For any company, hiring new employees is an extensive process that requires much time. To attract and retain quality talent, one must make sure their hiring process is one that is efficient and effective. Failure to implement a proper hiring strategy increases the chances of employee turnover.
This article will detail how to avoid common hiring mistakes to ensure you continually onboard and retain high-quality employees.
Not Providing an Accurate Description of the Job
One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is not providing candidates with an accurate description of the role. To recruit the right talent to your company, you need to be clear about the specific skills, qualities and experience the candidate needs to have, as well as a detailed description of the job itself. Avoid broad or generic descriptions as this can be misleading to candidates.
Failure to provide an accurate description of the job can lead to an influx in applications from unqualified candidates which heightens the chance of hiring the wrong person for the role.
When the hiring process is rushed, companies sometimes hire candidates so quickly they forget to give them a full run down of their duties. When they step into the roll, they may not be fully equipped with the necessary skills needed, thus increasing their chances of leaving the company.
From the start, determine your needs and develop a detailed description of the role to avoid this mistake from happening.
Failure to Conduct a Pre-Employment Screening Process
Hiring new employees is always a risk and sometimes a candidate may not provide you with truthful information about their skills and experience. Conducting a pre-employment screening can eliminate risk of hiring a dishonest employee.
A pre-employment screening process can include a background check, education verification, and previous employment verification. Though this part of the hiring process can take extra time, it will ensure you are giving the position to someone who is trustworthy.
Hiring too Quickly
A common mistake, and often a costly one, is rushing through the hiring process just to fill a vacant position. When you’re in a bind and are desperate to fill a spot, you might offer the job to the first candidate that applies.
Though your need to fill a position may need to happen quickly, rushing through the entire process can lead to hiring an unqualified candidate, which can end up costing you in the long run.
To avoid this, eliminate any time-wasting elements of the hiring process so you can efficiently and quickly on-board a valuable candidate. Conducting phone interviews is a good solution when you are on a time crunch. Phone interviews are usually much quicker and allow you to weed out all unqualified candidates before considering which ones to bring in for an in-person interview.
Another strategy that can save you time is internal recruiting. This type of recruiting strategy is the process of hiring from within, whether that be onboarding a current employee to your department or bringing on a current employee’s trusted referral.
Letting too Much Time Pass
While some companies may rush the hiring process, others may extend theirs for far too long. If you bring a candidate in for an interview, you should never keep them waiting longer than a couple weeks. If there happens to be a delay in the process, communicate this to them.
The typical hiring process takes about 2-4 weeks. Other opportunities may come along with certain candidates and if you extend your process, you increase your chance of losing that person. Don’t miss out on a great employee because you delayed your hiring process.
Summary
To eliminate risk with potential employees and increase your employee retention rate, be mindful of these common mistakes and avoid them at all costs.
Check out Corey's articles at 365 business tips.
