Top Hiring Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Katherine Spencer Lee Executive Director
Mistake #1: Filling desks, not needs
Analyze what is really needed Consider all staffing possibilities for each vacancy
Mistake #2: Failing to recruit constantly
The best employers continually search for top talent Keep in touch with candidates, even when you’re
not hiring Participate in trade associations Collect resumes online
Mistake #3: Creating poor job descriptions
The Fantasy Job Ad
Seeking Level-2 help desk professional with 10 years of experience with Cisco, LINUX and Windows systems. Master’s degree and bilingual skills preferred. Must be willing to work nights and weekends.
Mistake #3: Creating poor job descriptions
The Mystery Job Ad
Growing firm seeks a level-2 help desk professional. Must have good technology skills and be willing to work a flexible schedule.
Mistake #4: Having no system for screening resumes
An effective system includes:
• Benchmarks • Special requirements • Qualifications/attributes critical to success
Review resumes all at once Avoid procrastinating Don’t delegate the task
Mistake #5: Ignoring red flags on resumes
Note vague terminology such as:
“Participated in,” “familiar with” and “in association” Be cautious with functional resumes Read resumes beginning at the bottom Judge the appearance Give the benefit of the doubt
Mistake #6: Ignoring interview techniques
Don’t “wing” the interview Ask candidates the same number of questions Take notes
Mistake #6: Ignoring interviewing techniques
More than two-thirds of
executives surveyed said the most productive time for meeting with candidates is between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. The first candidate interviewed for a job is somewhat less likely to be hired than other candidates
Source: Robert Half International
Mistake #6: Ignoring interviewing techniques
Start the conversation with an easy ice-breaker
question that illustrates you’ve done your homework. Move into challenging questions:
• How do you define success? • Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult end-user. How about a difficult manager? • What kind of work environment do you like least?
Mistake #7: Doing more talking than listening
Don’t share too much information about your
company Focus on one question at a time Avoid drawing conclusions until the end of the interview
Mistake #8: Focusing too heavily on hard skills
Look for: Passion - Does the person care about his/her work? Does it come through in most answers? Optimism - Top performers acknowledge difficulties and how they learned from them. Work ethic - What has the candidate been doing if unemployed? Top performers use the time wisely. Expectations - Candidates should be motivated to learn and advance, but not have unrealistic expectations.
Mistake #9: Inviting too much input
You may select the least
objectionable candidate versus the best one Participants in the selection process bring different motivations
Mistake #10: Making rushed decisions
Never skip any stages of the
hiring process
• More likely to make poor matches
Learn as much as possible
about top candidates before making a decision
Mistake #11: Making slow decisions
Keep the process moving Avoid loosing highly skilled candidates to competitors Inform candidates of where you are in the hiring
process
Mistake #12: Persuading reluctant candidates
Be wary of candidates who
are hesitant to accept an offer
• Even if they decide to join your company, they may not stay long
Don’t rely entirely on past
performance when identifying “superstars”
Mistake #13:
Conducting poor reference checks
Never skip this step Remind reluctant references of the
importance of their feedback Take note of the tone of the response Let the reference do the talking
Mistake #13:
Conducting poor reference checks
Talk to supervisors, colleagues and others in the
organization Manage the process yourself
Top Hiring Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Katherine Spencer Lee Executive Director