The five most common mistakes when recruiting a new team member

The success of any team depends mostly on three basic parameters. The first is the persona of the manager, who must be able to motivate the team and organise their work. The second is the conditions in which the team works: these must enable the team to exploit its full potential. The third is the people who form the team: just one weak link can eventually lead to major losses, which is why it is important to focus on the quality of candidates when recruiting new members. This means not only whether they have the necessary hard and soft skills, but also if they are a good match on a personal level. Here are five common recruitment mistakes you should avoid in order not to jeopardise the cohesiveness and performance of the team as a whole.

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Rushed hiring process

According to Forbes, one common mistake is rushing the recruitment process. Managers try to fill a vacancy as quickly as possible at the expense of a careful selection of candidates or waiting for the right one.

Incorrect, misleading or incomplete job description

If you present a misleading or incomplete description of the job on offer, either in the job ad or even at the interview, or if you are trying to sugarcoat some unpleasant aspects of the job, nothing good can come out of it, neither for the team nor for the candidate themselves.

Failure to involve regular team members

It is a frequent (and big) mistake that the manager alone makes the decision about a candidate. Team members should also be involved in choosing a new colleague as ultimately it is they who are most likely to be in closest touch with the new employee.

Relying only on the feelings and opinions of the manager

If the choice is made by only one person, it is highly probable that person will show an unconscious bias based on their own emotions and assumptions. It is therefore necessary that more people be involved in the decision and that hard facts, such as skills, education and proven abilities of the candidate, are taken into consideration.

Rigidity and lack of flexibility regarding the job description

Given the current situation on the job market, it is inadvisable to adhere strictly to one defined job description. Be flexible, and if you encounter a suitable candidate who, however, has a specific skill set that would make it reasonable to alter slightly the job description, consider making minor changes in the structure of your team and the description of the new job opening.

 

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Article source Forbes.com - prestigious American business magazine and website
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