Time and again, hiring the right people is one of the most important tasks of the organisations, and even the best and most skilled recruiters can make common mistakes. These errors get in the way of hiring people and even create situations where the hired do not fit into the overall company and routine. Here’s an overview of some basic things to avoid when recruiting, as well as the particular strategies that may aid in preventing these serious recruitment disorders.
One such mistake which is quite common is starting the recruitment process with no idea at all about what the job being recruited is responsible for. Not only will this result in having job openings that few recruits are suitable for, but it will also stand in the way of attaining an ideal candidate's profile. If they make an effort to publish a position, it indicates that there is no clear company vision.
Solution: Make sure that before you submit a job posting, you talk to your coworkers about what you will assign to them, including the specific duties and responsibilities of that particular job role. When looking for a new employee, it is crucial to be realistic in inputting information about the role. This will help you locate the type of worker you need.
Many intuitive feelings exist when hiring people, but consistently avoiding evidence-based practices and judgment is bad for hiring. Biases focusing on attractiveness based on an impression or personality- no matter how strong- that has little relevance to the job objectives can create conflict.
Solution: Build a detailed script that assesses the interviewee’s skill set and level of fit for the organisation. This can also assist interviewees to take a more objective stance toward the candidate and to several interviewers to make the candidate's ratings more balanced.
Another major error area is hiring one person for their qualifications or knowledge without considering the constituency. There’s a good chance that this person may have a fantastic CV; however, if their principles, environment, and culture are not well interpreted, their assimilation is likely to be complicated.
Solution: Ensure values, working habits and practices, and interpersonal relations with other teams are covered in the questioning. Get the members of the team involved in order to allow them to see how the employee to be recruited fits into the existing culture of the organisation.
With a rapidly changing job market, players with speed are better when engaging in hiring processes at the wrong pace; this can be scalar for months because one will take their time. The longer the space between interviews with a candidate, feedback or a conclusive decision is, the more the possibility of making the candidate irritated and the brand frustrated.
Solution: Define a timeline for every recruitment phase and inform the candidates of the period. Standardise internal procedures to avoid unnecessary waiting and follow-up on the candidates at every step.
Technical skills and qualifications seem to be the dominant focus of several recruiters without considering soft skills and other areas that are not tangible but rather very essential. Getting an individual with the right technical ability to perform a task without considering the person’s problem-solving capability, communication, and flexibility is a recipe for disaster.
Solution: Assure that soft skills and scenarios probing how candidates deal with conflicts, communication, or changes are in place. Interview the candidates with technical questions but in the same manner. Situational or behavioural questions should also be applied to pay attention to how the candidates would behave in real-world scenarios.
Recruitment should be only on who fits in, however, this approach with no focus on diversity could lead to a team with very little to no diversity, hence missing out on great candidates who would come in with diversity-centered vision. Diversity should be put at the forefront as it is counterproductive to creativity, decision-making, effectiveness, and overall company performance.
Solution: Broadening the search to include multicultural job boards and networks. Be fair, and fair in recruitment and write attractive job adverts that are characterised by diversity. A diverse team is bound to innovate better than any other so do not compromise on integration in your recruitment strategy.
Recruiters who neglect to verify references are already courting trouble, and unfortunately, there is a time when one pays for it. References can shed light on a candidate’s prior accomplishments, not only in accomplishments but also in his character and the ethics behind this work. This step may expose you to some blinded, potentially threatening situations outside of interviewing the candidates.
Solution: Reach out to several references, including ex-supervisors and other employees, to develop an all-inclusive picture of the candidate. Seek to know certain things regarding their effectiveness in the past and efficiency when coping with various challenges.
To attract the hopeful anyway, recruiters sometimes seem to over-embellish the role of the prospective candidates. While this is a good incentive, overhype of the job requirements, the work-life balance, and career opportunities can lead to frustration and excess proven turnover when these recruits realise their unmet expectations.
Solution: Be honest about the areas where the role has room for improvement and where growth can be expected. Clearly define the requirements to ensure candidates' views of the role they are pitching for are realistic.
Some organisations believe that recruitment is over when the signed offer is completed. It has just begun. Poor onboarding experiences result in alienated and unsupported new hires who struggle to perform and are unsatisfied with their work.
Solution: Have a clear and concise onboarding strategy that cushions the new employees from frustration and despair as they get acquainted with their roles, the rest of the team, and the work environment. Give them resources, training and mentorship to ease them into the organisation so they feel at home from day one.
Overlooking and treating candidates as just another number destroys your employer's branding. Candidates know how they were treated and such negative experiences could discourage them and other potential candidates from wanting to work for your company in the future.
Solution: Keep candidates informed about the process at all stages, offer constructive feedback whenever possible, and be considerate of their time and effort. Managing expectations and providing a satisfactory experience, even to those who do not cut for any reason, will motivate people to have a more positive view of your company.
There is no doubt that the recruitment process involves many steps, and therefore, avoiding these common mistakes may assist you in adopting a more purposeful approach to hiring. Providing clear role definitions, achieving the right cultural-versus-skills balance, reducing bureaucratic barriers, and promoting the inclusiveness of the candidate’s experience-all allow you to attract and keep professionals of the highest calibre.
In the end, recruitment is about relationships as much as it is about the ability to fill vacancies. If candidates sense that you value them, listen to them, and treat them with respect, they will strive to do their best and probably decide to remain loyal to the company for a long time.
Copyright 2022 © Owen Reed Ltd.
