Even the best entrepreneurs are prone to making mistakes. Often, those mistakes come along during the initial hiring process. Even for the best and most driven entrepreneurs, without the right information, you might find yourself completely lost when trying to hire good employees.
There’s a lot to learn about the hiring and onboarding process. Be sure to do all of your research before you try it for the first time—otherwise, your hiring process could quickly become chaotic.
Asking the Wrong Questions During Interviews
Knowing what to ask during an interview is half the battle. But with so many possibilities, how can you narrow it down to just a few?
Be aware of your priorities when looking for a new hire. Ask questions specific to the role you’re trying to fill and the culture you’re trying to build. You should also be asking questions that grant you insight into the person’s career history, their interest in the company, and their strengths and weaknesses as an employee. Alongside your list of questions, have a list of answers to look for—this will help determine which applicants are best suited to the job.
In addition to asking the wrong questions, many entrepreneurs tend to get carried away by charismatic applicants. Even if an applicant performs well during the interview, it doesn’t mean they have the necessary skill set to succeed in the job they’re applying for. Remember not to choose the best candidate based only on charisma, but on their skills as well.
Not Completing Reference Checks
Plenty of business owners insist that checking references is pointless. After all, why would someone give you a reference that isn’t fantastic? However, choosing not to complete reference checks is a risky gamble. You might be surprised to find that references are often willing to be honest about a potential employee.
You’ll need to verify the claims of your applicants to ensure that they were completely honest during the interview process. It’s also crucial to get a sense of someone else’s opinion on the applicant. If you can, verify some of the statements from the interview with the references. For example, “Joan mentioned she won employee of the month once for her work on a specific project. Could you tell me more about that?”
Misfiling Paperwork During the Hiring Process
Disorganization is never ideal when you’re an entrepreneur. The hiring and onboarding process brings with it plenty of forms and paperwork for you and your potential hires to fill out, from contracts to tax forms.
Keep a good eye on this paperwork, and be sure to file it in the right location. Otherwise, you might find yourself scrambling to find that one specific form—and that’s no fun for you or your new hire.
Not Having an Onboarding Process
Planning ahead is key! Though creating an onboarding process may not be your highest priority, it’s something you should have fully planned out before you hire a new employee. Your onboarding process should provide new hires with all the knowledge they need to be successful in their career. Remember that just because processes and tasks are familiar to you, it doesn’t mean they’re always easy to pick up.
But why is onboarding so important? Well, a good onboarding process can greatly increase employee retention. It immediately puts your new employee into a comfortable and knowledgeable situation in the workplace, and introduces them to your company’s culture. Happy employees makes running your business easier than ever!
Not Seeking Expert HR Help
When you’re new to the game, it can be difficult to get things rolling. An expert in HR can help you form the perfect team so your business can thrive. With a little bit of help from an HR professional, your business could grow exponentially!
How to Avoid Repeating Hiring Mistakes
Mistakes happen, and there’s a good chance you’ll make a mistake when you first start hiring new employees. You’re not alone! Unfortunately, you will have to handle those mistakes in one way or another. Be sure to fully acknowledge and own up to your mistakes. From there, you can take steps to avoid those same mistakes in the future.
One way to do this is to take a course that gives you all the tools, forms, and processes you’ll need, all in one easy location (which you can keep for future hires!) Shelley Tobin is an HR expert offering high-quality HR courses for up-and-coming entrepreneurs. By enrolling in Hire Knowledge Academy, you’ll learn everything you need to know about hiring and onboarding new employees.
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