How to Hire Employees: A Step-by-Step Guide
Hiring the right employees is key to any serious business owner. The wrong employment can cost time, money and productivity, while the right one can help you grow your business.
But the hiring process isn’t always easy. Many businesses struggle to attract qualified candidates, screen applications efficiently, and reduce the time it takes to hire, wasting time and money.
the best candidates faster
Instead of sorting through resumes manually or juggling multiple job boards, you can use advanced recruitment software like 100Hires to speed up the process and get the best candidates faster.
This guide will provide you with a step-by-step process for hiring and show you how 100Hires can help you post jobs to multiple platforms, automate candidate screening and improve your hiring workflow – saving you time and effort.
Step 1: Define the job role and requirements
Before you start looking for candidates, you need a precise picture of the role you're hiring for. A well-defined job listing helps attract the right applicants and sets clear expectations from the start.
Identify key skills and qualifications
Think about what makes someone a great fit for the role. Consider:
- Skills – What technical and soft skills are required?
- Experience – How many years of experience should the best candidate have?
- Qualifications – Are specific degrees, certifications, or licenses necessary?
Describing the perfect candidate makes hiring easier and ensures you attract individuals who can excel in the role.
Write a detailed job description
A job description should include:
- Job title and department
- Responsibilities and daily tasks
- Required and preferred qualifications
- Salary range and benefits
- Employment type (full-time, part-time, remote, contract)
- A statement identifying the business as an equal opportunity employer
A strong job description ensures transparency, aligns expectations and helps attract the best-fit candidates for the role.
Set the salary range and benefits
To attract the best talent pool, research industry standards for compensation.
Explain how much you're paying employees and add benefits and perks, including health insurance, remote work or professional development opportunities to make your job listing more attractive.
Use 100Hires' job description template to save time
Instead of starting from scratch, use 100Hires' AI Job Description Generator to create a job post quickly.
The AI suggests key responsibilities and required skills and even provides a recommended salary range based on market data to increase your productivity and help you attract suitable candidates faster.
Sign up today to see how it works.
Step 2: Post the job on multiple platforms
Once you've defined the job role, the next step is to get your listing in front of the right candidates. Posting your job on multiple platforms increases visibility and improves your chances of hiring top talent.
Choose the right job boards
Job boards attract different types of candidates. Consider:
- Indeed – One of the largest job sites for all industries.
- LinkedIn – Ideal for professional and executive roles.
- Monster – Good for general hiring and global reach.
- Jooble – Helps with international hiring.
Understanding where your ideal candidates search for jobs allows you to optimize your recruitment efforts.
Share job listings on social media
Make the most of social media and online communities to get your job posting seen by more people.
- Post your job opening on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to reach passive candidates.
- Ask your employees to share the job with their networks.
- Join relevant industry groups and post in hiring forums.
This strategy opens up your options for finding candidates and encourages a network-driven approach to talent acquisition.
Use 100Hires to post your job listing in minutes
Manually posting to multiple sites is time-consuming and expensive. 100Hires lets you post your job for free and distribute your listing to all major job boards automatically.
Here's how it works:
- Log into 100Hires and go to the Job Postings section.
- Click Create New Job and enter the job details.
- Choose where to post the job.
- Click Post, and the job will go live across multiple platforms instantly.
- Track applications in real time and manage candidates from one dashboard.
Posting with 100Hires saves significant manual effort, expands your reach, minimizes hiring expenses and helps you attract a more diverse pool of potential candidates.
Let the state employment agency know about any new hires and take some time to learn your state’s labor laws and procedures specific to the agency.
Step 3: Screen and shortlist candidates
With applications coming in, you must filter resumes efficiently and find the best candidates. A structured screening process helps you focus on top talent without wasting time on unqualified applicants.
Review resumes and applications efficiently
Manually reviewing every application can be overwhelming. Instead, use criteria to filter candidates:
- Does their experience match the job requirements?
- Do they have the key skills listed in the job description?
- Are there any missing qualifications that are essential for the role?
Compare candidates beyond just skills
Once you've narrowed down candidates based on their job experience focus on:
- Past work experiences and career path.
- Communication style in their application.
- Alignment with your company's values and culture.
It helps you pick a candidate who meets the technical demands and adds to your team's dynamic and values.
