Estimated reading time: 3 mins
A company can only be as good as the people who are working there. You could have the best idea in the world, and plenty of funding to progress, but if you have a substandard level of employees working for you, then there’s only so far you can go. While there is a skills-shortage in some industries, that is often not the cause of a company’s employment woes. The problems stem from their recruitment processes; they’re often guilty of one or two fundamental errors which can result in hiring the wrong person. We take a look at a few of these issues below, so you can ensure you don’t make them in the future.
The Job Description
Far and away the advertisement is the biggest mistake companies make with their job description. What you write and how you present your company will influence the quality of the candidates that apply. If your aim is to hire the best talent around (and it should be), then make sure you have job advertisements that appeal to that talent. If you’re only including a long list of requirements, then you’ll only attract the lowest quality candidates. The best employees want to know what you can do for them, not just what they can do for you.
Company Culture Fit
You could have someone who, on paper, is a seriously impressive candidate, but who still wouldn’t be right for your company. Why? It’s all about the cultural fit. Some candidates will be better suited to your environment than others. If you’re a young, cool start-up, then someone who has spent all of their career working in more traditionally corporate environments probably won’t be right for your business (and vice versa). Make sure they understand what type of culture you have before bringing them on board.
Face-Value Judgements
A candidate is going to put their best foot forward during the application process. And why wouldn’t they? They’re not going to jeopardize their chances by revealing their weaknesses. But like everyone else, they are going to have weaknesses. And while some of these weaknesses won’t be all that important, others might be — and it’s important that you know about them. Before offering anyone a job at your company, conduct a criminal background check, sex offender registry check, and their past employment references. They’ll all help you to get a clear view of the candidate. You might discover that they’re exactly who they present themselves to be, or you might discover something that stops you from hiring them.
Lack of Training
Your mission is to bring on board the best possible talent. But it’s not as if you can just hire them and expect them to deliver grade-A work for you. They’ll need a little help if they’re going to bring their best. Here’s where your company’s training can come in. To get the most from your new employees, you should give them coaching, training, and support. Only with the right guidance can they reach their full potential with your business. While there is a way to bypass this issue in the short-term, with technical recruitment agencies and such, hiring a person to be a perfect fit with a company means having someone who is not necessarily “perfect” but a rough diamond ready to mould. When you hire a person who needs more training this is your chance to bring them around to your core values and ideals. Many businesses hire temp workers or go through recruitment agencies, which is ideal in the short term, and may help you find your perfect employee, but it will take a while to make them 110% perfect.
