Your company is potentially making a risky investment each time it hires new employees, and recruiting costs can be high. Research has shown that a staff member at mid-range, doesn’t come close to giving a return on investment until they’ve been employed for at least 6 months, highlighting the need to hire the right staff from the get go. Avoiding commonly made background mistakes when hiring, can help you to minimize the risk and get you a return upon your investment far quicker:
Never skip comprehensive background checks:
Not taking the time to run a full and comprehensive background check on all new employees, is one of the most common reasons for mistakes made when hiring. These checks don’t just let you know if someone has committed criminal offences or have bad credit reports, but they can also give you indicators as to whether an employee will fit into your business and the way you run it. You also have an opportunity to verify what that person has told you on their resume, and that they really do have the necessary skills and/or qualifications to meet the job’s requirements.
Don’t rule out human intervention:
Streamlining the hiring process is made easier with automated tools, and of course minimize the cost of recruiting. However, while using technology to review candidates and perform background checks, is a good idea, it isn’t wise to rely on them solely. While computers are great at collating data from several sources, there should always be at least minimal human intervention to review the results of the data mined by technology, and to make the final decision. You may of course, need humans to conduct physical interviews with the candidate, phone references or to review their activities on social media, as computers are not yet capable of being able to rationally assess abstract ideas.
Never underestimate the importance of the law:
Candidates may be reviewed legally by employers from many different standpoints, such as for credit reports and criminal records, and while some information is made accessible to the public, some records are not public, and employers need to gain written consent before they can request access to that information. Since laws can vary from state to state, it’s wise to make sure you fully understand them before doing anything, as ignoring, or not being aware of them, can lead to both civil and criminal legal problems for you and your business.
Be open minded and understanding:
While some issues raised in a candidates’ application may be hard to ignore, there are occasions when a person has made a mistake in the past, that they are working to rectify and improve upon, and the human element of human resources should come into play. Taking too hard a stance on some issues could mean that you miss out on an employee who could have been perfect for your business, and you should try to assess the rationally and after having met with them personally.
The hiring process can be a lengthy one, but it’s made easier if you work with an individual or company who specialise in running background checks, and who have years of knowledge and experience under their belt. There are many reputable companies who will help you to find the ideal employees, and to prevent you from making any major mistakes when hiring.