When you have a vacancy, your business is harder to run. Other employees have to take up the slack, and after a while, they get tired of doing more than their share. Things don’t run as smoothly. You spend a frustrating amount of time evaluating applicants, but no one seems to be the right fit.
Don’t rush to hire just to fill an empty spot. You may feel like you’re saving time you would waste if the interview process drags on, but hiring the wrong person will result in time-sucking problems later on. Avoid these common mistakes when hiring.
Lust Hiring. Imagine this. From the start of the application process, you have one candidate who just stands out. The resume and cover letter are crisp and professional. They even have the qualifications and education you’ve decided are necessary. When you phone to schedule the interview, they continue to satisfy all of your expectations.
Then, it’s interview day. You’ve reviewed this specific file over and over to make sure you’ve got all the ‘red flags’ highlighted with appropriate questions ready. They walk through the door and politely greet you with confidence. Your pulse starts to accelerate as you realize all of your expectations are being met. You are tempted to hire this candidate on the spot.
Don’t do it! It’s not love; it’s lust. Take the time to get to know the candidate first. Check references. Verify work experience and background. Use online assessment tools to evaluate the candidate’s job fit and skills. Remove the emotion from your hiring decision.
Pulse Hiring. The longer a vacancy exists, the more employers are tempted to hire anyone who has a pulse. Instead of lowering your expectations, start targeting desirable candidates. Make a list of all the things you want in a candidate. Evaluate the top performers in your business to repeat successful hires. After you develop selection criteria, market the job efficiently on multiple sites frequented by the type of employee you want to recruit.
Assess your risk before you hire. A little patience will keep you from being stuck with an employee who really isn’t a fit for the job, their work team, or the organizational culture.
Network hiring. Your long-time co worker has a son who’s recently graduated from University. You listen as he tells you about the jobs that are available to someone with his son’s level of experience. “If someone would just give him a shot”. You sympathize. You agree to look over her resume and figure there is no harm in sitting down with him. Even before the interview, you think it would be nice if it worked out for both parties.
Be careful about giving preference to a candidate just because someone knows they’re available and pushes their resume to your desk. Ensure everyone you interview is treated the same. Check out referrals as thoroughly as you would someone who just walked in off the street. You cannot effectively run a business based entirely off someone’s opinion – be certain of whom you spend your time with and, confident with whom you extend employment offers.
SmartHire provides businesses with software to screen applicants, assess their job fit, test their skills, and make your hiring process successful. We evaluate what your business needs and market your ads in all the right places. Contact us today to see how we can make your hiring process more effective.
Comments are closed.