Top 5 Mistakes Companies Make When Hiring and How to Avoid Them

Mistakes made during the hiring process can be frustrating, but more than anything they can be costly and can quickly and severely cut into your bottom line. On the other hand, getting things right can result in lower turnover rates, an overall reduction in hiring costs, and increased efficiency. 

Clearly, there’s a lot at stake. And at Technical Search Consultants, we’re well aware of the risks. Here are the most common hiring pitfalls we see businesses make, and how they can be avoided.

1. Not Getting The Timing Right

When it comes to hiring top talent for your business, timing is critical. Rushing the process can result in shortcuts or missed red flags that end up coming back to bite when the candidate doesn’t end up working out. That said, dragging out the hiring process also has its downsides. Lack of timely communication could mean that an ideal candidate signs on with a different company–what a missed opportunity! 

How to fix this? First of all, don’t let stakeholders pressure you. Stick to your tried and true hiring process if it’s been working well. Ensure that you have time and resources available to fully evaluate a potential employee, including the time necessary to check references. And to be sure that you don’t alienate top talent, be prompt with replies, even setting deadlines for your hiring manager if need be. 

2. Focusing On The Wrong Things

All business? Or all vibes? How about a balance of both! Candidates that you’re seriously considering for an open position need both hard and soft skills to be a valuable asset to your team. Individuals who have more than enough experience and technical training but won’t fit in well with your company’s culture could cause you to hesitate. But the same is true for someone who fits right in to your team but just doesn’t have the skill set you’re looking for. It can be tricky, but finding someone who walks that line is your best bet for someone who will stick with you.

How can you avoid making this common hiring mistake? Well you can easily learn a candidate’s abilities and qualifications if they submit a thorough resume. Once you know where their expertise lies, you can work on developing a range of questions that can help to reveal their communication style, teamwork abilities, and problem-solving approaches. With all this information in tow, you can better evaluate if a specific candidate will be a good fit for your needs.

If you’re having a hard time figuring out the details on your end, a top tip is to find your best performer(s) and existing ideal employee(s) and then identify and make note of the commonalities between them. This information, along with your company’s own values and ethics can help to inform your future hiring campaigns.

3. Writing Unclear Job Descriptions

This one gets the best of companies. Whether it’s inaccurate or unintentionally misleading language, or nebulous, vague descriptions, you could be cheating yourself out of attracting the talent you need, simply because your job descriptions aren’t clear. Take time to list what a job entails and requires and then get creative with your language. The ideal job description is informative but enticing, and is able to highlight the perks and benefits of the open position. That said, if there are potential challenges, be transparent with candidates. A straightforward approach is always best here.

Here’s how to avoid confusing or inaccurate job descriptions. First off, talk with the folks who have the same or similar jobs within your organization to get an accurate, boots-on-the-ground viewpoint and opinion on what the position entails and requires from workers. Hiring managers can help here too. Be as thorough as possible so that candidates know what they’re getting into, and so that you can prevent unnecessary turnover. Be clear about “required” vs “preferred” skills and qualifications, along with primary duties and responsibilities.

4. Reluctance to Use Technology

Outdated recruitment methods are less likely to meet modern candidates where they are–online! Modern job candidates and modern recruitment processes are most likely to encounter each other on various digital platforms, not in newspaper classified ads or physical bulletin boards. Reluctance to employ AI-powered recruitment tools, like an applicant tracking system (ATS), or to get involved in social media interactions could end up costing you in the end. Another piece of this discussion is neglecting to see the value of establishing a solid company brand online. Today’s job candidates are looking for companies who know who they are and what they stand for.

There are several ways that you can incorporate technology into your hiring process, such as using social media and other professional networking sites to advertise positions you’re hiring for. Recruiting software can also help to streamline your efforts by filtering resumes and allowing you to focus more on the interview process. If you do feel that your target demographic may turn to a traditional media outlet, like a newspaper, utilizing online classified listings could be a better bet for spreading a wider net. And since most users will be contacting you on a mobile device, ensure that you make that process easy for them, with a mobile friendly application and website where they can easily submit their resume.

5. Not Using a Staffing Agency

Do you know how you can knock out all the previous four mistakes and more in one fell swoop? That’s right! By working with a staffing agency who handles every step of the hiring process for you and has perfected their approach, thanks to decades of experience. On top of having the hiring process down to a science, a staffing agency in Cleveland can also provide you with a wider pool of qualified candidates, whether you’re looking to hire locally or to expand your search. On top of their amped up abilities and reliable experience, agency search consultants can also reduce the burden on your employees, especially if you don’t already have a dedicated hiring team. 

How can you avoid this misstep? That’s easy! Partner with a staffing agency in Cleveland and make the most of their expertise and know-how in the local recruitment market. Save time, money and resources and leave hiring in the capable hands of a job search consultant. Beyond being fully immersed in the process, they also take time to get to know your business needs and company culture, so they know which key questions to ask during an interview in order to find that just-right candidate. 

Your Local Staffing Agency in Cleveland

For ultimate flexibility and scalability, a staffing agency is your best bet. And if you are looking to fill an open position in the Office / Administration, Engineering, Manufacturing / Industrial or Information Tech industries, then Technical Search Consultants can help. Take the best step you can toward prioritizing efficiency in your next hiring campaign and contact us to learn more about our process. See how we can help you find the candidates you’ve been searching for! It’s time to conserve resources and get the results you’ve been missing.