1. You skip the preparation
Perhaps your company is growing or one of your employees have resigned and you suddenly need to find a skilled replacement. Maybe you can already post the job description this afternoon if you just create one quickly or reuse an old job description? But it is right here you must take a step back and take yourself time to find the right candidate. Because it requires a longer process to hire the right employee.
It is important to make a thorough job analysis and a competency profile, so you know exactly what person you are looking for to join your team. In the job description you must describe what the job is about and what competencies the position requires. When the job description is accurate, it also becomes much easier to find the right person for the position.
2. You do not include relevant employees
When looking for a new employee, it is important to include relevant employees in the decision making. They might not have the final decision, but they can be a great support when trying to find the right fit for the team. Perhaps the employees have some important requirements for the candidates’ personal profile and working profile which you have not taken into consideration.
Perhaps the current employees can be helpful when it comes to creating the right job description and when creating the job advertisement itself. The job advertisement can pose many challenges that require time and careful consideration, both in relation to the template and where the job advertisement shall be posted.
3. You talk more than you listen
Now you have finally received a lot of applications and have decided which candidates who are suitable for your company. You have also prepared a lot of questions, that you are looking forward to asking the different candidates for the job interviews. On one hand it is good to be prepared, but on the other hand it would be wise to just be quiet.
One of the many mistakes you should avoid when hiring is to talk too much, which is a mistake too many interviewers make. Your primary role is instead to listen carefully and ask questions to what the candidate has to say.
4. You do not check references
The last point of the 4 mistakes to avoid when hiring, is to avoid to not check the references. Perhaps the candidate looks perfect for the role on paper, and she did great to the job interview. But is she really who she pretends to be? To be sure that you find the right candidate to join your team and to grow your company, it is important to secure references from others who have previously worked with the potential new employee.
When contacting the reference person, you should only ask questions that have a significant impact on the applicant’s ability to hold the current position. It could also be an idea to work with a recruitment agency, who can help you verify the specific candidate or help you through the entire recruitment process, so that you ensure that you find the right candidate for your company.
