The hiring process is not only about finding the qualified person for a job but also about making sure that they are right fit for the role. Corporate recruiters and recruitment agencies should always remember that they are looking for more than just skillsets when hiring someone. They need to find people who can work well with others, who have strong communication skills, who can motivate others and so on.
Hiring new people can be a costly proposition. A Center for American Progress study states that it can cost approximately 20 percent of an employee’s salary to replace them. Hiring the wrong candidate can cause team friction, slow down production, and cost your business money. So, it’s important to get it right the first time.
Here, we take a look at 5 major recruitment errors and how to avoid them.
1. Unclear Job Descriptions
It’s simple – if you post a generic job description, you can’t expect the perfect candidate to show up.
It’s important to properly communicate the specifics of the position to the recruiter or applicant. An unclear job outline makes it more likely that there will be a mismatch between the candidates who apply and the person you need.
A good job description doesn’t just comprise a list of duties. There should be a clear definition of the role with key areas of responsibilities outlined. Mention the qualifications and skills the applicant must possess, and a few other skills that would be good to have.
It’s also important not to oversell a position and be upfront and open about what opportunities are on offer with that role. It would be misleading to let an applicant believe there is a chance of a quick promotion if there isn’t. This can lead to dissatisfied new recruits and higher attrition rates.
2. Basing Decisions Solely On Resumes
We know that resumes are important but remember – they are only what the applicant wants you to see.
A resume is helpful to assess a person’s eligibility for a particular role based on experience and past achievements. But it’s not really that effective in revealing other aspects about your candidate, such as their passion for the work, their motivations for applying for the position, or their potential for the role.
If you have engaged a search firm to fill the job, a great way for healthcare executive search firms or IT executive search firms to know more about a candidate is to ask them to prepare a supporting statement about what really motivates them, and why they consider themselves a good fit for the role as well as the organization. This provides them a chance to exhibit their behavioral strengths and competencies, and gives candidates who haven’t had the same educational or employment opportunities as others, the chance to be considered equally.
3. Not Considering Recruiting From Within
Sometimes, the best candidates are right in front of you – you just need to look in-house.
It is a proven fact that internal recruiting improves retention. LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends 2020 report confirms that employees remain 41% longer at organizations that regularly hire from within.
There are several benefits to filling roles internally. It gives you an economic advantage, since it saves the time and expenditure required in advertising for external candidates, as well as relocation costs. An inside hire would already be familiar with the business’s values, processes, and goals, helping them onboard much faster than an outside recruit. Moreover, having an internal candidate makes it easier to have an overall view of their past roles and performance. Hiring from within can also protect valuable knowledge and intellectual resources that would be lost if a person left the company.
4. Turning Away Overqualified Candidates
It’s a common trend for recruiters to turn down candidates they consider to be overqualified. However, it may be time to rethink that practice.
A typical misconception around overqualified candidates is that they will not remain in the role for long and may leave for a more challenging opportunity elsewhere. However, such people may have various reasons for opting for a role – they may be looking for better work-life balance, a differently structured organization, or a shift in their career.
The fact is that highly talented and experienced people can help your business, even in the event that they don’t stay long. They have the ability and skill set to help develop your team and add value to your organization. If you provide them with good chances of progression and opportunities to showcase their skills, they may opt to stay on and help your business expand in new ways.
5. Holding Out For The Perfect Candidate
Although we’ve stated the importance of hiring the right person for your company, it may often be unfeasible to keep a position unfulfilled indefinitely because the perfect candidate hasn’t come along.
The perfect candidate is rare, and many companies and tech recruiting firms waste vast resources trying to locate them. Waiting for that ideal employee may jeopardize your team’s productivity if it remains understaffed for long, which could in turn have an impact on achieving business goals especially if it is a business-critical role.
It’s usually best to hire a candidate who aligns closely with your key requirements, someone with the right attitude who fits your company’s culture and is willing to learn and grow along with the business. Such people present a great opportunity for an employer to mold them into the perfect hire through training and development. They could have other useful qualities that might prove valuable to the business as well.
At Employvision, we know what it takes to source and recruit the perfect candidate for you. As one of the top recruitment agencies in USA with over 15 years of proven track record in recruiting top technology talent, we are constantly abreast of the latest trends and requirements in talent acquisition.
Contact Employvision and start hiring the best IT talent for your organization!
