Hiring new employees often feels like hunting for a needle in a haystack. You dig and dig around in the haystack, come up emptyhanded and dig some more. When you finally catch a glimpse of that shining needle out of the corner of your eye, you pounce on it out of sheer relief, but it pricks your finger good and deep. Ouch! Small price to pay for finding the needle, right? But soon you realize the wound is infected and you feel miserable. Congratulations – you just experienced the wrong way to hire. Here’s how it plays out in real workplaces everywhere:
Your company is doing well, but it’s not where you really want it to be. Projects are behind schedule, your business processes need updating, and several business goals feel like distant memories. Then a key administrative employee abruptly quits, creating additional strain. You move quickly to begin the hiring process. Although the job description ought to be overhauled, there’s simply no time for that. The ads are prepared and posted in all the usual newspapers and online job boards. You anxiously await applications while putting out all the fires that keep springing up. Somewhere in the back of your head is a voice saying this is the wrong way to hire, but you block it out.
You only keep the application window open for ten days hoping plenty of applications come in. You receive a dozen in the form of emailed cover letters and resumes – not exactly a tsunami, but it will have to do. Four of them are ruled out immediately because they don’t come close to meeting the minimum qualifications. The remaining eight look decent, but none stand out. Beggars can’t be choosy, right? Once again you feel like this is the wrong way to hire, but you ignore it and push forward.
After two days of interviews, the hiring committee eliminates five candidates but can’t agree on which one of the final three should be hired. You thank them for their work and announce you’ll make the final decision. You glance through the applications and your interview notes one last time, then make your decision and call the candidate to make an offer. Much to your dismay, the person declines. Panic washes over you. There are only two candidates left. What if they both say no? It would be a disaster. There’s no way you can go through this process again. That would be a nightmare. With your heart pounding you call up the second-choice finalist and make an offer. The person accepts and you breathe a huge sigh of relief.
It doesn’t take more than a few weeks before everyone realizes you’ve made a bad hire, but no one wants to go through another hiring process, so you grin and bear it. After another few weeks, the new employee quits. You’re back to square one and no one is happy about it.
Rushing your hiring process can be disastrous, but slowing it down too much risks losing the best candidates to other companies. Having a good system to find top candidates is the key. If it’s time for your company to start making smarter hires, Contact PainLess Hire – we’re here to help!