Hiring Procedures: Avoid These 7 Big Mistakes

Most recruiters will admit they base much of a hiring decision on the job interview. Yet a Michigan State University study showed the job interview is only 14% accurate. Other research shows traditional hiring procedures are just 10% accurate.

Are you making these seven blunders?

Hiring employees based primarily on their job interview

One of my favorite quotes is from Stanley J. Randall who said, "The closest to perfection a person comes is when he fills out a job application."

Job candidates wear a mask during their job interview. They're on their best behavior. They likely tell you what they think you want to hear, which may or may not be true. I've heard recruiters brag that they have a great "gut instinct" for hiring people. Maybe so, but their "gut" will lead them astray more often than not.

Just because you establish rapport with and like a candidate doesn't mean that person is right for the position. You need more that warm feelings and gut instinct.

Not asking or asking the wrong behavioral interview questions for the position

According to Quintessential Careers, traditional hiring practices are only 10% predictive of a future employee's job performance. But behavioral interviewing is said to be 55% predictive of future on-the-job behavior. So, if you're not doing behavioral interviewing, you're at least 45% less effective in making good hires than you could be.

However, behavioral interviewing must be done right to be effective and comply with EEOC guidelines. Your behavioral questions must be consistent and must relate only to the position being filled. Which brings us to the third hiring mistake.

Not knowing the behaviors required by the job for superior performance

Say you're hiring a sales person and the candidate seems to have the right personality for the job. But you may be seeing the person's adapted behavioral style (remember the mask) and hire someone who is too introverted for a job in sales. Beyond that, you need to know specifically all aspects of the behaviors a job in sales at your company requires. The only way to know that for sure is to benchmark the job using a team of the best people currently in that job and their manager. Using job benchmark assessments will give you an accurate picture of the behaviors required so that you can match candidates' behavioral styles to the benchmark and get the best job fit.

Not knowing which values/motivators the job rewards

The key to superior performance is to put people in jobs that reward their values. For example, if someone is passionate about serving others, the job needs to provide ample opportunity for the person to provide service or the employee will be frustrated and demotivated. All other things considered, one good job fit for that employee would be a job in customer service.

International research shows that without a doubt the best sales people have the Utilitarian value as their highest motivator. These are people who are passionate about money and what is useful. They must get a return on investment of their time, talent, energy, and resources to be a superior performer.

How are you going to know which top three motivators the job rewards unless you do job benchmark assessments to find out? I don't know.

Not knowing your applicant’s behavioral style or values/motivators

The reason for doing job benchmark assessments is to compare your current employees and all job candidates to the benchmark. Assessing employees’ and candidates’ behaviors and values is crucial to determining if they're a good fit for the position. Employee assessments and job/talent comparison assessments will show you exactly which candidates are right for the job. Hire only those who match the benchmark assessments and you'll have a team of superior performers.

Not understanding the type of tasks the job requires and/or which type of tasks the applicant prefers doing

Have you ever had a job you hated because it required you to perform tasks you didn't like? If you dislike routine tasks but your job calls for routine work 90% of the time, how can you be happy in that job? Same goes for the people you hire. Your job benchmark assessments should show you what percentage of the time the job requires routine, troubleshooting, or project tasks. And the candidate's assessment should show you the ideal type of tasks the person prefers. The person's ideal task quotient should match the benchmark assessment’s required task quotient if you want to hire superior performers.

Hiring employees who don’t fit the job

If you have all of this information about the position and your job applicants, along with the other things you look at such as experience, references, skills, etc., you'll hire the right people - people who will do the job the way it should be done, be motivated and rewarded by the work they do, and enjoy the type of tasks the job requires. If not, then good luck. You'll get the right person at least 10% of the time.

The High Cost of Hiring Mistakes

If you commit these seven hiring mistakes, don't be surprised if your company is afflicted with:

Poor performance
Low morale
Unmotivated employees
Low employee retention
Loss of revenue and productivity

However, if you have a hiring system that includes job benchmarking and using employee assessments to compare to the benchmark, you can be assured you'll hire top talent. And using your employee assessments as a managing and coaching tool will greatly improve your odds of retaining them.

Making these seven mistakes can keep you from hiring the right people. Don't base hiring decisions primarily on the job interview if you want to hire superior performers.

And I'd like to invite you to learn more about effective hiring procedures and job benchmarking. Annette Estes is a Certified Professional Behavioral and Values Analyst who specializes in helping companies hire, develop, and retain superior performers. Subscribe to her free behavioral based interview newsletter. ©2010 Annette Estes.

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