Often times I've come across many companies that go on a hiring spree without the management team understanding the real need of a position. Sometimes, it's just someone thinking out loud that they need new people to solve certain business problems. No brief would be given to HR nor to the hiring managers. It is very challenging to read people's minds and try to hire 'the right person' for the 'right job' if the HR recruiter does not know what they're hiring for. Here are 10 simple questions you can answer or work out to get you the brief to get started in the hiring process. Once you answer them, you'll be ready for a job description etc., which you should have before any interviewing takes place.

1. What is the person in this position going to be doing?
2. Who is he or she going to be reporting to?
3. How does this position contribute to the over all business objective?
4. What are the primary must have skills this person needs to have?
5. What are the secondary skills or "nice to have" skills for this position?
6. What are the basic acedemic qualifications required for this position?
7. What is the minimum job experience required for this position?
8. How are the ways you'll be assessing the candidates? What is the criteria you're going to use that will 'qualify' the candidate for the position?
9. What are the personal attributes or traits you're expecting from this person? (This will matter when you're interviewing and qualifying the person for cultural fitness)
10. What are the 5 questions you'll ask in the first round interview to all candidates? What should be the answers?

Photo by Thewmatt.