When keeping productivity high means the difference between a thriving business and failure, every hire you make is critical. In fact, the consequences of making a bad hire go far beyond what you might think. A single bad hire can cost your company thousands of dollars (if not much more), and the drop in morale and productivity caused by letting a bad egg onto your team can last for months. The solution is simple, right? Just make a perfect hire every time.
That’s easier said than done, of course. Fortunately, a few tweaks to your hiring process can dramatically improve your success almost overnight. Here’s how to get started.
Tips for spotting a bad hire
1. Look for red flags in the resume
Though short gaps in employment can have a reasonable explanation, your favored candidates should generally be those who have shown dedication to their careers. Likewise, you should be concerned about hiring anyone who seems to be slipping backward professionally. Why haven’t their skills improved, and why have they apparently been overlooked for promotion? A candidate who values their career growth will do the same for your company’s growth.
2. Rethink your interviews
Interviews are such an ancient tradition in hiring that it’s easy to fall into unproductive habits. Are you asking the same questions of every candidate regardless of the position you’re filling. Is an in-person, across-the-desk interview really the best way to evaluate your applicant’s suitability? Being swayed by an applicant’s charisma and friendliness could even tempt you to overlook the fact they’re underqualified for the job.
For example, a skills test for your technical team or a phone interview for customer service representatives might give you a better view of their fit for each job. Starting with an alternative to the traditional interview could save you from wasting time on the wrong candidate.
3. Look for negativity
The tendency to blame others, complain about previous employers, or speak poorly of past workmates should be immediate red flags. Though an underqualified hire can drag down productivity while they work with you, troublemakers (and their negative attitudes) can continue to affect your team long after you’ve fired the guilty party.
By asking every candidate to describe their previous workplace, you can get a feel for what type of attitude they have. In addition, attitude should be one of the primary subjects you address when checking references with previous employers.
4. Don’t be afraid to fire
If a bad hire does slip through your screening process, don’t wait too long to act. Hoping for things to improve despite your best training and strong direction generally leads to disappointment – and significant losses. It can be frustrating to admit that the process failed, but it’s better to take action than to let the damage increase. So once you’re certain a hire isn’t going to work out, feel free to fire them.
5. Put up a buffer
Both the risk and the damage of making a bad hire can be nearly eliminated by hiring through a staffing agency. Since candidates working through an agency will have a clear paper trail, verified skills and accessible references ready at hand, you can feel confident that you are getting a clear picture.
Need help hiring?
At Expert Staffing, we can even replace a hire that doesn’t meet your standards in the rare case that a perfect fit isn’t found on the first try. Our comprehensive staffing services can guarantee your satisfaction – to learn more about them, contact us today.
