If you were to ask a random person on the street what an HR professional does, their answer would probably be conflict resolution, or that HR folks deal with employee salaries and benefits. And while that is part of an HR professional’s responsibilities — to ensure employee safety, respect and accountability — that doesn’t even scratch the surface. HR plays a crucial role in developing, nurturing and honing employee skills, starting with identifying, hiring and retaining the right talent.

From my time at MeridianLink, a provider of software platforms for financial institutions and consumer reporting agencies, I’ve learned that hiring and retaining employees is time-consuming and challenging, but with the right tools, it can be done well and effectively.

Identifying talent

Today’s job market is tough, and identifying top talent can be a tedious process. According to ManpowerGroup, 75% of employers report difficulty filling roles, a sharp increase over 36% saying the same 10 years ago. Despite this, employers can use the following five techniques for identifying talent they can depend on.

1. Use talent assessments

Talent assessments are incredibly useful and can be offered in many ways depending on the applicant and/or role. I like to include a small project within the application that requires the applicant to complete a task demonstrating their skills for a particular role. This will give an accurate baseline of whether they have the skills necessary to excel at their job.

Countless other options may help hiring managers find the right talent, including job simulations, asking for writing samples, cognitive ability testing and AI-powered interviews.

2. Standardize the interview process

One of the cornerstones of the hiring process, interviews are essential for assessing a candidate’s fit for the role and the company culture. They show you how well candidates think on their feet and can give you insight into how they work in group settings. Interviews are useful for finding out who a candidate is, not just what they can do.

In my interviews, I use the STAR (situation, task, action and result) method. Every candidate is asked the same questions and their answers are rated on a predetermined point scale. This allows for objective scoring and provides realistic comparisons between candidates. Understanding someone’s personality is critical, as you want to ensure they will be a good fit not only within the team but the entire organization’s mission and values.

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