To trim the pile, first have a manager or assistant match each resume with clearly listed job requirements. Do they have five years of professional experience? Do they have a master’s degree? Do they have a specific credential or course needed for the role?

Next, find out if their work experience is relevant. Is their experience from the right industry, and how long have they stayed at each job? “A three-year average is better than six months apiece,” says Mercer. “Small businesses can’t afford to hire a job hopper.”

Finally, toss out bad resumes, whether they’re sloppy or ridden with typos. If someone really wants a position, they’ll put in the time to write a clear, concise, and professional resume. There are too many talented, competent workers out there to waste time on lazy candidates.

This will be different for every position and every company, but it’s crucial to know exactly what you’re looking for.

If the job was previously filled by a great employee, or if you have great workers in similar positions, gather their information to determine these traits. Be careful not to include factors like gender, age, or ethnicity in these profiles, which is against the law.

A client of Mercer’s actually found that for one of his company’s positions, employees with post-secondary education performed poorly. So he tossed out any resume that listed education beyond a high school diploma.

Be sure to also ask what a candidate earned at their previous job, and not what they would like to earn now. Research shows that workers who say they’re OK with being paid less are never actually OK with it and could quickly become disgruntled employees.

Once you’ve determined the traits and attributes of a potential high-quality hire, narrow the resume stack to candidates who closely fit the profile.

Test candidates before inviting them to an interview. Mercer says research shows these tests more accurately predict fit than any other method (references, cover letters, interviews, etc.).

Instead of writing one yourself, find a pre-employment test that’s been produced by a professional and ask your candidates to complete one at home. The results, which are automatically generated based on an applicant’s answers, reveal traits related to teamwork, focus, problem solving, work ethic, honesty, etc.

Decide what’s most important to the position, and only interview the candidates who score well in these areas. If you still have hundreds of qualified applicants, you can customize experience questions at the end of a test.

For example, one of Mercer’s clients employed outdoor workers. At the end of the pre-employment test, the client asked, “Have you worked outside before?” They followed that with, “Have you worked in several climates or types of weather?” The client weeded out candidates who had only worked in sunny, warm weather.

“Most small business owners are horrible at predicting how someone will work on the job, based on the interview,” Mercer says. This is because they often don’t know what questions to ask and don’t know what to make of the answers, which is why a pre-employment test is vital.

During interviews, include someone else from your business to serve as a second opinion, whether they’re a human resources director or manager. After the first round of interviews, have an honest discussion about who seemed to fit best with the company culture, then extend an offer or conduct another round of interviews if the decision is too close.

Remember that it’s always worth taking a bit more time recruiting, interviewing, vetting, and testing candidates that making a hasty hire. Time invested up front can pay off dramatically with an excellent employee who brings great value to your customers and small business.