With a worker shortage, it’s easy to hire in a hurry when a candidate seems like a great fit. However, if you don’t perform your due diligence, you could end up with a bad hire on your hands. How can you hire in an efficient way, yet still avoid a hiring mistake? Here are some tips to help you.
Tip #1: Don’t skip steps in the hiring process.
When you need to hire fast, it’s easy to justify skipping steps in the process, like checking references or skills testing. However, these are often where you’ll find out about any discrepancies or issues with the candidate. While you might want to speed up the process, avoid doing so and check all the boxes to ensure you can hire with peace of mind.
Tip #2: Check for cultural fit.
One of the biggest reasons new hires don’t work out is often a lack of fit. They have the hard skills to do that job, but don’t mesh with the culture and, as a result, can’t thrive in your office environment. Avoid this by checking for cultural fit during the hiring process.
Ask questions about places they’ve worked in the past and what kind of environment they operate best in. Also, ask about how past co-workers or bosses would describe them. These kinds of questions will help you to get to know them on a more personal level, so you can assess fit better.
Tip #3: Look for red flags.
Oftentimes, if you look close enough, the candidate will be sending off some warning signs. This can include anything from showing up late to acting unprofessionally or being vague or generic in their answers. Other red flags include poor body language, a lack of specific work accomplishments or examples, or an inconsistent career path. If you see a warning sign or red flag like these or others, don’t be afraid to look closer and dig deeper.
Tip #4: Evaluate past bad hires you’ve made.
If there have been hiring mistakes made in the past, figure out where things went wrong. Perhaps you hired someone quickly based on a referral and didn’t thoroughly vet them. Or, maybe you promoted someone from within before they were ready. Regardless of the situation, identifying how things got off track in the first place is key to avoiding a future bad hire.
Tip #5: Invite others into the hiring process.
Don’t be the only one involved in the hiring process. Get the opinion of others about the short list of candidates you’re considering. They can ask questions and offer a fresh perspective on areas you might not have thought about. They might also spot an issue or a warning sign that you didn’t notice.
Tip #6: Get help from a professional.
At PrideStaff, we’re experts at evaluating candidates. As a leading recruiting firm serving businesses in the Tempe area, we know how to properly vet candidates with the right mix of questions, assessments, reference checks, skills testing, and more. When you hire our team to help you staff yours, you’ll get the best-fit new employee from the start. Ready to learn more? Contact us today.
