Avoid these hiring hazards and recruit like a boss

Hiring is not like ticking off boxes, you must find a candidate which can align with your company’s values and mission. It’s all about getting a like-minded ally for your brand. Bad hires may lead to slow production, issues with coworkers and untold headaches. This will also impact your company financially. Below are some eye-opening stats on which I want to draw your attention before moving ahead.

• Bad hires can lead to loss equivalent to 30% of an employee’s first year salary.
• 41% of companies have experienced a loss of around $25,000 due to bad hire.
• As per Harvard Business Review, 23% of new employees leave the organization within a year. This also comes under bad hire.

This blog will cover all the common hiring problems which you should avoid in your future recruitment process.

Mistake#1: Neglecting references

You must contact the references given by the candidate to know more about that person’s experience and skills. Talking with someone connected with a candidate’s life will also let you know about his or her match with your work culture. Ask candidates about their references and spend some time checking them. You can also check the educational background of the candidates with these references to cross-check them in the resume. References can also give you either positive or negative reviews to help you in making decisions.

Mistake#2: Failing to conduct a phone interview

Increase the efficiency of your hiring process through pre-interviews. Such phone calls can cut down some candidates which don’t match with your company’s profile. You can inquire about resume details or candidates’ ability over these calls. Below are some of the questions you may ask during pre-interview.

• Can you let me know about your current and previous company roles and how they have prepared you for this role?
• What type of management and work environment do you prefer?
• Are you currently giving interviews with any other company?
• When can you start if you are hired?

 

Mistake#3: Writing vague and misleading job descriptions

Your job description should clearly reflect the kind of work and skills a candidates should have. This ensures that only suitable candidate will apply for the job. Use keywords which are suitable for the position and industry in the description section. You can also mention the knowledge about certain tools, software or exact certification you expect from the candidate. An effective job description must include:

• Job title and its purpose
• Primary roles and responsibilities
• Desired qualification
• Required and preferred skills
• Working conditions

 

Mistake#4: Speeding up the selection process

This is another big reason for hiring the wrong employee. It usually happens when an employer has the mindset that somebody is better than nobody. This is especially true for start-ups, as they always remain in a rush to hire employees, due to lack of resources. Invest some time in vetting applications, take your time in interviewing resources and check whether their skills match with the company’s profile. You can also go with a second round of interview if needed.

Mistake#5: Narrowing search limits 

You must expand your hiring search on multiple platforms for a diverse selection of candidates. Through wider search your company can gain a diverse perspective and can get candidates with skills which can match with your brand.  Firstly you must advertise the opening internally within your company to allow internal applications for transfer or advancement. Then you can go for any referral through your team members. Finally advertise about the vacancy on various social media platforms, forums, newspapers etc. To increase the diversity in organization you must consider the following factors:

• Industry experience of candidate
• Resource education level
• Race of candidate
• Gender

 

Mistake#6: You don’t highlight the organization’s culture

You must let the candidate know about your company’s culture that covers employee benefits packages, workplace flexibility and salary perks.  Usually employees spend more time at their workplace as compared to their friends and families. Hence they expect a comfortable environment with benefits that will work for their personal lives. Company’s work culture plays a pivotal role especially in a competitive industry. If your company has received backlash in the past for poor ethics, then candidates will feel reluctant to join your organization.

Mistake#7: Talking more, listening less

You must ask open-ended questions to the candidates. For instance, never ask any candidate as ‘Have you worked on particular software’? Its answer will come in ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Instead you can ask the candidate about his role in working with particular software. This will allow him to elaborate his explanation and talk more about the role and how his work can benefit your company.  This way you can know more about the candidate. So, be a good listener instead of a speaker.

Mistake#8: Your organization is behind the times

Employees love to be a part of a competitive business instead of a dead end. To retain a new talent you must remain ahead in technology. You must invest in high-quality devices and technology, as it will increase resource interest, minimize turnover and help them to learn new skills. This will not only retain the resources but also increase your company’s profit.

Mistake#9: Having too many candidates and interviewers

If you want to hire only a single candidate, then limit the amount of resources, as too many candidates will confuse you on how each of them presented themselves. For a single spot, pick only 5 top candidates for an interview. Decide who will remain there in the interview panel and how to keep a track of their input. Many companies prefer HR to take the interview first and send the skilled candidates forward, while others allow department managers to manage their own hiring. Well! Whatever is the process, you must ensure to filter limited candidates for interview.

Final Takeaway

Improving the recruitment procedure is a must to get the highly skilled candidate which can be a perfect match for your company. While planning the hiring process, you must ensure that it should be streamlined in a proper manner by considering the above-mentioned points. Many candidates get frustrated with the lengthy and ineffective hiring process of the companies. Hence giving your contribution in making the process efficient will help you with top talent. In the end, getting qualified and culturally fit candidates for your company will improve your productivity, even if it takes some of your efforts in making the hiring process a bit creative.
So always involve in some of the best hiring practices to get the right fit for your brand.