Part of good leadership requires skill in the hiring process. Good leaders know that retention of productive employees affects the bottom line as well as morale and growth.

Recruiting, training and then terminating someone is never desirable. There are many good candidates you could hire. However, even though they may have certain desirable skills, they may not be right for the job at hand. The key is not just to hire the right person, but to hire the right person for the right job.

Taking the time to make the correct hire in the first place is worth all of the effort it takes. The right person in the right job will be productive for years to come. The right person in the wrong job will cause problems, waste time, and expense and send you back to square one again.

Retention is directly related to the hiring process. Therefore, in order to minimize turnover and maximize retention and productivity it is vital to focus on these six steps:

1. Screening Interview

Quickly weed out those who immediately demonstrate they will not fit. Proceed with those who show a history of previous success and who will commit to becoming an employee candidate.

2. Psychological Profile

If your organization does not have a specific test for the type of job you need to fill, there are many different companies that provide tests for various types of jobs. Use the Internet to locate them. Try the search category