Hiring: Selecting the Right Candidate
In this third edition of our series Human Resources: Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Great Employees, we’ll address how to suss out the best hire. If you missed our previous articles on Compensation and Recruiting, check them out on the Auxilio blog.
Selecting the Right Candidate
When hiring ministers, there are often different rules of engagement, sometimes unwritten, but often formalized by denominations. Be sure to ask peers if these exist for your context. Reviewing and selecting the right candidate can be an arduous and time-consuming process. As you review resumes and cover letters, look for candidates who have crafted their responses specifically to your context. Their care and attention to this in the hiring process is indicative of the care and attention they will give to the job.
Limit interviews to just your top few candidates. Ask open, non-leading questions to get true answers and not just the ones you’re looking for! Throw out typical scenarios and ask how the candidate might respond in such a situation. Ask about their preferred working environment and styles. Try to get a sense of their strengths i.e. creativity, emotional intelligence, gifts of communication, adaptability, etc., and not just their skills.
When you’ve narrowed it down to one or two candidates, check references. This is one of the most important steps of the hiring process. Expect to spend at least half as long talking with each reference as you did with the candidate themselves. Again, ask open, non-leading questions. Ask references about the candidates working style and what they miss or will miss about the candidate. Ask how they’d like to see them grow in their next role and how you can help them thrive. Take this opportunity to gain insight into how you can continue this potential employees development, rather than just confirm your choice.
Remember to speak to the spouse. Do they feel called to the work? Are they supportive of their spouse working for your church? Are there specific ways they’ve been hurt or served well by previous ministries? Are there ministries the spouse wants to serve in? Their answers can help you discern whether the candidate and their family will be a good fit in your context. It will also give your church a clear direction to love and care for the new minister and their family.
Can Auxilio Help Me with These Things?
Yes! Auxilio’s clients receive access to the full arsenal of Auxilio’s knowledge and experience. We can help you through every step of the hiring process as needed. If you’ve got specific questions about hiring, retaining, developing or firing staff, let us know. We’d be glad to talk through those and shape coming posts around the questions our clients have.