The fun thing about being a hiring manager is that you never stop learning. The not-so-fun thing is that you usually learn through mistakes.
The competition for talent, limited budget, workforce planning, and not having access to the right system and tools – those are the four major challenges that recruiters face when hiring new talent. When trying to overcome these challenges, employers often make the wrong decisions. That costs money, time, and effectiveness.
There’s a more effective way to gain experience than learning through mistakes: learn from the mistakes of others.
When you’re aware of the common new-hire pitfalls, you’ll be able to avoid them at all costs.
Common Hiring Mistakes to Avoid
- Making Decisions Based on Written Applications
Hiring managers tend to forget that most candidates hire a copywriter or use AI to complete their resumes and cover letters. So when they evaluate written communication skills, they don’t realize they are looking at something a professional writer wrote.
In addition, you should keep in mind that the majority of applicants lie on their resumes. They will lie about the skills they have, the projects they completed, and the responsibilities on their previous jobs.
How do you avoid this mistake?
Of course you’ll rely on resumes and cover letters during the initial stages of the selection process. But do not skip the reference checks! And if you need the perfect candidate to have writing skills, you should start communicating with them via email or LinkedIn messages. If they hired somebody to get a great resume but struggle to express themselves in written, you’ll notice.
- Intimidating New Hires with a Cold Welcome
When a new employee enters the offices, you want to show them how serious the company is. You want to convey its professionalism. But professionalism is not reflected through cold attitude. You want the employee to fit in, so you should show them a warm welcome.
No; you won’t gather everyone in the lobby to greet the newbie with champagne. That’s going too far. But the hiring manager should personally greet them and introduce them to the entire team.
The same tip is valid for remote workers, too. Greet them with a friendly face over Skype or any other video conferencing tool you use.
- Overwhelming Them with Training
Onboarding is a gradual process. You can’t expect a new hire to learn everything there is to know about the company within a day or two. If you add tons of paperwork on top of training, you’ll be looking at a person questioning their decision to start working for this firm.
Yes; training and paperwork are necessary. However, it’s best to wait at least two days for the paperwork. As for the training, you’ll provide it in small steps while the employee is getting used to the new environment.
- Allowing the Enthusiasm to Shrink
When someone gets a new job, they are excited about it. They wanted this. They were thrilled to get the interview and they were happy to get the job. The entire team at work should benefit from the initial enthusiasm. This is a person who wants to go to work and learn new things.
But if the team doesn’t nurture that passion for a new job, it will soon fade away.
How do you nurture the new hire’s enthusiasm? Give them a clear schedule of upcoming projects, so they can stay excited about the long-term plans. Share some tips and information that makes them better at the job. Explain the company’s bonus policies, so you’ll inspire them to work harder. But most of all, stay in touch and see how you can help with any obstacle they face.
- Not Enough Mentoring
New hires require at least six months of direct mentorship after they start the job. That’s a necessary aspect of successful onboarding, which many hiring managers tend to neglect. The employee can learn the basic stuff in few weeks and you can leave them with their tasks. But if you want this employee to be an excellent investment, you have to make a greater effort.
Develop a strong mentorship program, which allows new hires to learn from more experienced employees.
Mistakes Can Be Avoided
Sooner or later, you’ll make the wrong hiring decision. That happens in the career of any recruiter or hiring manager. But you know what? You can minimize the potential of mistakes by avoiding the most common ones that employers make.
About the author
Finanz4u Team is a group of dedicated to the financial topics writers, editors and guest writers.
Jack White
Jack White is an excellent writer who enjoys his job. You can see that by how much work he puts into his articles. He believes you should do what you love, and he loves writing. He worked more than 8 years in different positions in seo industry and now is focusing on helping people by sharing his experience in internet marketing. Contact him if you need help with content or marketing.