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SearchBefore posting a job opening, define what the role needs to address. A clear profile, comparable questions, and agreed criteria help you make a better-informed decision than a general impression.
The first hire can change a small business’s ability to serve customers, maintain operations, or develop new activities. But choosing well is not about finding someone who matches an ideal profile on paper: it is about clarifying what work needs to be done, identifying the necessary abilities, and comparing applicants using consistent criteria.
A study by Pamela Alonso, Silvia Moscoso, and Dámaris Cuadrado, published in 2015 and focused on Spanish SMEs, found that résumés, references, and unstructured interviews were commonly used tools. The study also notes that structured interviews and work-related tests can provide useful information for selection. Its results describe the use of tools in those companies; they do not, by themselves, determine the best option for every role.
Start with the business need, not a list of personal traits. Write down what tasks the new hire will take on, what results are expected, and who they will need to coordinate with. If the role combines very different functions, distinguish the main responsibilities from occasional tasks: the vacancy should not become a list of everything the company has not yet organized.
It is also useful to clarify the context: what decisions the person will be able to make, what tools will be available to them, and what they will need to learn when they join. This makes it possible to describe the role realistically and give applicants a clear explanation of what it involves.
For each requirement, ask yourself whether it is necessary to perform the essential tasks from the outset or whether it can be learned with guidance. A simple matrix helps prevent a preference from becoming an unjustified exclusionary filter.
| Criterion | Question to define it | How to assess it |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | What important task could not be performed without this ability? | Relevant experience, specific examples, or a test related to the role |
| Desirable | What would add value but is not necessary at the outset? | Additional evidence; it should not carry the same weight as an essential requirement |
| Learnable | What could the person acquire through training or support? | Willingness and ability to learn, if relevant to the work |
Do not add requirements simply because they appear in similar profiles. A qualification, a number of years of experience, or proficiency with a tool should be included when it relates to the role’s actual duties. The more specific the profile, the easier it is to explain the decision and compare applicants consistently.
A résumé helps you learn about a person’s background, but it is not enough to establish how they would handle the tasks involved in the role. Use it to prepare questions about relevant points that need clarification, without assuming that a particular career path guarantees performance.
If an ability can be demonstrated through a short task, consider a work sample test connected to the actual job: for example, reviewing a document, prioritizing requests, or explaining how they would approach a problem in the role. The test should have clear instructions and assess only what is relevant. Do not turn it into unpaid productive work or attribute more significance to it than it can support.
For skills that are difficult to observe directly, a structured interview makes it possible to gather information in a more comparable way. Assessment tools do not replace professional judgment; they complement it with different kinds of evidence. Choose only those that are proportionate to the role and the company’s resources.
Before receiving applications, agree on who will interview, what criteria will be assessed, and which questions will be asked of everyone. You can leave room for follow-up questions, but try to ensure that differences in the conversation do not prevent you from assessing some applicants by different standards.
Ask questions connected to work situations, for example: “Tell me how you organized several urgent tasks and what you prioritized.” If the role involves dealing with new situations, you can also present a hypothetical scenario related to its duties. In either case, listen for what the person did, why they chose that approach, and what result they achieved or what they learned.
At the start, explain how the interview will proceed and leave time for the applicant to ask questions about the role. Preparing for the conversation and minimizing interruptions helps both parties better assess whether their expectations are compatible.
After each interview, record evidence before talking with other interviewers. A brief scale can help you organize the information, provided that each level has a shared description. For example, for a specific competency:
The scale does not make the decision automatic. It helps make the reasons for an assessment visible and distinguish them from impressions such as “I liked them” or “they’re like our team.” When several people are involved, first compare notes according to the agreed criteria and clarify disagreements using specific evidence.
References can help confirm relevant employment information, but they are not a complete measure of suitability. Before contacting them, explain to the applicant what checks you plan to carry out and obtain the appropriate authorization. Ask about aspects related to the role, such as responsibilities held or examples of work, and avoid extending the conversation to personal information unrelated to the decision.
Interpret responses cautiously: a reference offers one perspective, not a guarantee of future performance. If the information contradicts what the applicant has stated, try to clarify the discrepancy before drawing conclusions.
Keep a brief record of the requirements, questions, assessments, and reasons for the decision. Limit access to applicants’ information and retain it in accordance with applicable rules. At every stage, questions and criteria should be related to the role and applied consistently; they should not be based on protected characteristics or result in discriminatory treatment.
Employment, privacy, and antidiscrimination obligations depend on the country and jurisdiction. As the territorial scope of this guide is not specified, it does not replace a review of local regulations or any legal advice that may be necessary.
An SME does not need to reproduce a complex process to select systematically. It can start with a realistic job description, a few essential criteria, the same core questions for all applicants, and an assessment note based on evidence. The goal is not to find a perfect profile, but to make an explainable decision that aligns with the work the company needs to cover.
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