Hiring is often a long, time-consuming, and in some cases, even expensive process. There are a lot of steps to go through, from creating a job ad that will draw in the right candidates to running through the interview process, with its myriad of quirks and pitfalls.
Given that often multiple people and aspects are involved in the hiring process, it’s incredibly easy for things to go off the rails, or for bad practices to slip into the system.
In this article, we reveal the 10 most common bad hiring practices and what companies can do to improve them.
Job ads are a great way to get the word out about your company and attract candidates to apply. Take some time to carefully write the job description, instead of recycling the old ones. Your job ad should be concise, appealing, and accurate. Don’t list every task the person needs to perform. Instead, ensure that you leave only the key requirements and tasks in. This way, you’ll be able to draw the right attention while not discouraging candidates who don’t check all the checkboxes.
According to a LinkedIn study, men applied to jobs they viewed 13% more frequently than women. One of the primary reasons for this is unconscious gender bias found in job descriptions or even emails and messages. Small details in job descriptions may be sending subtle messages indicating what gender recruiters imagine for a role. You can endorse equality by avoiding terms like “strong,” “assertive,” and “ninja.”
The first impression a candidate has of a company is when they try to apply for a job opening. Every company should go through its own application process to make sure it is straightforward. If not, an upgrade or a change in the applicant tracking system might be needed. Otherwise, many candidates might give up on a company before even applying for a job.
Having to go through a never-ending gauntlet of interviews can be quite frustrating for candidates. Putting the candidate through too many hoops will not ensure that you are hiring the best person for the job. On the contrary, it may prolong the application process, leading candidates to drop out of the process.
Interviews should be conversations. Your potential employees are not on trial – don’t interrogate them. Instead, a company should use interviews as a chance to be human, relatable, and caring to every candidate, instead of being perceived like a robotic corporation.
Do you have a specific set of questions you ask each and every candidate? Do you tend to ask your candidates silly trick questions? Maybe it’s time to consider updating your interview practices. Every interview should result in a good discussion, allowing the company to get to know the candidate’s skills, experiences, and personality better. Next time, feel free to go off-script and get the candidates to truly open up to you and to get them excited about the opportunity.
During a job interview, the candidate should be the one who does most of the talking. Even though it might be challenging, you should resist babbling about the company for too long. Instead, it is much better to ask thoughtful behavioral questions to assess the candidate’s “fit” for the role and company.
One of the greatest issues that companies have when it comes to recruiting and interviewing is that they tend to “listen to their gut.” Even though the “gut” may react to a candidate one way or another, it is definitely not a good way to judge the candidate’s abilities. Instead, it is recommended to interview against a set of competencies that support the job description, with behavioral-based questions addressing each competency.
Companies often tend to forget to contact their candidates after the interview and inform them about the next steps. The candidate should be aware of expected communication, whether or not they receive a job offer. Information that you can include in your follow-up email, besides the next steps, is whether you’ll keep their resume, the time frame for the hire decision and whether more interviews may be required.
Companies send an email to the candidate who gets the job. However, the other candidates also deserve to know the outcome. Thank all the candidates that applied, and let them know you’ve hired someone else. It may be a time-consuming task, but it’s one of the easiest ways to ensure that your company has an excellent reputation.
Even though hiring is a time-consuming and complex process, every company can increase its chances of choosing the most suitable candidate for its team by avoiding these bad hiring practices that seem to happen all too often.
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