Mistakes in Hiring Personnel

Anyone involved in a company's management and/or its hiring process is highly aware of the current shortage in labour force. There's no denying that, and there isn't much that a company can do to solve this acute problem.

However, there's a lot a company's management CAN do to somewhat compensate for it, ie. identify the mistakes being done in the process of recruiting and retaining personnel and correcting them.

What constitutes a mistake in the hiring context?

• Hiring a person you shouldn't have hired.
• Not hiring a person you should and could have hired.
• Hiring a person in such a way that a potential high performer becomes less than productive.

Why is an efficient and effective hiring process important in today's business environment? What problems could result if such processes are not in place?

Lower productivity until the right person IS hired AND trained.

• Increase costs.
• High staff turnover.
• High staff turnover.

Probably the major mistake done by employers today, is the way they initiate the hiring process. In most companies the hiring process only starts when a vacancy arises and is then passed to the Human Resources department. The only problem is that at this stage the company is going to experience a reduction in production, an increase in cost and the other employees will be burdened with more work.

The hiring process should be one continuous seamless effort by both the management and the HR department used in the most efficient and effective way to attract the right people for the company and also retain the ones currently employed.

Don't limit the time you need to find the right person by rushing the search and selection process. Instead, here are a few healthier alternatives.

• Start the recruiting process with your current employees. They are your company's ambassadors. A prospective candidate who is coming for an interview and is aware of someone employed by your company, will probably be asking for some advice from such person.
• Monitor those CVs that come in from time to time, even when there are no positions open. It might also be a good idea to bring in a few for interviews.
• Keep in touch with local recruitment agencies, training colleges, etc.. These organisations, usually have databases of candidates and are constantly meeting people looking for better job opportunities.
• The next time a school leaver is sitting in front of you, don't dismiss him/her after 2 minutes due to lack of experience. Take the time to get to know the person better. He/She might be very promising, even though they don't have much experience.

Article prepared by Commercial Services Bureau (CSB) Ltd.

Since 1987, CSB Ltd. has been servicing the local and international business community with its range of employment/recruitment related services. It has helped thousands of employees improve their job conditions and careers, and employers obtain the ideal staff for their organisations.