is and dress accordingly for your interview. Maintain eye contact and shake hands firmly and with confidence. Ask appropriate questions when the opportunity arises. It may be helpful to have done some research on the company prior to your interview. When the interviewer asks you for something about yourself or why should they hire you, have a few comments ready such as:

"My family has always shopped here and I have always dreamed of working here." or "I am seriously considering going into and feel that working here would give me meaningful experience in this field." or even "I feel I could be a great asset to your company with my secretarial (or other job skills relevant to the position) skills."

Be prepared to back up your statements with your goals, achievements and dreams. If you have taken computer classes or other such office skills classes and you are applying for a receptionist or secretarial position showcase those skills.

Lastly, after the interview is over be sure to take a brief moment and again shake the interviewers hand and thank them for their time. Follow this up the next day with a brief thank you card and state that you will give them a call in a week if you have not heard from them.

If you have not heard from them in a week give the company a call and say something like, "I interviewed for the position of last week and was just wondering if a decision has been made yet." If a decision has been made and you were not chosen most companies will send you a brief letter explaining that they have selected another candidate. Don't worry if you get a few of these, just continue fine tuning your interviewing skills. Sometimes the letters will state that another applicant had more experience or more relevant skills.

Put your best foot forward and continue your search until you get hired and then show them how great of an employee you are!

Walk with Confidence

Fashion models often seem confident. They even seem confident in their underwear! These models train to project confidence and youth through their body language. Presenting yourself in a confident manor is crucial in any interview or presentation; and using a confident walk is a stubble way of distinguishing yourself.

How do you walk? To find out use a full-length mirror and walk towards it or have a friend videotape you in your chosen interviewing attire. How is your posture? Do you slouch? Good walking posture is essential to presenting a confident image. As you walk, drop your shoulders away from your ears and move your shoulder blades back as if to touch them together. This will stop slouching and lift your rib cage naturally.

Next, watch your stride. Are you dragging your feet? Models learn to walk heel to toe. This naturally lengthens the stride and gives you a more purposeful walk. Now it might not feel natural at first because you have altered your stride and posture, nonetheless, as you practice walking a more purposeful and confident stride will develop. As a bonus exercise, try putting a book on your head to keep you head up and shoulders down.

Walking with confidence is only a single part of projecting an image of confidence. Sitting down is the next step in projecting that image. How do you sit? Does your back touch the back of the chair? Are you leaning back to do that? How are you crossing your legs? All these factors further a person's personal image. Try video taping yourself as you sit in various chairs. See how your clothes drape. Do you look sloppy after you sit? Are you slouching? All these factors effect how your personal image.

Sitting with Confidence

When you sit down in a chair think of the letter L, your seat is at the bottom of the L and your back is the line moving up. In when sitting in the L shaped position, your feet should be on the floor and your back is positioned either at the directly at the back or parallel to the chair's back. The positioning of your back depends on your height.

Also remember do not cross your legs at the knee, if you must cross your legs cross at the ankles. It is better for the health of your legs and it is a much more polished way of sitting for both men and women.

Using Your Hands to Your Best Advantage

Many of us talk with our hands, but awareness of how you use your hands is important. If you are not sure how you use your hands, have a friend video tape your conversation. Using your hands, to highlight thoughts and ideas is a great tool but moving them about constantly can be a distraction. Remember less is better. If you move, your hands too much try placing them in your lap, on your knees or on the arms of your chair.

We all give off signals that can effect how people perceive you. Why not work on your body language to have it work to your favor. Try it for a week and see if people notice. Remember, as with any new skill practice does make perfect.

A resume that is geared toward the position for which you are applying, and not just a jumble of job history, is only one of many ways to impress a hiring manager before you ever meet him or her. An application that is filled out completely, neatly, and without error, is another. Below I have written some tips on creating a resume that will capture the attention of hiring personnel before you even set foot in the door. I have also included some information on filling out a paper or online application, as well as how to carry off a great professional interview.

RESUME

• Start by creating one all-encompassing “Master” resume to help you keep track of dates, jobs, companies, job functions and skill sets as well as your education information. This is the resume you will continually add to as your jobs change or as you further your education, but this resume should never be submitted to a prospective employer.
• Use your Master resume as a guide. Cut and paste from it to help you customize a resume that focuses on any skills and jobs you've held which most closely relate to the position for which you are applying.
• The last thing an employer wants to do is read through five pages of work you've done since you turned 16! A one page resume is usually sufficient, but don't try to cram relevant information onto one page. If you need to use two pages, you can, as long as the information is applicable.
• Use bullet points or a brief paragraph to describe job functions; you do not need to elaborate. You need just enough relevant information to make your resume stand out among the many an employer receives.
• If you have spent time working various jobs for a Temporary Employment Agency, always list the Temp Agency first, and then each individual job held through the agency on your Master resume. Remember, you may be asked to account for a lapse in your work history and if you spent that time working small jobs for an employment agency, it is still employment for which you were paid and should be listed as such.
• Review your resume and know it in detail
• Bring your Master resume with you to your interview and use it to help you answer any questions with regard to lapses in working dates. You will find it useful when answering a multitude of other previous job-related interview questions as well.
• Always submit a cover letter with your resume. A cover letter should also be customized to relate to the position for which you are applying.

