Three Common Reasons You Hired the Wrong Person

Hiring the right person for a job is a crucial task that can significantly impact a company’s success.  According to The Harvard Business Review as much as 80% of employee turnover is due to bad hiring decisions. Unfortunately, many employers find themselves in the unenviable position of realizing they hired the wrong person too late. In this article, we’ll explore the three most common reasons behind this costly mistake and how you can avoid them.

Neglecting the Job Description:

One of the primary reasons employers end up with the wrong candidate is a failure to leverage an effective job description. A well-crafted job description serves as a roadmap for finding the ideal candidate by outlining the necessary skills, experience, and education required to be successful in the role. However, some employers deviate from this crucial document during the hiring process.

To avoid this mistake, ensure that your job description is thorough and accurately reflects the qualifications needed for success in the position. Use it as a guide to vet candidates, comparing their resumes, experience, and education against the outlined criteria. By sticking to the job description, you increase the chances of finding a candidate who genuinely aligns with the role’s demands.

Skipping Reference Checks:

Reference checks are a critical step in the hiring process providing valuable insights into a candidate’s work history, performance, and interpersonal skills. Research suggests that nearly 50% of the information on resumes is embellished, misleading or a complete fabrication.  Unfortunately, some employers skip this step due to time constraints or a misguided belief in a candidate’s resume and interview performance.

Completing thorough reference checks is essential to verify the information provided by the candidate and gain a more comprehensive understanding of their professional background. By speaking with previous employers, you can uncover potential red flags or confirm the candidate’s compatibility with your organization. Don’t underestimate the power of a reference check; it can save you from making a costly hiring mistake.

Hiring Based on Personal Likability:

While personal likability is undoubtedly a desirable trait, hiring someone solely because you like them can lead to disastrous consequences. Cultural fit and interpersonal skills are important, but they should not be the sole determining factors in the hiring decision. Hiring based on personal preferences rather than objective qualifications can result in a candidate who lacks the necessary skills or experience for the job.

To mitigate this risk, create a structured interview process that evaluates both technical skills and cultural fit. Ensure all interviewers are trained to focus on the candidate’s ability to perform the job and contribute to the team. They should also understand how to avoid asking illegal interview questions, eliminate unconscious bias and ask probing questions. By maintaining a balance between likability and professional qualifications, you increase the likelihood of hiring the right person for the role.

Conclusion:

Avoiding these common pitfalls of hiring the wrong person requires a disciplined approach to the recruitment process. By leveraging the job description, conducting thorough reference checks, and prioritizing objective qualifications over personal likability, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of making a costly hiring mistake. Invest the time and effort in the hiring process, and your organization will reap the rewards of a skilled and well-suited team.