When you make a poor choice when hiring someone for a position within your company, it will likely cause you to miss project deadlines, incur additional expenses for training, and create tension among your employees. It is common for companies to experience problems with their hiring process prior to conducting interviews.

When employers use well-thought-out methods for screening candidates, it will allow them to find the most qualified candidates while avoiding making hiring choices using “guessing.”

Mistake 1: Treating Every Resume the Same

A resume is just one part of your story; it doesn’t tell everything about you. Career gaps or changes in industries may indicate that you don’t have the appropriate skills.

The best way is to focus on job-related experiences and abilities. Search for specific examples of achievement rather than job title or length of employment.

Mistake 2: Relying on First Impressions

Applicants with confidence in their ability to perform the job can lack the knowledge and experience necessary to be successful. In contrast, candidates who are quiet can possess extensive work history and good decision making abilities.

A better way of doing it is to interview all candidates using a structured format. Each candidate should be asked the same primary questions, and then evaluated on how well they answered those questions based on predetermined standards.

Mistake 3: Testing Skills That Do Not Matter

Long tests can make applicants unhappy, particularly if the test is unrelated to the job they are applying for. These tests can add to the workload of the hiring staff as well.

Instead of using a long, abstract problem, you can use a real-life, smaller problem that is typical for the job. For example, if you are interviewing a candidate for a customer service position, have him/her answer a mock customer concern. If you are hiring a graphic designer, have him/her go through a brief and explain why he/she made certain design decisions.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Candidate Communication

If your company has a slow or confusing hiring process, you could be losing some great candidates. Many candidates will lose interest when they are unsure of where the next step will lead.

A better way is to provide the hiring steps, anticipated time frames, and contact information. Keep your candidates updated as your hiring process changes.

Mistake 5: Letting Bias Shape Decisions

Recruiters’ individual biases can influence their decisions regarding which candidates to hire. In turn, these biases could result in a hiring decision that is not based on merit, thereby leading to lost opportunities to hire qualified employees.

The best way to do this is to establish the criteria you will be using to review applications prior to beginning the review process. Also, take notes of the evidence that relates directly to the job being applied for and ensure those same standards are applied to all applicants.

Build a Screening Process You Can Trust

The best methods for screening candidates are through equitable, consistent, and job-related processes that allow employers to evaluate candidates’ abilities and experience.

After each hiring round, take some time to review the process you went through. Ask yourself what worked well in terms of helping to find good candidates and what caused delays during the process. Even small improvements made to your hiring process will help you find better employees, as well as give potential hires a better experience.

The reliability of a screening procedure is determined by whether it’s straightforward, focused, and implemented correctly.