By Amanda Wilks

Recruiting the right person for the job can save you from the start—in terms of effort, time and financial resources. Unfortunately, recruiting is not an easy job. You need a clear picture of what you are searching for and a strong plan to endure and find it.

Instead of rushing into things, take a seat and consider some of these HR secrets for avoiding the staggering consequences of bad hiring.

Be Brutally Honest About Expectations
How are you supposed to find what you are looking for, if your S.O.S. message is all pink and butterflies? Let them know the real you, so you can know them – start by truthfully describing the working environment and what exactly you are looking in your ideal candidate.

Don’t wrap it up nicer than it is. This does not work well for the job seekers—nor for you as it can tragically backfire in wasted efforts and short-time employees. The candidates deserve a clear depiction of your offer basing from your job description. First impressions are lasting. Clearly name what skills and sets of assets you are looking in your future employee.

Moreover, try to avoid the jargon that everybody uses in their job description. This kind of language is tiresome for job seekers who see it often; even worse, the jargon tends to lose its initial meaning. What does “advancement opportunities” mean anyhow?

Thoroughly Prepare for Interviews
As cited by Fast Company magazine, studies find that only five per cent of companies conduct evaluations based on the candidate’s papers and job applications. This is a must-do process prior to the interview meetings. Review all the information you can acquire about a candidate.This will not only get you to scratch the unsuitable candidates, but also help you come up with the right questions to ask the job applicants. You will also avoid many unnecessary standard questions that will get you nowhere.

Once your list narrows down to all the right names, you should consider calling them for a brief chat. The candidates will be more true to their real nature, and you will not find them in that nervous state that builds up before and during an official interview. Stick to simple questions, even non-related to your job offer. Get a sense of what kind of person they are, especially if they are self-confident and passionate about what their careers. Finally, invite those who sound like the right person over for the interview.

Now that you are already acquainted with the person in front of you at the interview, your job becomes easier. Having researched their background and their previous professional activity, focus your attention on their soft skills and future plan. Ask them directly why they are suitable for your company.

The interview is rarely a one-way street. You should also prepare and encourage questions from your candidates. Appreciate the right choice of questions and try answering as clearly and sincerely as possible.

According to inc.com contributing editor Jeff Haden, the trick to a successful interview is making it seem like a fluid conversation rather than an interrogation. Get involved in the conversation with personal feedback, impressions or even stories from your work environment. Do not look detached, irritated or pressured by time. Give them time to find their own words, come up with examples, details and even pause your dialogue when they seem to want to add something. Don’t forget to take notes though; you will find them useful in your following hiring steps.

Don’t Stop at the First Interview
If you are looking for a capable and long-term employee, don’t just jump to conclusions after the first interview. The best interview follow up is a skills testing—get to know their work management abilities. Send them a test that resembles one of the daily assignments that your future candidate will work with and agree upon a deadline. You will assess both their problem-solving and resilience to stress.

This is a good practice to get you closer to your ideal candidate, but this is still not the final step of your mission. Select the most appropriate and effective answers and set up the second and final face-to-face interview with your finalists. Find out what they thought about the assignment and what process they used to solve it. Talk some more about their transition to your company and what kind of opportunities they are expecting from their new position.

Warm Welcomes and Final Touches
After going through these steps, your decision should be easy and, most importantly, you should have next to no second thoughts. While your first call will be to your chosen candidate to congratulate them—don’t stop here. Call every person you interviewed and thank them for their presence and engagement and announce your decision. Even though you won’t get in contact with them anymore, it’s the professional and ethical way to provide closure.

While all of this may amount to more investment effort that previously considered around recruitment, the outcome will carry none of the poor hire costs. Moreover, your company culture and values will continue to grow in a new relationship created based on honesty, professionalism and mutual respect.

Amanda Wilks is a Boston University graduate and a contributing editor at Customer Survey Report. She has a great interest in everything related to job-seeking, career-building, and entrepreneurship and loves helping people reach their true potential.