6 Ways to Avoid a Bad Hire

Isn’t it frustrating when you make a purchase and the product ends up being nothing that you thought it would be? This is what it feels like when a business makes a bad hire. The problem is that you can’t pack it back up and ship it off for a refund – it takes a great deal of time and resources to rightfully terminate an employee.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help avoid a bad hire:

1. Look for relevant job responsibilities, not job titles – Job titles can vary greatly from company to company and a good candidate may be overlooked if purely observing previous job titles. The key here is to review the duties and responsibilities of their work experience and how it relates to the position that is being filled.
2. Ask why they left previous employers – This will reveal a candidate’s personality at work. Was it voluntary or involuntary? Did they leave for another position? Did they feel unappreciated? Did they have conflicts with coworkers and/or supervisors? If a candidate left for another position, there’s no immediate worry. However, if they left due to conflicts with management or without another job lined up – they may be problematic.
3. Salary History – Always request a salary history and what the candidate’s salary requirements are. If it’s above what the position is willing to pay, move on. Even if a candidate says they’re okay with what the position offers, it is more than likely they won’t be around for long and they will leave for pay they’re more satisfied with.
4. Ask open-ended questions – For example, “How did you resolve conflicts with fellow co-workers or supervisors?” or “How did you help make any processes or procedures more efficient with previous employers?” or “What tools or tactics do you use to stay organized?” These questions will keep conversation flowing and makes for a great opportunity to really get to know the candidate.
5. Check references – Always ask for a minimum of 3 professional references, of which one of those is the MOST recent supervisor. When speaking to the references, make sure to confirm they were in fact their direct supervisor and not a co-worker. A great introductory question would be, “How do you know [said person]?”
6. BE PATIENT – Do not hire out of desperation, it rarely works out well and is very costly. All potential team members, regardless of department or position, should endure the same thorough recruiting process.