Let’s set the scene. There you are, waiting. As a figure approaches, you notice a too-wide smile that doesn’t reach their eyes. They’re impeccably dressed, but it doesn’t feel genuine. There’s a secret here. What could it be? They continue toward you, hand extended. Smile pasted on. You’re filled with hesitation and a tingle of anxiety, but you must be brave. You take a deep breath. You’ve been here before. You are a professional, after all, and you understand your mission: to uncover the truth of this individual. You must see behind the charisma, the tailored clothing, the friendly smile, and determine what lies beneath. You ask yourself: can I trust this person? Will they be able to carry about the critical responsibilities required of them? You remind yourself that while your gut instinct is often helpful, it’s not the right way to approach this particular scenario. In short, you must figure out if this person will be as fabulous tomorrow as they are today.
Terrifying, right? What if you get it wrong? There’s a lot against you and it’s your job to uncover the truth. Your entire company depends on you making the right decision. Job applicants are eager and on their best behavior, naturally. They want to present the best versions of themselves. Whether it’s the impeccable way they dress, their contagious charisma, or their uncanny ability to answer every question you ask in the clearest and most concise manner, they’ve put substantial effort into this “costume” of sorts.
Making it even more difficult for you (the hiring manger and hero of this story) to decern if they “really are” as polished as their resume, professional cover letter, and meticulous interview prep. Now if that doesn’t evoke an image of a Halloween scream and hair turned white standing on end, let’s dive into it a little more. What’s the worst that can happen if you “go with your gut” and hire them on instinct?
Is a “bad hire” really that bad?
Well, maybe not. Your gut may be spot on. Or not – you could be joining a large group of hiring managers who have relied on their gut and made the wrong decision at least once. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 74% of employers admit having hired the wrong person for an opening. That same survey notes that the average cost of a bad hire is nearly $15,000, while losing a good hire cost on average $30,000.
Why is that second statistic important? As Apollo Technical puts it in their article “The Cost of a Bad Hire and Red Flags to Avoid (2021), “one bad apple ruins the bunch, as they say. When all of your team members work together and focus on the same missions, goals, and values, your company can be productive and get things done. On the other hand, if there is one unproductive and undedicated employee, they can bring down the entire work environment while having a negative impact on your bottom line.”
Unfortunately, many hiring managers don’t realize they have a bad employee until it’s too late, after they’ve lost money and seen employee morale plummet.
6 Steps for avoiding a bad hire:
- Review your current processes and identify where there could be breakdowns: reviews can reveal critical reasons regarding why the process has broken down in the past and provide actionable, constructive data that allows you to avoid those missteps going forward.
- Get more eyes on the potential hires: it’s helpful to get feedback from several people as others may catch a potential issue that could be overlooked by a single decision-maker. (com). Involve your team throughout the process – have a different individual phone screen, and a cross section of team members join a panel interview. It may also be helpful to incorporate peer interviews to evaluate team and culture fit.
- Do all your due diligence: it can be time-consuming but it’s necessary to uncover any hidden creepiness that’s looming in the shadows of your candidate’s background. Take the time to do thorough reference checks with former managers and colleagues.
- Incorporate assessments for job fit and essential job skills. Use behavioral assessments that help unlock a candidate’s personality traits, motivations and challenge areas and identify whether they are coachable. Consider testing for job skills: sometimes candidates exaggerate what they can do, skills testing, or even cognitive assessments can help identify the candidates who have the skills or can acquire them quickly versus those who may simply be pretenders.
- Don’t rush to hire quickly: being under pressure often leads to cutting corners and increases the potential to overlook significant red flags. It may end up doing more harm than good.
- Keep an eye open for warning signs early: if the potential hire seems short or impatient in their communications it’s not going to get better. Even if their qualifications are glowing, the warning signs should be taken seriously.
How can I spot red flag candidates?
So, the candidate looks great on paper, and you invite them to an interview. You have your process in order, you’ve adjusted for the pitfalls of the past, and you’re ready to meet face-to-face (in-person or virtual). What are some red flags for a stellar (on paper) candidate?
- Punctuality problems.
- Why? Besides the obvious, it may indicate a problem with overall accountability.
- Lack of enthusiasm.
- Why? For most positions, enthusiasm is a mandatory quality. If a candidate doesn’t seem enthusiastic and motivated, or has low energy, it can be a sign they’re likely to slack off.
- Did you know: The Omnia Assessment measures energy?
- Being short on details.
- Why? As Jon Tucker, founder and CEO of Help Flow, puts it, “just because someone says they’re good at something on their resume doesn’t mean it’s true.” Action-based interview questions where candidates go through real-life scenarios can reveal those who have the experience from the rest.
- They talk only about themselves.
- Why? You want independent, driven, and self-starting employees, but you also need your employees to be able to work together as a team. “A candidate that can’t reference their team, or only mentions other people to place blame on them, might not be someone who can give others credit or work well with their team.” (MediaBistro.com)
How Can Omnia Help?
No two candidates are the same. Every person on your team will learn differently, thrive in a different environment, respond differently to various communication and management styles, and be motivated by different things.
The problem is that a candidate’s resume won’t give you these insights, and it can take months or even years on the job for you to uncover them on your own. In the meantime, your employees will be frustrated and less engaged if they aren’t in a role that truly aligns with their personality and skills or have to work under a manager who doesn’t understand how to motivate them.
The Omnia Team is here to help. We offer assistance throughout the process beginning with writing job postings, conducting pre-hire assessments and providing support in using these assessments to leverage team dynamics and professional development beyond hiring and through the entire employee life cycle. To make it easy for you, all of our assessments come with a set of interview questions based on the position and the person’s assessment responses.
Following these steps, and using our resources will help you avoid that dark, deserted hallway and a scary hire.
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