6 Recruitment Mistakes That Will Impact Your Hiring Cost

October 14, 2020
6 Recruitment Mistakes That Will Impact Your Hiring Cost

Every day a role remains vacant, money is being lost. The amount varies by industry but it can be as high as $500. This is why the quicker the role is filled, the better. When it comes to staffing, there are several recruitment mistakes that can affect your hiring cost. Anything from the job description to the interview process can make a difference in the quality of candidates the role is attracting. 

If a role has been open for months, chances are it’s an internal issue. No company is exempt, even the biggest companies make mistakes when it comes to effective IT Recruitment.  I recommend that if you are partnering with an IT staffing agency, you should know the different methods there are in the market and which one to choose. 

The Hiring Manager Is Focused On The Job, Instead Of The Need

The question is simple: How are you going to find the right candidate if you aren’t clear on what you’re looking for? 

The hiring manager should be able to answer these questions:

  • Why is this position opening up? 
  • Will this position require supportive roles?
  • What does an ideal candidate look like?

Your research should not start until you come up with the answer to these questions. After that comes the dreaded job description. The Job description is your introduction to the candidate, which means you have to be clear and detailed about the requirements:

  • Skills.
  • Years of experience.
  • Soft skills.
  • Traits.

Focusing ONLY On The Level Of Candidates Skill

Thinking that the candidate’s skill is the only and most important thing can affect your hiring cost. A candidate’s skill level is only one part of the equation when it comes to an ideal employee. Imagine hiring a risk-averse candidate whose slogan is “Where there’s a risk, there’s a reward.” Spoiler alert: It’s not going to work. The company’s values have to align with the candidates, as that will be reflected in the culture and business practices. 

To get a well-rounded view of the candidate, I recommend asking situational questions that allow you to evaluate the candidate’s approach to various situations. 

Comparing Every Candidate to Your Old Employee

As humans, we can’t help but compare. Who earns more, who looks better, who has a better personality, and the list goes on. When hiring, taking into account those personal biases can impact your hiring cost negatively.

At times, recruiters expect to find a candidate who is a replica of the former employee. The other common approach is believing the candidate must have held a role that directly reflects the role they are currently applying for. 

To start off, there’s a reason why the role is vacant in the first place. Whether the decision to part ways was initiated by the employee or the hiring manager, it shows that there was a conflict somewhere. As such, approach new candidates using different strategies.

Unqualified Employees Are Conducting the Interviews

This is one of the biggest reasons why clients miss out on great candidates. Companies might have managers with little expertise in the role of conduct the interview. This often delays the process, as candidates are forced to do multiple rounds of interviews – which can deter passive candidates.

To avoid this issue, once you figure out the details of the role, define who the key managers are. They will be a key part of the interview process to determine which candidate is the right fit. 

Also, if you are looking for niche IT talent, having HR or a non-specialized internal recruiter team can be a huge recruitment mistake. To find the best talent for these kinds of roles, and optimize your hiring cost, you are going to need to look for a strategic staffing partner.

Your Requirements Are Too Stringent

We previously wrote about asking, “What does an ideal candidate look like?” While that is important, you shouldn’t be so focused on the candidate matching every single skill, trait, and years of experience. 

Candidates may not have prior experience using certain software but show that they are trainable, coachable, and ambitious. This can prove to be considerably more valuable than knowing certain software. 

Instead of having a long list of job requirements, consider creating a “must-have” and “nice-to-have” list for candidates. This will help you narrow down a good list of applicants without missing out on qualified candidates. 

You Might be Lying to the Candidate

Like applicants, any company will always want to present the best version of itself during the interview process. Sometimes, that goes too far. A company that has held its employees in the same role since its inception may market itself as a workplace that offers growth opportunities – not exactly the truth. 

To save everyone involved time and money, it’s important to be transparent. This includes everything from the day-to-day activities for the role of company culture and growth opportunities. It establishes a realistic expectation for both parties involved and ensures that the candidate will actually be suitable for the role. 

Your hiring cost can increase drastically if you are not aware that your staffing partner can also have these recruitment mistakes. You need to have a clear idea of what to look for in a strategic staffing partner to create an efficient hiring process. Having the ideal Engaged recruitment partner will bring you efficiency, which will impact positively your hiring R.O.I of your organization.

Align yourself with a niche IT staffing and recruiting agency now!