Use 100Hires to streamline screening and shortlisting
Instead of spending hours sorting the resume database, you can use 100Hires' AI-powered resume screening to filter candidates based on job requirements automatically.
In addition, resume parser saves hours of manual work and ensures you can effortlessly handle hundreds of applications without compromising quality.
- Go to the candidate management section in 100Hires.
- Use AI-powered screening to filter and rank the most suitable candidates automatically.
- View detailed candidate profiles, including resumes, skills, experience and application data.
- Shortlist the best candidates and move them to the interview stage with a single click.
With 100Hires, you can screen candidates five times faster, accelerate hiring workflows and secure talent before competitors. This way, you won't miss out on great applicants due to human error.
Get a demo to learn more.
Step 4: Schedule and conduct interviews
After you've selected your strongest candidates, it's time to coordinate and execute well-structured interviews.
Choose the right interview format
Here's how to tailor your approach to get the most out of each conversation:
- Phone interviews – Good for initial screening and evaluating communication skills.
- Video interviews – Useful for remote candidates and deeper assessments.
- In-person interviews – Ideal for final-stage evaluations and cultural fit review.
Interviews are your opportunity to connect the dots—so design them thoughtfully to find the perfect match for your team.
Prepare a structured interview process
Here's how to build an interview process that works:
- Introductory questions – Learn about the candidate's background.
- Technical or role-specific questions – Assess their skills and experience.
- Behavioral questions – Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to evaluate problem-solving and teamwork skills.
A structured approach shows candidates you're organized and serious about finding the right fit—something they'll appreciate, whether they get the job or not.
Gather feedback from hiring managers
Encourage collaboration by having multiple interviewers provide feedback. Consider using:
- Scorecards to rate candidate responses.
- Shared notes to document key takeaways.
- Consensus meetings to finalize decisions.
When different viewpoints come together, you get a better employee evaluation, making it easier to pick the best fit for the job.
Use 100Hires for interview scheduling and feedback
Between coordinating calendars, chasing down feedback, and dealing with last-minute cancellations, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Here's how 100Hires makes the entire process stress-free:
- Go to the Interview Scheduling section in 100Hires.
- Select the shortlisted candidates and invite them for interviews.
- Sync with Google Calendar or Outlook for seamless scheduling.
- Set up automated interview reminders to reduce no-shows.
- Track interview progress and gather feedback from hiring managers in real-time.
With 100Hires, you’re not just setting up interviews. You’re transforming the hiring process for everyone involved.
Step 5: Check references and run background evaluation
Verifying credentials is the key step in the process, especially when hiring remote employees.
Reach out to the candidate’s former employers to confirm their work experience, job titles and responsibilities. It helps validate the information provided in their resume.
Verify the candidate’s educational background and certifications to ensure they meet the job requirements. You can check this out by reaching out to educational institutions or using verification services.
Ask candidates for their portfolios or work samples. This way, you can see their skills and expertise up close.
Conduct background checks
Background checks confirm the candidate is trustworthy.
Use third-party background check services to verify the candidate’s identity, criminal history and other relevant information.
Review the candidate’s social media profiles to ensure they maintain a professional and respectful online presence. It will give you insights into their character and public behavior.
Speak with the candidate’s references to confirm their personality, work ethic and fit for the role. You can learn how the candidate has performed in the past and how reliable they are.
Make sure you follow all the federal rules, like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Always get the candidate’s consent and be ready to share a copy of the report if they ask for it.
Step 6: Make a job offer and negotiate terms
Once you've found the perfect candidate, the next move is to put together a great job offer and wrap things up. A well-structured offer helps candidates decide faster to join your team.
Prepare a competitive proposal
To secure top talent, include:
- Salary – Ensure it matches market rates and the candidate's expectations.
- Benefits – Highlight perks like health insurance, remote work, bonuses or career development opportunities.
- Job details – Add an employee handbook and clearly outline the role, responsibilities and start date.
Also, get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for tax identification and compliance with federal and state regulations.
Send offer digitally for fast response
Send the job offer digitally instead of paperwork to speed up the process. It allows candidates to:
- Review the offer instantly.
- Sign electronically for faster turnaround.
- Ask questions and clarify before accepting.
You can create a modern experience that keeps candidates engaged and accelerates decision-making.
