Hiring a new employee is a complicated and long process. The recruiters or hiring managers must find the right set of people who can align well with the organization’s values and mission. Therefore, hiring the wrong candidate can negatively impact any organization, leading to slow production, wastage of company resources, and team friction.

As a recruiter or an HR professional, one must analyze the candidates well before hiring them. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle where the HR department fills different positions per the requirement. A wrong piece in the wrong place, and boom! – The company suffers losses, both tangible and intangible. Small businesses suffer the majority of the blow as the cost of a bad hire can lead to monetary loss.

The Human Resource department is the backbone of any organization. Being an HR professional means understanding the strengths and weaknesses of a company better than anyone else and striving to fill these gaps. But often, at times, it is hard to find the right people to fill those voids.

A bad hire can reduce your organization’s productivity and create a tense working environment, thus impacting your organization’s values. Over 80% of employee turnover happens due to a bad hire, further affecting the organization’s overall productivity.

So, what are the top hiring mistakes that a recruiter makes? Come, let’s explore.

Betting entirely on first impressions

Often, recruiters judge a candidate based on their first impression of matching their criteria to fulfill the position. Although first impressions make a lasting impact, one must not bet the entire hiring process on this.

Employers must remember that every human being is not perfect, and one must not have unrealistic expectations from them. They must keep the interview system impartial and let everyone express themselves without feeling intimidated or nervous.

Not focussing on aptitude assessment

A skill set is never enough to close the selection process. The candidate should also possess the right aptitude to fit in with the team and align with the organization’s values. Therefore, one must conduct a proper aptitude assessment to understand whether the candidate aligns with the company’s core principles. If a person likes working alone, they may not be the right fit for a position requiring teamwork.

Hastening the Selection Process

Another big reason for a wrong hire is when an employer is trying to fill in the positions just for the sake of it. Recruiters must completely eradicate this thought that ‘somebody is better than nobody.

One must take ample time to vet the applications, interview the candidates properly, conduct assessments, etc. No decisions should be taken in a rush to fill a position unless you are sure the candidate is right for the organization.

Neglecting the Power of Referrals

Some recruiters often seek referrals from existing employees. This is a good practice as referrals fit the company better than others. Since these are the applications referred by your staff, you can trust them more as the referee is already in sync with the organization’s values. It leads to less attrition and higher job satisfaction.

Underestimating the Benefits of Technology

When you are sitting on a hump of resumes, you can likely make some bad decisions when it comes to hiring. Technology will come to your rescue to make the recruiting process much easier and more efficient. You can use AI and gamification in hiring, like Google, to create real-life job simulations for the candidates in the form of a game. This will help you understand if they can match the job expectations.

You must screen the applications well before selecting them or hiring them for a particular position. One must be fully aware, methodical, and patient while reviewing the application or conducting the selection process. Wrong hiring over a while can lead to a huge disaster concerning the company’s resources in the long run.