APPLICATION

• When filling out an application (either on paper or online), complete it as thoroughly as you can. Read and re-read every section to be sure you are including the correct information.
• Many employers want to know the last five, seven or even ten years of employment history. If the application requests this information, give it completely. It works like this: If you've held fifteen different jobs in the last seven years and the application wants seven years of employment history, you need to include every single job (temporary or otherwise) you've held in that time period. On the flip side, if you've held just one job for the last ten years and the application wants ten years of employment history, you can be confident that the one job will cover what the hiring manager needs to know.
• It is OK to ask for more than one copy of a paper application. You can then read through the application and fill out a draft. Once your draft application is completed, you can review it for accuracy, consistency, and spelling (using your Master resume as a guide) and then transfer the information onto a clean copy of the application. This way, there are no mistakes, crossed out words, or uncertain dates.
• Take it home and take your time!
• If you have questions about your application, ask someone. The hiring personnel are asked questions all day long and will not think twice about helping you out.
• When you go into a business to request an application, also request a business card with the phone number or e-mail address of someone in charge of hiring. This way, if you have questions about the application or the application process, you can call.

INTERVIEW

• If, for any reason, you cannot make it to a scheduled interview, call your prospective employer immediately to discuss your options. (Another good reason to request a business card!) If you are proactive about informing them of any changes in your schedule, they will almost always work with you to reschedule an interview for a more convenient time.
• Give a firm handshake
• Look your interviewer in the eye.
• Speak clearly
• Listen to the questions that are asked, in their entirety, before answering. If you don't understand the question, or were unsure of the question in any way, it is OK to ask it to be repeated. You can also repeat part of the question back to the interviewer as part of your response, to indicate you've heard the question clearly.
• Be concise. Say what you want or need to say and don't elaborate unless you are asked.
• Don't tell the interviewer what you think they want to hear.
• Don't lie or be evasive about any aspect of your former job history or education; tell it like it is. If your interviewer takes issue with something in your past, you will not get the job - end of story. Lying or weaving a false truth will not change anything and will only come back to bite you later. If you cannot get the job on job history, skills, and truthfulness alone, then you don't need the job to begin with and it is better to continue looking.
• It is OK if you decide mid-way through your interview that the position for which you are interviewing is not for you. In fact, your prospective employer will most likely be grateful that you are not a time waster; that you understand the value of time within the confines of business. This will be a plus in everyone's book and even though you did not complete the interview, your prospective employer will remember you with fondly, and with respect.
• Never burn a bridge. You never know when you may need to cross it later.

If you present a relevant resume, clean application and a professional appearance your chances of moving on to the next round are quite good. Just remember, always be honest, and always be no one else but who you are.

I work for a company that is actively hiring new personnel. In this case, "actively" means that our Human Resources department conducts at least one or two interviews per day, sometimes more. My desk is conveniently located near a large picture window which affords me an unobstructed view of the front parking lot, main entrance, and all the people who come in looking for a job. I am constantly amazed by how casual this world has become.

I have seen prospective employees come in wearing jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops, ill-fitting clothing, and dirty clothing, sporting all manner of piercings and tattoos, unkempt hair, and just a general outward appearance of apathy. (I find myself wondering about the thought processes of these interviewees while they are dressing themselves in the morning.) It seems to me that in order to get a job - a decent, well-paying job - one needs to actually care about not only what skills one can offer (which is obviously important) but also how one appears to one's prospective employer. A good first impression is not necessarily the most important thing in the corporate world, but it certainly helps.

In my opinion, it does not matter if you are applying for a Fry-Cook position at McDonald's, a call-center position, a sales manager, or the company CEO, it is always prudent to dress your best for your initial interview and then let the prospective employer dictate dress code thereafter. (And once the dress code has been discussed, stick to it!) This, of course, applies to all jobs, unless you are applying for a position with a business that promotes self-expression, like the cool store on the corner that specializes in original vinyl recordings, or the little bead and yarn shop with the crazy gypsy owner, or the trendy art gallery downtown. Even then, it is better to ask how you should dress for an interview than show up in something inappropriate and run the risk of being turned down simply based on your appearance.

Experience isn't everything.

Some Tips for Women

• Go easy on the make-up & jewelry. You are there to discuss how your skills can benefit the company, not show them your fashion prowess.
• Do not wear perfume. If you must wear perfume, go easy with the application. Keep in mind that many people are sensitive to artificial or overwhelming scents; an allergic reaction can end your interview almost before it gets started.
• Wear clothing that fits well. Clothing that is tight, revealing, lose or ill-fitting is inappropriate. Not only that, but if you are fidgeting with your clothes (or jewelry, or hair) during the interview, you run the risk of seeming insincere.
• It is OK to be trendy, but make a concerted effort to do it in a professional, well-put-together way.
• Wear your hair away from your face in a pony-tail, French twist, clip or barrette. Having your hair in your face during an interview is a distraction to both you and your interviewer. If you are constantly tucking stray tresses behind your ear, your interviewer is more likely to focus on your movements than your words.
• Skirts should be no shorter than 1 inch above your knee.
• If you wear a skirt, always wear nylons.
• If you wear nylons, do not wear sandals or an open-toe shoe. In fact, sandals or open-toe shoes appear on the "inappropriate" items list of the dress codes of most professional places of employment.

