When you’re hiring, you’re growing. That means business is good. It’s easy to let that euphoria go to your head and, in a rush of enthusiasm, hire great people who, nevertheless, could be wrong for the job, or your business.

During my career, I’ve hired hundreds of people and fired a few too. Here are some of the most important insights I’ve gleaned the hard way:

1. Write up a job description that matters.

The best job descriptions don’t just outline duties, responsibilities, and necessary skills. They also articulate how you want the work to be done, and the moral climate in which the company operates. If you’re a fiercely competitive company that likes to pit teams against each other, say so. If customer or patient care is critical, don’t assume that a candidate’s empathy is a given. I’d say the how often matters more than the what but it’s so hard to measure that most people prefer to ignore it. Do so at your peril.

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