Bad hiring decisions happen – and when they do, they can cost a company dearly in lost productivity, depressed morale, and time and money spent on finding new talent to replace the bad hire.
While one bad hire may simply be a mistake, two or three bad hires imply that it’s time to take a good hard look at your hiring process and plans. Here’s where to start:
Re-read the job description.
The job description for the position should be clear, concise, and accurate. It should state exactly what capabilities are required for the position, what the actual day-to-day responsibilities of the job are, and what the employee who tackles the job is expected to accomplish.
If your applicants’ skill sets are all over the map or you’re just not getting applicants who are qualified for the position’s actual requirements, take a hard look at the job description you’re using. Call in someone who has actually done the job, as well as the position’s supervisor, to look over the job description and change it as needed to match the job’s actual requirements.
Practice better interviewing.
The interview is the company’s first and often only chance to meet candidates in person before a hiring decision is made. Hiring managers who have little experience interviewing, however, may fail to ask crucial questions or to interpret candidate’s responses accurately, which can lead to a poor hiring decision.
Like all skills, interviewing is learned. Make sure hiring managers are familiar with effective ways to ask questions and that they know the job description back to front before they interview each candidate. If you include prospective co-workers or supervisors on the interview panel, make sure they’re up to speed on effective interviewing as well.
Talk to a recruiter.
Your staffing partner can help you reduce the chances of a bad hire by screening candidates, checking references, and conducting interviews for cultural fit as well as professional competence. Your staffing partner can also help you find better candidates in the future by helping your company construct a strategic staffing plan for the short and long term. The more you communicate with your recruiter, the better your potential results – so pick up the phone today.
At THE RIGHT STAFF, LLC, our experienced staffing professionals are here to help you recruit top candidates in the Minneapolis area who will help you meet your company’s goals. Contact us today to learn more!
