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The Nine Most Common Hiring Mistakes
August 24, 2007
From the HR Chally Group
Mistake 1:Relying only on interviews to evaluate a candidate
A study conducted by the International Personnel Management Association in February 1999 analyzed how well job interviews accurately predict success on the job. The surprising finding: The typical interview increases your chances of choosing the best candidate by less than two percent.
Mistake 2: Using successful people as models
Duplicating success may seem like a good idea, but the reasons people succeed are not clear from just measuring the characteristics of top performers. More important are the differences between top performers and low achievers. For example, a comprehensive study of more than 1,000 sales superstars from 70 companies showed that the top three characteristics shared by high achievers were (1) the belief that salesmanship required strong objection-answering skills, (2) good grooming habits, and (3) conservative dress—especially black shoes. Oddly, a study of the weakest performers at those same companies revealed that the same three characteristics were their most common traits as well.
Mistake 3: Too many criteria
Only through a method called "validation" can you make more effective hiring decisions. The government originally used validation research to prove that employment selection practices predicted job success and weren't discriminatory. Not only does it identify critical job success factors, it weighs each factor's importance.
Mistake 4: Evaluating "personality" instead of job skills
Certain personality traits—high energy, honesty, a solid work ethic—seem to practically guarantee success, but surprisingly don't. Solid statistical research from many objective sources shows little correlation between any personality factor and any specific job.
Mistake 5: Using yourself as an example
Your own sales success might lead you to believe you can spot candidates with potential, but don't count on it. Many managers who reached their position by virtue of their sales success believe they can instinctively recognize a good candidate, when they are subconsciously just using themselves as a template. When you use yourself as a model, your ego often gets in the way—and that bias can skew your objectivity when judging others, resulting in a fatal hiring flaw.
Mistake 6: Failure to use statistically validated testing to predict job skills most critical to success
In some companies, committees use deductive reasoning or brainstorming to identify criteria for candidate selection. Unfortunately, they focus on attitude and experience rather than ability and skills. The latter, in particular, are a much more significant and consistent indicator of potential. Incentives can motivate a skilled person, but motivation and good intentions won't improve the prospects of an unskilled candidate.
Mistake 7: Not researching the reasons that people fail
Research consistently shows that people fail in a job due to factors different from the criteria used to select them. Though most managers can list the most common reasons why people have failed, they seldom make that information part of the process of choosing selection criteria for new candidates. Managers who identify these "failure points" and build them into the selection process can reduce hiring mistakes by as much as 25 percent.
Mistake 8: Relying on general "good guy" criteria
Everyone wants to hire good people, but being a good person does not ensure success on the job. Sales success skills are now so specialized that you need specialized hiring criteria as well.
Mistake 9: Bypassing the reference check
As many as 20 percent of job applicants try to hide some dark chapter in their lives. For some positions, one out of three resumes contain false information. To find out who's trying to pull the wool over your eyes, verify the information applicants provide.
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
This article is brought to you by Sales & Marketing Management, the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field.
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