Negotiate and finalize employment terms
Some candidates may want to negotiate salary, benefits or job responsibilities. Represent yourself professionally by:
- Knowing their priorities (salary, work flexibility, bonuses).
- Being clear on what's negotiable and what's not.
- Moving fast—delays can mean candidates accept other offers.
A prompt negotiation approach builds trust and increases your chances of securing top talent on terms that work for both sides.
Step 7: Onboard new employees smoothly
A good onboarding process helps new hires settle in quickly, feel engaged and get productive faster. It also reduces turnover by making employees feel welcome and supported from day one.
Plan a structured onboarding process
A well-organized onboarding experience sets clear expectations and helps employees adjust to new roles. Key onboarding steps are:
- Preboarding – Send welcome emails, company policies and necessary documents before the start date.
- First-day orientation – Introduce company culture, team members and key responsibilities.
- Display workplace posters – Communicate key employee rights and responsibilities and align with federal and state regulations.
- Ongoing Support – Assign mentors to help new hires settle.
Give access to training and business tools
To set up employees for success, ensure they have:
- Login credentials and software access for necessary tools.
- Training materials and documentation to understand workflows.
- A 30-60-90 day plan outlining goals and expectations.
Common hiring mistakes to avoid
Avoid these common mistakes to save time, reduce hiring costs and attract top talent.
Not having a clear hiring process
Without a structured hiring process, you risk wasting time, losing top candidates and making poor hiring decisions.
Define each step—from job posting to onboarding—so your team knows what to do at each stage.
Ensure you understand the federal government's role in regulating employee benefits and confirm compliance with national laws.
Not screening candidates properly
Skipping the screening process can lead to bad hires and wasted time and money. Use structured interviews, skills assessments and 100Hires AI-powered screening tools to filter out unsuitable applicants early.
Taking too long to make a hire
Top candidates aren’t on the market for long. If your process takes weeks, you’ll lose great talent to faster-moving competitors. Set clear timelines for reviewing applications, interviews and offers.
Ignoring candidate experience and communication
A bad hiring experience hurts your employer's brand. Keep candidates informed throughout the process, provide updates and feedback—even if they’re not selected. Fair communication is good for your brand.
Not using automation tools to speed up the process
Manual workflows slow things down. 100Hires automates job postings, candidate screening, interview scheduling and onboarding—so you can hire faster and more efficiently.
Overcome these challenges with 100Hires
Here's how:
- Automate screening to find the best candidates quickly.
- Post to multiple platforms with one click.
- Use AI-driven candidate ranking to make better decisions.
- Simplify interview scheduling to reduce delays.
- Automate onboarding for a smooth new hire experience.
- Use a payroll service to simplify payroll and tax responsibilities.
Avoid these mistakes and build a better team with a faster and better candidate experience.
Conclusion
Hiring employees without a structured process can be slow, inefficient and costly.
By defining the job role, posting to multiple job boards, streamlining candidate screening and automating onboarding, you can reduce time-to-hire and attract top talent.
With 100Hires, you can simplify, optimize and automate recruitment from start to finish. From posting to multiple platforms with one click to AI-powered screening, interview scheduling and seamless onboarding, 100Hires helps you hire faster, smarter and more efficiently.
Try 100Hires for 14 days free and see how it helps you build a better team.
FAQs about hiring employees
What are the steps for hiring an employee?
The key steps for hiring an employee include defining the job requirements, writing a job description, advertising the position, screening applicants, conducting interviews, checking references, making an offer, completing paperwork, and onboarding the new hire.
Do I need an EIN to hire employees?
You need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to hire employees. This federal tax ID is required to report taxes and other documents to the IRS and complete employees' tax forms like W-2s.
What's the best way to hire someone?
The best way to hire someone is to figure out exactly what you need, look for candidates in different places, and have a solid interview process in place. It's also important to check out the candidates, call their references, make sure your offers are appealing, and provide a solid onboarding experience to help new hires adapt faster.
How do you hire employees?
To hire employees: create a detailed job description, advertise through appropriate channels, screen resumes, conduct interviews (phone, video, and/or in-person), verify qualifications, check references, make an offer with clear terms, complete required legal paperwork, and provide thorough onboarding.
the best candidates faster
