Hiring the right applicant for the job is a lot like dating. At first, you ask general questions to see if the two of you have anything in common, if he/she has the good you’re looking for, and if there are any deal breakers. Did you ever meet anyone that was just so hot that you overlooked their faults just so you could take things to the next level? Likely the next morning or after a few invasive texts, you luckily came to your senses. The same thing can happen if you hire a new employee without honestly thinking things through to make sure they are right for the job.
With that in mind (and to save you some heartache) here are two of mistakes that you never want to make in your interview process.
Failure to hire for fit: Think about a job that you worked in that didn’t pan out. Was it because you didn’t have the skills to do the job or was it because your values did not align with the company that gave you the job? Most likely it was because you didn’t fit into the culture of the organization. Hire for fit, train for skill and you should be able to slash costly turnover.
Overvaluing the interview: While the interview is a good way to spot a bad job applicant, it is not necessarily a final decision-maker. Applicants often come to a job interview with rehearsed answers and a big smile. Their attitude during the conversation might not reflect who they actually are as a person. As a result, the interview should not be the be-all-end-all in choosing which applicant to hire. It should only act to a supplement to the references and resume that they submit during the process.
