As the saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Despite a major evolution in the hiring process in recent years due to technological innovations, the same traditional job interviews are still in place. The question is: are they still working for you?
If you’re not finding the people you need, or you’re making expensive hiring mistakes, it can cost you in profits and productivity. If that’s the case, it’s time to rethink your interview process and avoid the following mistakes:
Asking generic questions.
Just because you’ve been asking the same questions for years or you found a list of questions from an online resource you trust doesn’t mean you should keep asking the same ones. The success of your interview and hiring process hinges on asking good questions. Perhaps it’s time for a change in this area, whether it’s moving toward asking behavior-based interview questions or creating panel interviews so questions come from multiple perspectives.
Going with your first impression.
First impressions aren’t always accurate. Yet, once they’re made, they are difficult to roll back and change. But don’t base hiring decisions on them. Make sure you’re looking at the full picture of the candidate, from their resume and interview answers to skills testing, references, and background checks. Forming a judgment of a person in a few seconds leaves a lot of room for error, so be aware of that and take steps to avoid it.
Focusing on feelings, not facts.
Similarly, if a candidate comes in and “wows” you, answering questions intelligently and making a favorable impression, don’t automatically offer them the job. Some people are excellent at interviewing and inferior when it comes to doing their jobs. It’s why you’ll want to go beyond the interview. Also, conduct other steps in the process, like personality testing and reference checks, to ensure the individual is the right fit for your company’s needs.
Avoiding red flags.
Oftentimes, a poor hiring mistake will come with some red flags. Make sure you’re aware of common ones, like exaggerations of job titles or responsibilities, gaps in employment, or discrepancies between their resume and LinkedIn profile. Do some digging and get answers to any divergent information before you make a decision about hiring.
Get professional help hiring.
If you’re ready to hand off the hiring work to experts, let Provisional Recruiting help. As a leading staffing agency serving Spokane and the Northwest, we can prevent these mistakes, so you can hire the smart, dependable people you need. It’s that easy. Get started now by clicking below.
