When you need new sales and marketing talent or need to find a strong candidate to fill a looming “skills gap” in your organization, it’s natural to want to move quickly through the process.  After all, stalling during the hiring process costs both time and money.

“Of all the decisions a hiring manager makes, none are as important as the decision about people because they ultimately determine the performance capacity of the organization” taught Peter Drucker, called the “Father of Modern Management.”  Consequently, it is crucial to temper speed with effectiveness when hiring in order to avoid falling prey to avoidable mistakes. Here are five common hiring mistakes to avoid:

1.  Hiring Based Strictly on Past Jobs. While experience counts, a candidate’s past jobs should not be the only consideration when hiring.  Instead, take the time to check the candidate’s references and include interview questions that gauge how the candidate will fit in with your company’s culture.
2. Hiring, Then Failing to Properly Train. A new hire who has proper training is prepared to succeed – but a company that fails to train a new hire is preparing their newest employee to fail.  Training does not have to be lengthy, but it does need to provide sufficient information for the new hire to feel capable of tackling the “learning curve” successfully.
3. Failure to Manage Performance. Employees function at their best when they have sufficient feedback to understand what parts of their job they do well, where they need to improve, and how improvements can be made.  Taking the time to provide regular feedback and manage a new hire’s performance places the newest member of the team on the path to success.
4. Hiring a Great Candidate – For the Wrong Position. Every good hiring manager strives to make the “exceptional hire,” and few can picture how hiring their dream candidate can go wrong.  However, it is crucial to choose the right candidate for the position.  The person hired should have the skills, experience, goals, and work style that fit the job and the company’s culture.
5. Hiring Just to Fill an Opening. The inverse of the hiring a great sales and marketing candidate for the wrong position is hiring a candidate for the sole purpose of filling an open position.  Although an opening puts pressure on other members of the team and may create a “skills gap,” hiring too quickly will not solve these problems and may make them worse.  The quality of the  people hired affect the quality of the company’s results, so taking the time to hire a candidate who “fits” pays off.

At SMR Group, our experienced sales and marketing recruiters can help you speed up the hiring process without sacrificing quality.  Contact us today to learn more!