Whenever I ask my clients to think about the worst hires they ever had in the past, and why they were not right, the reasons generally come down to one, or a combination of, these seven classic hiring mistakes.

1. Not being clear about what the position entails – including the objectives of the position.

The Solution is to be very clear yourself about what the position entails – including the objectives of the position.  It’s not good enough to think you can make it up as you go along. You don’t have the time and they want clarity , and respect.  Set out the responsibilities and standards expected clearly and these will be measured.

2. Not being clear about the skills and experience required.

Be clear in your own mind of the required skills and experience  that are necessary for the position.

3. Not interviewing for values that you and the business require.

The best relationships are built on shared values. The same goes for an employee/manager relationship.  You are looking for someone who shares your values and those of your business. Don’t just interview for experience. Develop questions that will give you a good sense of their values.

4. Talking too much in the interview and trying to ‘sell’ the job to the applicant.

This follows on from the last point. Work out your questions beforehand. Prepare open ended questions that will seek to colour the picture. Let them sell themselves to you – not the other way around.

5. Not setting evaluation criteria so that all applicants are seen on a level playing field.

Decide what the important things are for you to measure and make sure you measure all the candidates against the same criteria. Make sure you include the qualities that are important for the candidate to have and develop some questions that will help you elicit those too.

6. Not checking references or having a clear set of questions to ask referees.

Even if it’s your best friend’s niece or nephew – DO the reference check.  There is no need to feel uncomfortable about it – it is standard business practice.  You could save yourself some future agonies.  Always have a prepared set of questions for the reference check.

7. Ignoring those niggling red flags.

Listen to your intuition. Notice any signs that tug at your intuition and dig further. Bring them up in the interview or in your reference check.

Not watching out for or correcting these mistakes is like operating heavy machinery with your fingers crossed behind your back and hoping for a good outcome.

Until next time…

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