7 Horrible Hiring Mistakes

You need to hire the best employees. Youmake sure you use a test customized for specific
undoubtedly hired some employees who were losers.jobs in your company!
Oops! Well, let's be more diplomatic. Let's just say youIf you have not used tests customized for specific
hired some "underachievers" you would have beenjobs in your company, then you really have missed out
better without.on the most objective and customized prediction
Or maybe you have the curse of hiring only "average"method you could use.
employees - people who are average in productivity6th Horrible Mistake: You [stupidly] told the applicant
and average in producing profits.what you were looking for!!
Question: Who wants to hire "average" (or "belowThen, lo-&-behold, the applicant spent your entire
average") employees?interview telling you s/he just happens to possess all
Answer: No one!the skills, talents and qualities you - stupidly - told the
To hire the best, you need to avoid the problems thatapplicant you want in an employee. For example, let's
plagued your previous hiring decisions. So, let mesay you - stupidly - told the applicant you need to hire
reveal seven horrible hiring blunders or mistakes youan employeewho excels at teamwork,
may have made.customer-service, and correctly handling small details. I
1st Horrible Mistake: = Interviewers typically do a lousybet I can predict what that applicant told you in the
job at predicting job success.interview: The applicant told you - with a serious yet
This is a proven fact, verified by a lot of research.pleasant expression - that s/he excels at teamwork,
Statistically, most interviewers doabout as well ascustomer-service, and correctly handling small details.
flipping a coin!And then, when you hired the person who gave you all
2nd Horrible Mistake = Reference checks fail to tellthe answers you - stupidly - toldthe applicant you want,
you what you really need to know.you pay the price of having an employee who may
Most employers are so freaked out about givingnot REALLY betalented at teamwork,
reference checks that they tell you nothing or barelycustomer-service, or handling small details. You got
anything useful about how an applicant performedfooled - and you have only yourself to blame.
on-the-job. Another way to put that is most reference7th Horrible Mistake: You terribly harm any person you
checks are about as non-useful as simultaneously (a)should not have hired.
flipping a coin while (b) rubbing a rabbit's foot!!Let's be humanistic about it. If you hire the wrong
3rd Horrible Mistake: You relied on your "gut feel" orperson, the applicant also loses. People crave to work
"intuition" & you were W-R-O-N-G.in a job where they will do well and enjoy it. People
Later, as you moaned about the mistake you made byhate a job where they will perform only average or
hiring the wrong person, you asked yourself, "I knewbelow average, and not enjoy the work. So, you
what I was feeling. But, what was I thinking?"actually benefit the applicant you carefully evaluated
4th Horrible Mistake: You used subjective predictionusing customized, objective hiring methods.
methods to make hiring decisions.Summary: When you hire . . .
For example, you relied on subjective interviews,1. high-achieving "superstar" employees, both you and
subjective reference checks, or subjectiveyour company win.
"impressions " of the applicant. Wow! Were you ever2. underachieving employees, (a) you lose and (b) your
off-base. And then you andyour company needed tocompany loses.
pay for your incorrect hiring decisions. That isSo, make sure you use customized and objective
expensive, time-consuming, and frustrating.prediction methods,like pre-employment tests, biodata
5th Horrible Mistake: You used NO objective ANDand more,to make sure you hire employees who are
customized prediction method.(a) productive, (b) profitable, and© low turnover.
Important: Research shows pre-employment tests areCopyright 2006 Michael Mercer, Ph.D.
the most objective method to make predictions. But,