Avoid These 5 Common Hiring Mistakes People are undisputedly one of the greatest assets a business can have. Having the right people in the right roles helps ensure business success. But if you have the wrong person in the business, it can be toxic. Not only does your company culture suffer but, often, so does the bottom line. Read on to find out five common hiring mistakes you should be avoiding.

1. Not Understanding Candidates Are Better at Interviews than Employers

If you don’t have a dedicated human resources team, consider outsourcing the initial acceptance of applications and candidate screening. A confident person can easily present themselves as the best applicant for a position and it can be difficult for department managers to be able to see through that. Remember: your team are good at their jobs, not necessarily experienced at selecting the right person to work with them.

2. Hiring Green Candidates Without a Plan

People often say that they like to be able to ‘mould’ an employee to the business and this can be a good strategy – if you put the time into their training and development. Otherwise, it can be a disaster for both you and the successful applicant. This is where a formal process like a graduate recruitment program can really be beneficial. For more information about how this could work in your business, look to online resources like the Chandler Macleod website.

3. Not Doing Thorough Reference Checks

All too often, hirers contact the referee and just ask a couple of quick questions. Use people’s references to your advantage. Have a list of questions ready that will really give you an idea of how the person will perform at your business (and anything you need to be aware of). Contact the referees and set up a mutually agreeable time to go do the reference check; don’t rush through them.

4. Not Knowing What You Want Before You Advertise

Just because someone resigned from a particular role in your business doesn’t mean you need to automatically place an ad for someone to fill their exact shoes. Whether you’re filling a vacancy or expanding, evaluate what the business needs and do some restructuring if necessary. It’s essential to know exactly what you want well before the advertisement gets placed to ensure that you attract the appropriate applicants.

5. Focusing Too Much on Experience

It is possible for someone to be good at what they do but awful to work with, and that can really impact your company culture and performance. Think about who the candidate will be working with and ask some questions that help you understand their personality as well as their expected performance.

As much as probationary periods can give you an ‘out’ if you realise you did make a mistake, the damage can be long-lasting in terms of your bottom line and reputation. No matter how important it is to get a role filled quickly, it’s even more important to get it right, so take some time to really work out what you need and how to get it before you start searching for your next employee.

Have you ever made a bad hiring decision? What tips would you give to make sure employers get it right?