Recruiting is a delicate process: although it is an exciting time for both recruits and employers, it is ripe with pitfalls. In order to staff a company with highly-qualified, enthusiastic employees, managers need to be familiar with these pitfalls and how to avoid them.
The Top 5 Mistakes Recruiters Make and How to Avoid Them
- Hiring Poorly Matched Recruits
If a manager is evaluating a potential employee who is obviously going to chafe with upper management, it may be wise to reconsider the prospect. While some differences can be resolved on the job, certain personalities are not meant to function together and forcing them to do so can be a recipe for disaster. In these cases, it may be wise to simply admit that the recruit is not a good fit for the company climate.
- Unclear Communication
When a recruit attends an interview, they do so with an understanding of the job description, responsibilities and company philosophy. Typically, the recruit develops these things by studying the company and job description during the pre-interview stage. Ensuring that the recruit’s information and assumptions are correct and on-point is an effective way to avoid misunderstandings down the road. To do this, evaluate the employee’s understanding of the job description and company during the interview and be sure to allow ample time to answer the recruit’s questions.
- Overloading Recruits
If a company requires an extensive training program in order to help new recruits fulfil their job descriptions, it’s wise to segment information rather than dumping it all on the recruit during the interview stage. It’s unfair to assume that a recruit can fully absorb and understand 7 days of training information in one, hour-long interview. Therefore, companies can benefit from providing bite-sized chunks of information and dispensing complex information gradually to new recruits. When employees aren’t overloaded by information, they can fully absorb a job description and ensure they are indeed interested in and qualified for the position.
- Not Appreciating the Interviewee
Many managers assume that every candidate that walks through the door should do so virtually kissing the ground in thankfulness for the opportunity to interview. Unfortunately, this is a one-sided approach that often leaves candidates feeling overlooked and can contribute to poor vetting practices within companies. Instead, managers should focus on appreciating highly-qualified recruits and taking the time to fully dissect the candidate’s experience and strengths. This will lead to better hiring practices and a more cohesive workplace.
- Exhibiting Impulsivity
One of the most dangerous things managers can do during the recruiting process is to be impulsive. Fantastic first impressions don’t always stem from the most qualified candidate and pressing hiring decisions are not a good enough reason to execute poor judgement. To avoid this pitfall, managers should allow themselves at least 12 hours from the end of an interview to reflect on the recruit, fully evaluate the experience and then make a hiring decision. Doing this ensures good judgement and a highly qualified team of employees.
When companies take the time to execute good recruiting practices, it’s easy to common recruiting pitfalls. To learn more about how to recruit effectively, visit Crawford Thomas today.