How successful is your hiring process? Professor John Hunter of Michigan State University found that the typical employment interview is 57% accurate.  I have worked with many manufacturers and if their defect rate ran 43% meaning 43% of every product produced had a defect, they would shut down that line immediately and figure out why this was happening.  So why do we allow a hiring process that yields 43% defective hires to continue?  Well, many of us rationalize with the following excuses:

• We know how to hire others because we have all been on the other side of the table being interviewed
• Hiring is an art, you just need to listen to your instincts and follow your gut response
• We use a probationary period and if the new hired doesn't work out we can let them go

Every organization needs a well thought out process for finding, interviewing and hiring top talent.  Below, you will find the top five mistakes I have found most employers make when trying to bring talent on board:

• Having no idea what you are looking for.  Some hiring managers tell themselves that they will know the right candidate when they see them. This is like going to the grocery store without a list and bringing home many items you do not need and never getting what you originally intended to get.  Make a detailed, measurable list that this candidate must deliver with timelines attached and you will increase your odds of a successful hire tremendously.  
• Not seeing enough candidates.  I like to follow the rule of three which states that you need to see a minimum of three candidates for each position on three different occasions by three different people.  When your candidate pool is shallow you tend to take whatever candidate is better than the others and not necessarily the best candidate out there.
• Asking the wrong questions.  There are many candidates out there that make a profession out of getting jobs versus doing jobs.  By asking questions that determine if the candidate can do the job, you will eliminate these Oscar award winning candidates.  For example making a hiring decision based on handshake, dress and eye contact will help them get the job but having them answer a question about how their previous experience has prepared them for this job will address doing the job.

Next week I will list the last two common mistakes that employers make when trying to find that ideal candidate.