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Many “standard” hiring
procedures are actually common mistakes that managers
often make to select competent candidates. Learn to
eliminate these mistakes from your hiring procedures, you
will choose talented candidates with the right skills.
Mistake 1 – Relying only on interviews to evaluate a
candidate
A recent study by the International Personnel
Management Association found that the typical interview
only increases your chance of choosing the best candidate
by 2 percent over the flip of a coin. While interviews
are the most common selection method, managers often
don’t receive proper training or tools to identify the
skills of the candidate. An interview can be used by
managers to evaluate how well a candidate might work with
others.
Mistake 2 – Using successful people as models
Even though duplicating success might seem like a
good idea; evaluating the characteristics of top
performers alone does not provide clear reasons why
people succeed. Often winners and weaker performers share
the same characteristics. Finding factors that
distinguish the winners from the weaker performers is
more important than understanding common characteristics.
Mistake 3 – Too many criteria
To hire winners, decide on six to eight factors that
separate them from weaker candidates. Through a method
called “validation” you can make better hiring decisions.
This process identifies critical job success factors and
weighs each factor’s importance. The government
originally used validation research to prove that
employment selection practices predicted job success and
were not discriminatory.
Mistake 4 – Evaluating “personality” instead of job
skills
High energy, honesty and a solid work ethic are
personality traits that seem to practically guarantee
success. However, objective statistical research shows
little correlation between any personality factor and any
specific job. Only tests of job skills or knowledge are
proven to predict job success consistently.
Mistake 5 – Using yourself as an example
While your own success might lead you to believe that
you can instinctively identify candidates with potential,
don’t count on it. When you use yourself as a model,
unconsciously your ego often interferes and can bias your
objectivity in judging others.
Mistake 6 – Failure to use statistically validated
testing to predict skills critical for job success
In some companies brainstorming is used to identify
candidate selection criteria. This technique tends to
focus on theories instead of facts, theories that suggest
that high self-esteem guarantees a better employee. Often
the emphasis is placed on attitude and experience rather
than ability and skills. Validated skills provide a more
significant and consistent indicator of success
potential.
Mistake 7 – Not researching why people have failed
Research has shown that people fail in a job for
reasons different from the criteria used to select and
hire them. Many managers can list the reasons why people
fail, but will seldom use this information for future
hiring decisions. By incorporating these “failure points”
into the selection process can reduce mistakes by as much
as 25 percent.
Mistake 8 – Relying on “Good Guy” criteria
Generally, people like others who look and act like
them. People who appear to be like you frequently are
considered to be “good guys”. We all want to hire good
people, but being a good person on its own does not
ensure success on the job. Skills are a much more consist
and significant indicator of a person’s success
potential.
Mistake 9 – Bypassing the reference check
Recruiting and placement agencies report as many as
15 to 20 percent of candidates submit false information
on resumes and job applications. An individual who twists
the facts to get a job will probably bend the rules on
the job. Checking reference may seem to be tedious, but
it beats having to fire someone in two weeks. To err in
hiring talent is human, but when you are willing to
revamp your standard hiring process, you have an
opportunity to lead your company in a new and more
profitable direction.
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