According to a recent survey, 46% of small business new hires fail within 18 months. High turnover can be quite costly for small business owners. None of us can afford the time and expense that hiring mistakes create. Here are some thoughts to consider during the hiring process. Garrett Miller, author of Hire on a WHIM: Four Qualities that Make for Great Employees, explains further.

"Listen" to the resume.

Resumes tell a story. Look for overlapping activities and jobs—signalling strong work ethic and an ability to juggle. Find patterns—length of employment, work settings, and job structures they gravitated toward. Note any gaps, and ask about them.

Access their Work ethic.

Ask candidates to describe their college or work experience in detail. Listen for signs of motivation, intensity, and excitement. For recent grads with little or no work experience, were they just busy, or busy with a purpose (i.e., doing activities to grow and develop)?

Discern their Humility.

Ask the candidates to describe the last process they had to learn. Good signs are willingness to ask for help and seek coaching. Find out their preferred work style — the need to work alone could signal trouble. Ask what they learned from their most humbling moment.

Determine their Integrity

Resumes tell a story. Look for overlapping activities and jobs - signalling strong work ethic and an ability to juggle. Find patterns - length of employment, work settings, and job structures they gravitated toward. Note any gaps, and ask about them.

Evaluate their Maturity.

Ask them to describe how they picture themselves five years from now. Also ask them to talk about one of their greatest regrets. Listen for bitterness/complaining versus maturity.

Throw in a Wrench.

Knock them off balance to see how they react. For example, invite them to the cafeteria and see how they chat with you while waiting in line. New settings create stress and illuminate personality traits.

Heed Your Gut.

Every candidate must have at least one strong example for each WHIM quality, above. If one seems weaker than the others, ask targeted questions in the follow-up interview. If you’re overly enamored with one or two qualities and ignore a gap, you’ll regret it. Listen to your gut.

After the interview, review the candidates with a respected colleague. Assess whether the candidate fulfils the skill set you need for your team. If you believe that the four traits of work ethic, humility, integrity, and maturity are non-teachable and non-negotiable, why take the risk with a candidate who is lacking?