This is part two of our Top Hiring Mistakes and Solutions series. For a refresher, or if you haven’t read it yet, you can check out part 1 here. We previously discussed biased hiring and hiring while neglecting other factors of the hiring process besides the interview. Here are some more hiring mistakes and solutions:
Hiring Mistake: Having an unclear job description. How can you hire the right person for the job if you’re a little fuzzy on what exactly that job is? This can cause confusion not only for the interviewer, but also the interviewee. If the job description is poorly explained, or not at all explained, there might be a handful of people that you interview that aren’t even sure what they are applying for! Solution: Ted Karkus, CEO of Cold-EEZE, suggests that a professional management consultant should be brought in to help write and review job descriptions. From there, save yourself some time by only interviewing candidates that fit the job description.
Hiring Mistake: Interviewing with the application or resume in hand. I’ve witnessed it plenty of times in my own job interviews—the interviewer looks down at my resume, then asks something along the lines of “So you worked in a business’s marketing department for two years?” The issue with this method is that, when you have information like that in your hands, you’ll most likely be inclined to just confirm what you already know from reading the resume, instead of asking new questions and learning more about the candidate. Solution: Develop a questioning strategy that works for you. You already know that the candidate worked as a retail manager for 2 years; ask her how she handled difficult customers instead of merely confirming her role. Ask questions that help you learn something about the candidate that you don’t already know.
Hiring Mistake: Not focusing on what really matters. According to Harvard Business School, attitude alone accounts for 93 percent of business success. Unfortunately, employers often focus on the other 7 percent—experience, intelligence, and skill—more than necessary, neglecting to ask questions that will give them an idea of the candidate’s work attitude. Solution: Gauge the candidate’s attitude by asking how they would react in certain work settings. Although experience and skill are important, don’t forget that the candidate’s attitude is also highly important.
The hiring process can be abysmal for your HR department—or yourself if you’re the one being interviewed—but these interview tips can make the hiring process easier for both sides. Keep what is important in mind, ask the right questions, and keep an unbiased mind when making decisions to improve your interviews.
Do you have any interview tips or suggestions for a smooth interview? Share with us in the comments!
