The hiring process is one of the most critical phases for any organization, and the importance of a well-designed process cannot be understated. There are few organizations that get it right 100 percent of the time. While that’s not usually the case, it's important to try. Potential recruiting mistakes can deter qualified candidates and lead to negative outcomes. There are several key steps that comprise a solid hiring process. These include writing a job description, advertising and recruiting for the position, analyzing candidate resumes and applications, conducting phone and final-round interviews, administering applicable assessments, running background checks and checking references, making a hiring decision, extending a job offer, and finally, hiring and onboarding new employees. There are, of course, best practices for each step. For example, using recruiting software or an applicant tracking system (ATS) to help analyze resumes and streamline the process. It's also important to conduct thorough interviews and assessments to ensure candidates fit the role and the organization's culture well. It's also critical to make competitive job offers and provide a comprehensive onboarding process to set new hires up for success.