You glance at a few resumes, ask a couple questions in an interview, and pick the best candidate for a job. Hiring seems pretty simple, right? However, it never turns out as easy as people think.
Just look at the stats. HR experts say that 50% of new hires fail. That’s right: half of your recruitment decisions will end up being wrong.
So what makes hiring such a murky and unpredictable art form? Here are five reasons the process isn’t as easy as outsiders think:
Resumes Only Tell You So Much
Resumes provide a glimpse at a candidate’s skills and background. But only a glimpse. A lot of details are left out — crucial attributes, like work ethic, teamwork, and organizational capabilities.
It’s easy to miss great candidates at the resume stage. However, you need to make large cuts early in the process and a resume provides a reasonable tool for that initial culling. You just don’t have the time and resources to learn as much as you can about every candidate. This makes it challenging to get all the information needed to make a smart hiring decision.
People Aren’t Always What They Seem
Even when you meet a candidate, you don’t reach certainty about their potential as an employee. Many people seem great in an interview but don’t perform once they get the job.
The average job interview lasts less than an hour. That’s shorter than a first date. Imagine having to make a long-term commitment based on a single, limited meeting?
That’s often what happens in a work setting. It’s easy to make a bad judgement based on a job interview.
As a result, further research and multiple conversations should become part of a comprehensive recruitment plan. However, these elements also add to the costs associated with the process.
It’s Hard to Predict Culture Fits
You’ve found a candidate with a great skill set and the perfect level of experience. They excel in the interview, exhibiting the ideal personality traits to become an amazing employee.
You hire them — only to discover a cultural mismatch. They don’t quite fit into your system, creating challenges for onboarding and ongoing management.
Cultural mismatches can be frustrating and can take a long time to overcome. Unfortunately, it’s often hard to predict at the hiring stage. To sidestep this hurdle, focus on cultural questions as part of your recruitment effort.
Short-Term Value and Long-Term Prospects Don’t Always Come Together
One candidate fits the current job perfectly but doesn’t seem to have much room to grow. Another would face an initial learning curve but could become a superstar with the right support.
Which one do you hire?
This dilemma points to one of the crucial functions of the hiring process: weighing the short-term value of a candidate versus their long-term prospects. It’s not always obvious what traits will offer the most value.
Team Dynamics Are Hard
Your new hire won’t work in a vacuum. Rather, they will have to fit in with your current group of employees. This alchemy can be hard to get right.
As you judge incoming employees, think about how they will fit with your current staff. Consider questions like:
- Will there be skill redundancies?
- Can they expand your team possibilities?
- Are there any potential personality conflicts?
- Is there leadership potential here?
Yes, hiring is a challenging task. Take some doubt out of the process by teaming with a strong recruiting partner, like Recruiting In Motion. You’ll get the expertise and support you need to find the perfect team members.
Contact Recruiting In Motion today to learn more.
