Recruiting mistakes can lead to short-term, stressful and costly employment relationships for the company. The cooperation that started with an excellent CV and a smooth interview runs into the sand. Due to non-existent results and unsuitability for the team, a new employee must be found.
CV-Online/CV.ee brings you typical mistakes that are commonly made, so you can avoid these pitfalls with the right actions.
A brief and boring job ad
Describe the job offered honestly and clearly to attract the right candidates. An effective job advertisement is more than just a list of tasks. It should describe the position and its areas of responsibility as a whole. Do not promise what you cannot deliver, otherwise the new employee may become disappointed and leave.
The foundation of a good job advertisement is a clear understanding of what is being sought. Flexibility regarding gender, age, or knowledge is reasonable because diversity enriches the entire team. However, it is essential to know exactly which skills, strengths, and qualifications are necessary for the position.
Classified compensation package
If the offered benefits package is below the market average, you are unlikely to attract good candidates. Simple as that. Therefore, it is worth researching the market before making an offer and providing a sufficient compensation package.
Furthermore, attracting good candidates requires more than just offering a decent salary, bonuses, and various other benefits – you also need to explicitly communicate these perks! When listing them, keep in mind that a benefit that seems obvious to you might be a significant motivator for someone else.
Rushed or overly lengthy recruitment process
Of course, you want to find the best talents for your company, but if the recruitment process involves numerous demanding steps or if responses from the company are significantly delayed, the best candidates will lose interest, accept another job offer, or simply give up. Challenges such as a detailed motivation letter, creative work, personality test, skills test, etc. are relevant, but choose one or two that are truly important for the offered position.
The other extreme is rushing to fill the position. There is no good reason to hurriedly hire just anyone. Take the time to delve into the process and conduct as many interview rounds as necessary – otherwise, you may need to start the whole process from scratch. If needed, you can temporarily fill the “gap” in the team with a freelancer or an outsourced service.
Job interview as an interrogation
If a candidate is treated like they are being interrogated, they will feel undervalued and may not want to associate themselves with such a work culture. A friendly conversation between two equal parties is much more pleasant and reveals the applicant’s character better. Even if the candidate is not selected, they will have a positive impression of the company and become a valuable advocate.
During the interview, candidates typically try to give the right answers to be selected. Instead, it is worth approaching the process playfully and giving them a real-life scenario or a creative task to solve during the conversation, and then discuss it together. This way, you get a more direct view of their planning, prioritization, or communication skills.
Overlooking your employees
Sometimes the best candidate is already a member of your organization! Promoting your own employees keeps them, along with their valuable knowledge, in the company longer. Another significant advantage is their familiarity with the company’s background, products, and team, as well as the mutual trust. Moreover, utilizing internal promotions boosts the overall motivation of other employees to develop, improve themselves, and excel in their work.
It is possible that internally recruited people will need additional training when starting a new position, but there is no need to introduce them to the entire organizational culture. Undoubtedly, their work will yield results faster than that of externally hired individuals.
Hiring people dumber than you
Some managers fear that hiring a more confident or talented employee may jeopardize their professional standing. It is easier to exclude “overqualified” employees and to admit to the company those who look up to the manager with respect.
A good manager is smart enough to hire people who are smarter and more educated than themselves. He/she knows that such talents love high goals and support the manager in realizing the company’s vision. By hiring people who are smarter, the manager can also hone his skills and thus move the entire organization forward.
Exclusion of candidates with little experience
The most talented candidate may have fewer skills and experience than the rest. Such people are successful in their work because they work with dedication and efficiency. Therefore, it is worth considering whether any of the candidates with less experience could fit well into the team in terms of their character and attitude.
If you want to be smart and avoid these and other recruiting mistakes, you can always seek advice or assistance from professionals. Learn more about CV-Online recruitment services HERE.
