Hiring the right people for your team can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Glassdoor estimates that the average American company spends about $4,000 to hire a new employee and that the process often takes more than 50 days to complete. Managers face the additional complexity of trying to determine which candidates are most qualified to succeed in the open role. Developing a fair, inclusive and efficient recruitment strategy is a must for any business seeking new talent.

HubSpot writer Caroline Forsey says an effective vetting process should contain a few critical elements. We explore the key components of the vetting process in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

Write an accurate job description. It's worth taking the time to create an accurate and compelling job description. When you do, you're laying the groundwork for you and the candidate to ensure a mutually beneficial fit from the start. Try to focus on the attributes you desire. If you're hiring a new sales rep, for example, you might list "customer-focus mentality" as a top priority. Forsey says it's also important that your job description appeals to a diverse audience. Diverse teams tend to perform better and come up with more creative ideas.

Use software to review applications. In a vetting process, you can filter out candidates who don't have the skills to succeed in the role. It's important to vet an applicant's resume, cover letter and other materials submitted in the application process. Forsey recommends checking out a blind search system in which resumes are scanned by software, ensuring that resumes are automatically sorted by skill.

Set up a video interview before a phone call. Video interviews that prompt candidates with questions and record their responses is another great step to include in your candidate vetting process. In high-volume roles, watching video responses is an effective way for hiring mangers to determine if they'd like to proceed with a candidate. By using video interviews, you can limit the amount of time you spend on phone calls trying to find the right person.

Use other assessment tools to evaluate. Before you bring someone on board full-time, you want to ensure he or she will succeed in the role. One way to do this is by offering initial assessments. For customer-facing positions, offer role plays. If you're hiring someone for your marketing team, consider having candidates develop a pitch. An initial assessment allows you to see if the candidate has the skills you're looking for.

Stick to a process. From background checks to assessment tools, it's important to remain consistent in every step of the vetting process. Use the same background check or pre-screening techniques on every candidate and be sure not to require any additional information that doesn't apply to the job. Forsey notes that a vetting process is only effective if it's consistent and replicable. By establishing a process and sticking with it, you can effectively review candidates and determine which ones are best qualified to advance to next steps.

If you have an open spot on your team, use the tactics above to help determine a mutual fit for your team and candidates.

Source: Caroline Forsey is a staff writer for HubSpot's marketing blog and has been voted one of Express Writer's and Buzzsumo's "Top 100 Content Marketers of 2018."