One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is a lack of investment in proper hiring techniques. I am not talking about an investment in money and processes, as much as an investment of TIME. Some simple words of advice in hiring staff during economic downtimes— learn to interview for the candidate who could be perfect for multiple jobs, not simply the one you are hiring today. FLEXIBILITY is key. People have always worn multiple hats, but even more so with company financials under such pressure.

It is true that if you hire people mainly because of a good personality, you will need to have a strong training process. However, if you hire people mainly because they are skilled, you will often spin your wheels trying to teach them to become flexible to your other needs. Flexibility is a harder skill to teach.

Watch for a candidate with a good personality who has aptitude for 3 to 4 roles in your organization. There are certainly more than enough candidates in the market, don’t rush to take on a new person just to fill a spot. You will likely suffer the fate of needing two people to clean up the mess later.

J. Michelle Sybesma is a business consultant specializing in solving professional challenges. For further information, contact Professional Skills Consulting, Inc. visit www.SkillsConsulting.com. Email your business challenges to info@skillsconsulting.com.