Even with the news of ongoing high unemployment, we all want to hire the best candidate for every job opening we have. This is easier said than done and therein lies the dilemma. How do we find the best candidates and how should we proceed from there with the interviewing process?

The first challenge is finding qualified new applicants. Take advantage of myriad sources to pull talent. Whether it is from current employees, existing applications on file, Internet sites, school districts, community colleges, local employers and organizations, centers of influence in the community or just plain word of mouth, the right combination may provide you with a good base of applicants.

Start with your current employees. They know your company philosophy, the intricacies of the job and the type of person who will fit in with your current employee base. However, make it a point to tell employees to refer only those people that will fit into "the family," not to simply refer anyone who needs a job. Ask the employee if he would feel comfortable having his referral handle his best customer. If your employee hesitates or hedges even a little, it could be time to move on to some other candidate.