Dynamic Happenings

How to Mis-Hire Like the Best of ‘Em

From Dynamic’s School of Hard Knocks
Statistics say that, on average, mis-hires cost 3-15 times the mis-hired
employee’s salary. Combine that with decreased productivity, lost opportunities,
and a whole lot of frustration, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

The truth is that most of us have hired the wrong person at some point in our careers,
but where was it that we went wrong? 

Here are 6 surefire ways to hire the wrong person, straight from Dynamic’s school of hard knocks:

1. You hire under pressure.
You’ve heard your employees’ requests for help for months and have meant to bring on additional support, but you’ve been so busy that you haven’t found the time.

When you interview to address an immediate and often overdue need, you can become desperate. Many times, the first person that walks through the door can seem like a mirage in the desert. They appear cool, calm and welcoming – like everything your business has been thirsting for – but once you get a little closer you may see that this person was a fool’s paradise.

TIP: No matter how immediate or pressing your hiring needs are, always be sure that the person you hire is qualified and will fit in with your team’s culture. Phone screens and group interviews can help to quickly identify key candidates when dealing with tight hiring timelines.

2. You cast too wide a net.
You know you need help, but you’re not exactly sure what type of employee you need.  This can result in attracting candidates who are looking for any job rather than the job that they need filled.

TIP: Make sure to clearly define the role you want to fill before hiring someone new.

3. You don’t put your feelers out.
Did you know that referrals are the very best source of new employees? If you fail to ask current employees, friends and business associates if they know someone who may be a good fit for your job, you’re neglecting a valuable resource.

TIP: In addition to offering informed recommendations for new hires, referrals from employees are also more likely to fit into the team culture. It never hurts to ask.

4. You go with your gut.
Gut instincts are great when you can afford a gamble, but mis-hires are far too expensive a wager. Liking a potential job candidate is a huge piece of the employee placement puzzle, but foregoing skills tests or team interviews simply because they feel like a good fit is a bad idea. Don’t forget that you can just as easily like a person with the required skills as someone without, so take the time and thoroughly screen your candidates. It will pay off in the long run.

TIP: When interviewing for a position, give your key team members an opportunity to interview the top candidates and provide input. It will help give you more diverse input on the candidate and build team morale in the process.

5. You do all the talking.
You’re excited about what you do and what your company has to offer. That’s great, but there is much for you to learn from your job candidates.

TIP: Allow your interviewees to reveal who they are before you tell them who you’d like them to be.

6. You don’t check references.
Reference checks can seem tedious and at times you may feel like they’re just a waste of time. It never fails that the one time you fail to check references is when it would have made the biggest difference.

TIP: Take a little time in the beginning of your hiring process and save a lot of time (and money!) later. Always check references.

Mis-hires are expensive! You can increase your hiring success by avoiding these all-to-common ways to hire the wrong person.

Looking for an even simpler way to hire the right person for the job? Rely on one of Dynamic’s recruitment experts. Dollar for dollar, recruiters earn their keep.