When searching for new employees to join your team, it’s important to put in adequate time and effort to find them. Making the right hire will increase productivity, maintain retention, and be a critical stepping-stone for your business success.
Trust us, the cost of a bad hire can be huge! When positions are vacant, or you hire the wrong candidate, there is increased pressure on your current team, added stress, wasted time and money, and productivity is likely to slow down dramatically, setting your company back.
However, the perfect fit for every accounting or finance position you’re looking to fill isn’t always going to come to you. It’s important to invest in the initial recruiting phase to ensure you find the perfect candidate that fits your corporate needs, company culture and team dynamics.
Here are some hiring mistakes to avoid that could be costing you the ideal candidate that you’re searching for.
Posting Generic Job Descriptions
If you don’t know exactly the type of person you need to fill a role, then how will a potential candidate recognize that they might be the right fit? Not having a specific job description, outlining the various qualities and experience required will attract all sorts of potential hires, but it might miss the right one.
Failing to Prepare
As the hiring manager, you need to do your research and be as prepared as the job seekers are themselves. Do background checks, sift through each applicant’s social media, and get to know your candidates before calling them in for an interview. Letting candidates know that you have taken the time to look them up will reflect on your company as a whole and show them that you are invested in finding the perfect fit.
Last Minute Hires
The employee search can be just as gruelling as job hunting! It can be easy to settle for someone that fits generically what you’re looking for, especially if your top hire declines your offer. Sometimes it’s worth it to go back to the drawing board and restart the search again, rather than settling and having to do it all over again 6-months to a year down the road.
Involving Too Many People in the Hiring Process
No more than two people should ever be in the interview at one time. Including one or two more team members in the process can be ok, but when you get too many cooks in the kitchen, your goals and intentions can get lost in a sea of opinions.
Hiring for a Favour
This can be someone’s friend, sister, co-worker from another job etc. No matter who the referral, you need to put them through the same vetting process you would with any other candidate. It definitely helps to have a close reference, but sometimes that person isn’t aware of the goals you have for the role when they put in a good word for their pal.
Failing to Check References
References can tell a lot about a potential candidate. Here are a few warning signs to look out for.
Hiring for Short Term Goals
Look at where you want your company to be in the next year, five years, and even ten years, and then see what strategies, team members, and resources are going to get you there. Hiring to fix a short-term solution will end up putting you back in the long run.
Not Looking Internal First
Sometimes your next great hire is right under your nose, or in this case in the office beside you. Give your current team the opportunity to prove themselves and show they are looking to move up or around in the company. You already have their loyalty, and – if they are a fit – this will increase company culture and employee retention.
Hiring Based on the First Interview
Some people are amazing at first impressions and can really convince you of anything. Make sure you not only follow up for a second interview, but also do some practical testing to ensure the dots are connected between their resume and interview.
Not Knowing Why a Previous Employee Left
If you’re looking to refill a position, make sure you know why it went vacant in the first place. Look at what you can do to improve the position and ensure you retain a longer-term employee next time.
Hiring Based On Experience Only
Someone can have an impressive resume, but you might not connect with him or her in the slightest. It’s important to look at personality and how they are going to fit in, or not, amongst your current team. Sometimes skills can be learned quickly. The right hire may be based off a connection you have, or the chemistry you feel in an interview.
Are you looking to attract the top accounting and finance candidates to add to your Calgary team?
We offer a personalized, people-first approach to helping you build a high performing team that will drive your business forward. You will feel 100% confident in your hiring and onboarding strategy as we work together to find new hires that will succeed and invest in your company long-term.
Contact us to discuss your search and placement needs.
P: 403.264.2242
E: trevor@bullseyerecruitment.com
Let’s Connect
Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn.
Follow BullsEye Recruitment on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.