Who this checklist is for
This hiring checklist is for owners, managers and team leads who hire without a full HR team. It works the same for a shop, a clinic, a factory, an agency or a distributor. A wrong hire rarely comes from bad luck. It usually comes from a vague role, a friendly chat that felt like an interview, and a decision made in a hurry because the seat had been empty for weeks.
Use it before you post your next job, and keep it open during interviews. The first items take a few minutes each and stop most bad hires early. The later ones protect you once the offer goes out.
The 15 things, and why each one matters
Write the scorecard
List three results the person must deliver in their first 90 days. Every interview question and every final decision is checked against it.
Show the pay range
Put the pay range in the job post. People who would never accept it do not apply, and you skip interviews that end at the offer stage.
Phone screen first
Do a 15-minute call before any interview. Basic gaps in pay, location, notice period or communication show up before anyone spends an hour.
Watch how they reply
Note how fast and how clearly they answer your messages and emails. How they treat you as a candidate is how they will treat your customers.
Same questions for all
Ask every candidate the same five core questions. Only then can you compare answers instead of comparing who you liked more.
Ask for real examples
Ask about a time they handled a real situation, not what they would do. Past behaviour tells you more than a good answer to a made-up case.
Give a paid task
Set a short paid task, about two hours, that looks like the real job. It shows the quality of their work, and paying for it respects their time.
Never decide alone
Add one team member to every interview. A second pair of eyes catches what you miss when you like someone.
Score before you talk
Each interviewer scores the candidate against the scorecard on their own, before anyone discusses. Otherwise the loudest opinion wins.
Meet the team
Let the final candidate spend an hour with the people they will work with. Both sides find out quickly if it will work.
Call two past bosses
Call two past managers, not the friends they list, and ask one question: would you hire them again? A pause tells you as much as the answer.
Check their profiles
Spend five minutes on their LinkedIn and public posts. Check that dates and roles match the CV, and that nothing public would worry your customers.
Offer in writing
Send the role, pay, start date, notice period and probation terms in writing. Most early fights come from what was said but never written down.
Set a 90-day review
Book the review date in the calendar on the day they join, against the same scorecard. Problems are named early instead of tolerated for a year.
Never panic hire
If no candidate meets the scorecard, keep looking. An empty seat for a few more weeks costs less than a wrong hire you have to undo.
Questions about hiring the right person
What is the most common cause of a bad hire?
How many interviews should a small business run before hiring?
Can parts of hiring be automated?
Where does hiring slow down in your business?
Book a digital audit. Tell us how you find, screen and onboard people today, and we will map which steps can run on their own.
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