Why do so many employers hire duds and then bemoan their performance? My previous post was about favorable treatment of employees. Now I’d like to talk about choosing the right people.
When hiring, it’s important to choose the right person for the job. Okay, that’s obvious. But the process of handling phone calls, wading through resumes and conducting interviews is very time consuming. It’s not a fun process and most employers just want to get done. Pick somebody, train them and hope for the best.
‘Red flags’ are often overlooked. Perhaps the applicant has a poor work history. Well, it seems they have a good reason. They’ve moved a lot or had to take care of issues with their kids. Reasonable? Maybe, but do you really think things will be different when they are working for you? Perhaps they show up looking less groomed than you might like. It doesn’t matter that the job does not entail working with your customers. Meeting with you should be a time to clean up, show you a desire to make a good impression. If they don’t care now, they won’t care later.
Never hire someone who shows up late for their interview. In fact, don’t interview them. You’ll have problems later. If you think they have great potential, reschedule the interview. Let them know that your time is valuable.
If you detect something in the applicants personality you don’t like, don’t hire them. Personality “quirks” gets worse as employees get more comfortable with their positions.
The bottom line? Don’t settle for someone you’re not excited to bring on board. If you do, you’ll find yourself repeating the hiring process soon. And you might even end up fighting an unemployment claim.
If necessary, pay a little more to get the best. It will be worth it to your business.
Chris Reich, Author of TeachU’s Business Talk Blog
Chris@TeachU.com