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7 Costly Mistakes Made When Hiring a New Employee

 

Business owners understand that good employees can sometimes be hard to find. When you do find the people, the goal should be to do all you can to retain your top talent. One of the best ways to do this is to improve your hiring process. If you’re running a business and can’t seem to find the right team members, maybe you’re unknowingly making mistakes during the hiring process.

Hiring new employees is never as simple as it sounds, but most of the mistakes employers make during the hiring process are preventable. In this article, you’ll identify 7 of the most common hiring mistakes employers make, as well as how to avoid them.

Hiring for Efficiency

Your ultimate goal for the hiring process should be to fill the open position with a candidate who has related skills and experience and who can be trusted to perform the job properly. It sounds like common sense, but you might be surprised to learn that most employers struggle to hire efficiently.

Not only can hiring the wrong person create decreased productivity, but it can also affect your business’s bottom line. According to statistics, ¾ of all businesses that hired the wrong candidate reported an average of almost $15,000 in wasted money.

So many issues can stem from a single bad hire. Although not every imperfect hire results in such drastic losses, it’s certainly a risk no business owner should have to take. Instead, take the time to learn how to prevent making these critical mistakes during the hiring process.

 

1. Right Person, Wrong Role

It’s not uncommon for employers to conduct an interview and fall in love with a candidate’s charisma. Although many job applicants will charm you throughout the hiring process, it’s important to remember that you’re not just hiring for personality.

You need to have a thorough understanding of the exact responsibilities, skills, and mindset that an employee needs to have to fill the open position. Make sure that you’re considering candidates with relevant skills and experience for the job. This can prevent role-switching and mismatched expectations later on.

How to Prevent It

The first step to preventing this mistake includes getting intimately familiar with the job requirements for the open position. Make sure that your job listings state clear-cut prerequisites and expectations.

Additionally, during the interview process, place the most consideration on employees who exhibit relevant skills and experience. Communicate with job candidates about what will be expected of them, and encourage them to ask questions.

Consider leveraging technology to streamline the hiring process. Invest in free recruitment software for agencies and recruiters that can help you efficiently sift through resumes, manage candidate data, and identify top talent. This not only saves time but also ensures that you are making data-driven decisions based on the most relevant qualifications for the position.

2. Not Trusting Your Gut

One of the most critical mistakes you can make when hiring a new employee is neglecting to trust your own intuition. If you find yourself meeting with an applicant and something you can’t quite identify just seems “off”, you’re probably picking up on something legitimate.

How to Prevent It

Many people like to say that first impressions are everything – but they can also be fabricated. Sometimes, a candidate may look perfect on paper and may seem impressive during an interview, even if they aren’t the right fit. It’s important to take note of that little voice inside your head and listen when it says that somebody just isn’t the right fit.

 

3. Asking the Wrong Questions

Many employers accidentally turn job interviews into a popularity contest. Truth be told, it’s easy to get swept up in small talk or to get carried away with pleasantries. However, it’s important you remain focused on the business side of the exchange and don’t lose sight of your ultimate goal: making the right hire.

Asking the “right” questions can look different for every position you’re looking to fill. Really, it just means focusing on relevant topics and making sure that you ask enough about the candidate. 

Sometimes, after a long day of conducting interviews, employers feel tired and tend to rush through the last few applicants. It’s important to take that extra time to get enough valuable, relevant information from the candidate during your interview.

How to Prevent It

Be as thorough as possible in your interview, and take care to cover all bases with the job candidate. After all, that’s what they’re there for! Encourage the applicant to ask questions of their own, which can be revealing in unexpected ways. If you’re uncertain what to ask an applicant, you can always consult this list for ideas.

 

4. Skipping the Background Check

If you don’t want to make a regretful decision, it’s advisable to conduct background checks on anyone who makes it past the interview stage. Even though it may take a little extra time, it’s worth it to truly know who you’re hiring. Whoever you end up choosing for the job will need to be someone you can trust.

 

5. Saying “Yes” Too Soon

It’s easy to get swept up in an interview with someone who seems perfect for the job, and it’s normal to feel the urgent desire to hire them right away. However, there are downsides to this that most employers unfortunately overlook.

Saying “yes” too soon makes you and your company look desperate and hasty. When you’re too eager to hire someone on the spot, it can also be a red flag to potential job candidates. Notoriously, companies with the most difficult workplace cultures often hire right away due to low standards.

How to Prevent It

Instead of hiring someone on the spot, take time to mull things over privately and compare different candidates on merit when an audience isn’t actively waiting for a response. This can alleviate some pressure for you as an employer and makes all the difference when making that final decision.

 

6. Not Considering Workplace Culture

The best deterrent for employee turnover is a good company culture. Studies show that not only can a toxic workplace culture increase turnover. When your good employees quit, it causes you to seek frequent replacements. But the inverse also applies. Poor hiring choices can negatively impact workplace culture, too. This can create an endless cycle, perpetuated by itself.

How to Prevent It

When you’re hiring an individual, consider them not only for their skill set and experience but also for their personality and values. Ideally, the right candidate will possess values that reflect the values of your business and your other employees. You want to hire someone who makes a good fit, practically and socially. Try to find someone who you feel will have good chemistry with the other workers.

 

7. Ghosting Applicants

The hiring process involves no shortage of paperwork, much to most employers’ dismay. It can be tempting to throw away those notes and documents once you’ve found the right fit, and the urge to move on can be hard to resist – but you must! 

Ghosting rejected candidates is bad for your company’s reputation. It will ultimately affect how likely people are to apply at your location in the future.

How to Prevent It

Before you officially conclude your search, take the time to reach out to the other candidates you’ve considered for the job. It’s never easy delivering bad news, but it has to be done. A little communication goes a long way. Remember that you may be able to reach out to other qualified candidates in the future if you need to fill a role. Having shown them the respect of communication may foster goodwill that the applicant will remember and appreciate.

 

Conclusion

Most employers have made at least one of these mistakes during the hiring process. And many will make these mistakes again. Don’t let your company become a statistic on turnover – take the time to hire the right fit.

Ari Bratsis
Team Writer: Ari is a writer, blogger and small business owner based in Washington state.

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Team Writer: Ari is a writer, blogger and small business owner based in Washington state.

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