Hiring Process Blunders to Avoid
Recruiting the best employees takes skill. The actual hiring process, intrinsically by its nature, is critical to finding the most qualified employees. Convincing them to accept your offer is a must. Let's take a look at hiring mistakes to avoid:
- Too Narrow a Job Description
You are under pressure to find a new employee to take over that one project. Hire candidates who are problem solvers so that, upon completion of this project, they can easily transition to the next. Don't become narrow minded in your hiring practices rejecting qualified candidates who can carry your organization into the future. A manager who hires narrowly may be viewed by the organization as an individual who does not see the big picture.
- Human Resources is the Front Line
Often Human Resources is the first communication a candidate has with a company. Does your Human Resources department know what your group's practices and needs are? Don't make your prospective candidate jump through bureaucratic hoops to contact you. Coach your own department managers and members to take on the role of recruiter and be your candidate's first contact with your company. First impressions are everything. By empowering your department to be the front line of communication, a strong organizational presence will be felt by the candidate and you will be given the opportunity to more closely assess the candidate.
- Passive Hiring Practices
The conventional hiring practices are running advertisements and holding job fairs. These methods however simply support a "hire what comes your way" mentality. Broaden the pool of candidates by seeking the candidates you want to hire. You should be identifying the candidates you want to hire. Some of the best candidates for the position, while not actively looking for a new position, are available for hire.
- No Pre-Interview Prep
Many hiring managers believe that you should give candidates the minimum amount of information about the position or the company prior to the interview. They believe any inside knowledge will undermine a true reading of a candidate's strengths leaving the interview pointless. This is a mistake. Point candidates in the direction of the materials and then access what they extrapolate. This will give you a read on the candidate's interest in your organization. Some suggested materials to supply before the interview are: specifications of your products, web pages that may not be easy to find, challenges your division faces, and profitability data. Giving the candidate some information prior to the interview can take the interview from the level of just a session of pleasantries to a meaningful exchange.
The stress of having an open position in your organization can create an overwhelming feeling of urgency. Do not let this urgency overshadow your need for a qualified individual. Invest the time necessary to secure a firm foundation for your hiring practices.