When it comes to bringing on new talent — and retaining them — it’s a tough market right now. Navigating a job-seekers market, companies are having to up their game when it comes to enticing benefits, showcasing a thriving culture and stellar management.

If you’re lucky enough to find incredible team members, the last thing you want to do is lose them. There are important steps to take when bringing on a new agent or staff member.

If you’ve ever been in a management position, you know the hiring process can be a bit stressful. There’s nothing more disappointing than undertaking a heavy interview process, bringing on promising talent and then having it all fall flat.

So, to get the information you need from the candidate and ensure a great match, you have to be very strategic with your questions and remain intentional throughout the process. Here are some important things to keep in mind as you conduct interviews.

Step 1: Make sure the candidate is a culture match

At our brokerage, our No. 1 priority is fostering our unique, collaborative culture. Why? Because it creates a workplace that people look forward to being a part of each and every day.

It’s truly important to us that new hires are a fit for our culture — in fact, we want them to not only work well within it but also be the kind of people who will add to it and bring great energy to the table.

An ideal way to see if a candidate is a culture match is to introduce them to several team members who embody your company vibe. This doesn’t have to be in a formal setting; it could be over coffee, lunch or Zoom. The conversations that ensue will give you great insight.

Step 2: Ensure the position fits their goals

When you hire someone, you want to make sure it’s a mutual fit — that they’ll be able to provide value to your team and that you’ll be a beneficial next step in their career path. Ask what their goals are — three months, six months and one year into the role.

Also, inquire into what their larger picture goals are and how this position will help them get there. Get a sense of how long they will want to be in this role and their contentment with the duties required.

Do a deep dive into their strengths and challenges

With so many personalities working together on a team to achieve a common goal, you want to bring in a new member who gels with the whole and elevates the work. Asking personality-related questions during an interview is a great way to get a snapshot into the mind of a prospective staff member or agent.

Consider asking questions about past experiences with filling in for a colleague, working with team members or how they handled missing a deadline.

Asking key questions about problem-solving and working with team members during the interview process will help you gain truly valuable insights into what to expect from them as a team member.

Learn about their communication style

Good communication skills are essential. Try to get a sense of the candidate’s style as well as their emotional response to new challenges — will these factors align with your existing team’s dynamic? Give them a few scenarios and see how they react. This information will also be useful down the line when you need to provide them with feedback.

Step 3: Give them room to grow

Congratulations! The contract is signed and celebrations are in order — you have a fantastic new team member on board. Now, it’s your job to make their start a great experience.

Here are some key ways to put your best foot forward.

Create a safe environment where they feel empowered to contribute

It’s a shame when staff members have great ideas but don’t feel like they have an outlet to share them. We encourage everyone — no matter their role — to offer up thoughts and ideas about anything across the company. People don’t always need to have these ideas acted upon but rather just want to be heard and considered.

Equip them with the information they need to be successful

Resources, resources, resources. When starting a new job, just learning the structure of the company, the people, the tools and the departments can be very overwhelming.

During onboarding, give your new team member a headstart by providing a clear dossier of company info such as staff titles, job summaries, contact information, etc., that they can reference going forward.

Step 4: Check in with them regularly

For the first few weeks at minimum, schedule a standing check-in with your new employee or agent. Even if they don’t have any questions or concerns at this time, it gives both of you an opportunity to build a relationship, touch base and get to know each other. It will make them feel supported, grounded and guided throughout the onboarding process.

It’s never been a better time to dial in your vetting process, get new hires started off on the right foot and start building the best team you can. You’re off to the races.