It has probably happened to you (perhaps more than once...) that a candidate was great at the interview; you had a lot of hope for him. Then you found out that the candidate did not perform as well as you hoped, and you were disappointed, or on the contrary, the candidate was disappointed in the cooperation. High turnover of employees also means a considerable cost for the company. There is no universal recipe for success. But how to attract the right candidate and eliminate mutual disappointment as much as possible?
The job description is too general. So, you will attract all possible candidates, just not the ones you need. It should not just list duties; it should describe the purpose of the position, identify key areas of responsibility, and describe the specific skills necessary to succeed. The percentages of how much time the activity takes are excellent (e.g., 50% acquisition of new customers, 20% account management...). And ideally, also the main KPIs for the position.
Sometimes the best candidates are right under your nose! The existing employee will know your company's processes, values, and mission. He will likely settle into a new role more quickly than an externally recruited candidate. And you will not lose know-how with the departure of such an employee.
3) You rely only on the interview
The candidate can tell you anything in the interview. But how do you verify that he is not lying to you? A tool for verification can be the competency model of the interview. Use case studies, tests, psychodiagnostics, exam day and background check (e.g., www.scaut.cz), etc.
The mother will certainly not be efficient after maternity leave. A junior person will not be independent. A senior person will need to be more dynamic, etc. Prejudice does not belong in recruitment. The other viewpoints of your teammates can also help you to be more objective.
Some hiring managers are afraid to accept a candidate who is more capable, more talented, and more confident than themselves because they fear for their position. However, an intelligent hiring manager knows he needs capable people because that's the only way he can be successful. Moreover, having such employees in the team can move the hiring manager further - learn new trends, approaches, and processes.
Such a candidate may no longer aspire to a higher position. But, on the other hand, he may have a personal reason why he wants to return to a lower work - more time for family life or uncomfortable in a higher role, etc.
You can compromise team productivity by being understaffed for too long by waiting. A more extended load on people in your team can be manifested, for example, by leaving. Instead, define the essential knowledge you need from the recruit and the abilities you will teach him.
The perfect candidate may not exist. But that doesn't mean you should rush to hire someone just because you're pressed for time. Think of the training, time, and know-how you put into recruitment. Can an external supplier help you before you find a suitable candidate? This mistake is the costliest for the company, and in most cases, the result could be more successful. In such a case, HR should intervene and be a consultant.
A candidate may have excellent references from an ex-employer, but they might still not be successful at your company. On the contrary, he may have negative references because, for example, his ex-employer did not come to terms with his departure. So, again, references are good, but you need to read between the lines.
You can't expect him to remain available if you respond to the candidate after a long interval. Competition in recruitment is high. Remember - for some positions, even one day is too long!
You automatically post a position on the job portal or at a recruitment agency. You can find candidates in your database. Involve your brand marketing and recruitment campaign and get both for the same price. Candidates can also be customers, and they will always look at what you sell from the company's career pages.
On average, an employee takes three months to integrate into the team, get oriented in the company and start producing results. Of course, there are exceptions, but don't automatically expect every employee to be productive from day one on the job. You are putting pressure on him; that is counterproductive. On the contrary, help as much as possible so that he adapts as soon as possible.
Remember that HR is here to help the hiring manager as much as possible in similar cases to avert possible "damages" during recruitment.