Some Tips for Men

• Shave. Unless you have a fully-grown beard or mustache, shave. A five o'clock shadow at nine o'clock in the morning will be viewed as lazy.
• Make an attempt to flatten your Harry Potter hair. If your hair naturally sticks up at all angles, and you have done everything to tame it with little or no success, that is one thing. If you simply look like you've just rolled out of bed, you will again, be viewed as lazy.
• Wear slacks or freshly laundered khakis with a crease.
• Wear lace-up shoes.
• Wear a button down shirt, ironed and creased in all the right places. If you do not know how to iron, take your shirt and your pants to the dry cleaners well before the day of your interview and don't forget to pick them up the day before! This is a small price to pay to look crisp, clean and professional.

General Tips for Men and Women

• Wash. Wash yourself and your clothes. Clean and clip your fingernails.
• Iron your clothing. Wrinkled shirts, pants, blazers or any article of clothing only shows your prospective employer that you are lazy.
• Jeans and t-shirts are unacceptable. Period.
• No flip flops or sneakers.
• Drive someone else's car. If you drive a beater, or something with a smashed rear quarter panel, or something with a hood that is a different color from the driver's side door that is a different color than the trunk - drive someone else's car or have someone drop you off. This is not to say that you should hide what you drive once you have gotten the position, this is just another way to put forth your professionalism.
• Piercings. Remove them. Almost all companies have obvious piercings on their "inappropriate" list.
• Tattoos. Hide them as much as possible. Tattoos are a bit more widely accepted now, but for the purposes of this article, and for the benefit of your first interview, make an attempt to cover your ink work.
• Don't arrive 30 minutes early and sit in the car smoking, or fixing your make-up, or chatting on your cell phone. If you are there early, go in. All you have to say is, "Hi! I know I'm a bit early but I have a 3:00 interview with Mr. Smith. My name is Joe Brown." If they tell you that yes, you are early and you'll have to wait, offer to wait in your car - though they will almost always tell you to have a seat inside the building. If you do go back to wait in your car, again, don't smoke, don't fix your make-up, don't have a lengthy phone conversation.
• Go over your resume so you know it in detail and be prepared to answer for any lapses in working dates.
• The biggest thing is act like you care and that you want this job and always, above all, be polite.

The hiring process begins when you realize that you have a position to fill. So does your chance to screen the candidates.

Before you place your ad in the Help Wanted section, take the time to sit down and plan it out. Know exactly what position or positions you are trying to fill, and have a good idea of what candidates you are trying to attract to fill it. By taking the time to plan your advertisement, you will be able to make sure that your ad does everything you need it to.

A great ad will be structured as an opportunity – a chance to be a part of a great team or the first steps along a path to achievement.

Whether you are looking to hire a new manager or a dishwasher, your ad should include a detailed job description. Though you will be showing the position as an opportunity, it is important to be clear about what the job responsibilities are.

And, a great ad should also provide your first chance to see whether the candidate will be able to follow directions: include in the ad a specific time frame for applicants to call for more information.

If you have asked applicants to call between 11am and 3pm on specific days, you will know when the calls come in whether or not the candidate is able to follow simple instructions. If the phone starts ringing at eight in the morning with people asking about the job, though they may be eager they may not be your best bet for filling the position.

However, during the hours that you have set aside, you should be prepared to ask questions as well as answer them. Listen to the person calling, answer some job related questions, but also be prepared to guide the conversation.

One way of taking the lead on the call is to ask some or all of the following questions:

• Are you looking for part-time or full-time work?
• Are you a morning person or a night person?
• Do you participate in a lot of activities that have you in a bit of a set schedule?
• Do you have reliable transportation?

If the answers given are in line with what you are looking for, schedule a time for the candidate to come in to fill out an application for the job. This will be your second opportunity to screen the prospective employees.

For each applicant that comes in to fill out an application, take an inventory of the following:

• Did the person come in on time or a few minutes before the set time? If he or she arrived late, it may be an indication that timeliness and adhering to a schedule is a problem.
• Was he or she prepared? Did the person bring a pen for filling out the application? Was he or she able to provide all the information that was requested on your form? If the candidates know that they are coming in to fill out an application, they should be able to provide details about previous employment and references.
• How was the person dressed when they came in? Keep in mind that they are trying to leave a good impression at this point. Someone who comes in looking ragged may have trouble conforming to a professional appearance.
• Was the person comfortable making good eye contact during your conversation? This can indicate the person's self-confidence.
• Was the candidate articulate? This is extremely important if the position involves interaction with your customers.

By following this guideline, you will have multiple points of reference for each candidate well-before the interview is scheduled. That way, you'll be sure that each person you are interviewing is someone you are sure that you would be interested in hiring.