Have you ever hired someone only to realise you’ve made a huge mistake? Don’t want to find yourself in this position again? Keep reading for some tips on how to avoid this time-consuming, costly and often awkward situation.
The process of hiring staff is never a foolproof procedure. However there are a few things you can do to minimise the risk of hiring the wrong person.
Come to terms with the fact that perfect applicant DOES NOT exist
Finding someone with the exact qualifications and experience who will also fit in perfectly with your team and is available to work the hours you require is really unrealistic. The sooner you realise this, the sooner you’ll discover that there are a lot of potential applicants out there, you just need to shift your focus a little. Which brings me to my next point…
Focus on an applicant’s potential
If you’re too quick to dismiss applicants who don’t entirely fit your wish list, you could be missing out on some fantastic candidates. Outside of your essential criteria you should be focusing on personality fit, team fit, and their ability to take on training in areas where they may need upskilling.
It’s not all about the experience
This may sound odd but let me give you an example. You’re looking for a customer service officer and come across an applicant who ticks all of the boxes on paper, but they have no communication skills or personality in the interview. Could they do the job? Yes. Can they successfully interact with customers and colleagues to do the job well? Probably not. All of their skills and experience now mean nothing because they don’t have the right personality for the position.
Interview more than once before you offer
Making an offer during the first interview can make you seem desperate and will put pressure on applicants to make a rushed decision. Take time to review the situation before you make your next move, and give the applicant time to think. This reduces any chances of them changing their mind at the last minute, or even worse just after they’ve started.
You will make mistakes
Regardless of how thorough your recruitment processes are, sometimes it just doesn’t work. Try not to over analyse the situation, no one can foresee it or explain it, it just happens. And remember that we are humans, not robots.
What’s the worst hiring decision you’ve ever made? Looking back was their anything you could have done to prevent the situation? If you know someone who’s currently hiring why not share this post and video with them to help them through the process.
