Can a leopard change its spots? Hiring the right people is critical for any business whether a small company with relatively few employees or a multi-national organisation. Hiring mistakes not only waste time and money, they create a ripple effect that impacts other employees and your business.

Here are five hiring mistakes you absolutely must avoid:

1. Thinking you can change a leopard’s spots

All employees typically must follow company rules and guidelines, whether formal or unwritten. Still, some people can’t — or won’t. The outstanding Negotiator with the incredible track record of generating business and terrorising admin and support staff won’t immediately play well in your sandbox just because you hired him. For some people the work itself, and how they perform that work, is what matters most — not the job. Don’t think you can change them.

Instead: Two choices: One, decide you will accept the total package. If you desperately need revenue you might decide to live with the proven sales superstar’s prima donna behaviour. But if you’re not willing to accommodate or compromise, pass. There is no middle ground.

2. Hiring for skills rather than attitude

Skills and knowledge are worthless when not put to use. Experience is useless when not shared with others. The smaller your business the more likely you are to be an expert in your field; transferring those skills to others is relatively easy. But you can’t train enthusiasm, a solid work ethic, and great interpersonal skills — and those traits can matter a lot more than any skills a candidate brings.

Instead: If in doubt, always hire for attitude. A candidate who lacks certain hard skills is cause for concern; a candidate who lacks interpersonal skills is waving a giant red flag.

3. Selling your business

You absolutely need employees who want to work for you. That’s a given. But never try to sell a candidate on your company. Why? 1) Good candidates have done their homework; they know whether your company is a good fit, and 2) You skew the employee/employer relationship from the start. An employee grateful for an opportunity approaches her first days at work much differently than an employee who feels she’s doing you a favour by joining your team.

Instead: Describe the position, describe your company, answer questions, be factual and forthright, let the candidate make an informed decision… but never sell. The right candidates recognise the right opportunities.

4. Not checking references

Most people have failed to do this at least once and I’ve been burned when I have. People naturally cast themselves in the best possible light. You don’t really know the truth until you check references.

Instead: Always tell candidates in the first meeting that you intend to check references. (I carefully note their reaction.) This keeps them honest and gives them an opportunity to surface any unresolved issues before you discover them on your own.
When checking references, keep in mind that most people tend to be more positive than the candidate’s performance warrants. No one wants to keep someone from getting a job nor do they want to be responsible for the candidate not getting hired. That’s why I am looking for enthusiasm.

5. Ignoring intuition

Nothing beats a formal, comprehensive hiring process — except, sometimes, intuition. If everything checks out on the surface but your intuition sends up a red flag, taking the time to investigate can save you from making a big mistake. If something bothers you about a candidate and you can’t put a finger on it, check and double-check before you make the decision and if it still bothers you, forget about the candidate.

Instead: Let your experience and intuition inform your hiring decisions. And don’t be afraid to conduct your own tests. When hiring internally here at Cherry Pick I like to know how someone interacts with the receptionist as this is often a good indication of how they will interact with your employees.
Bottom Line: If in doubt, cross ‘em out. Everyone makes hiring mistakes, no matter how hard they try. Never put yourself in a position to look back and think, “I knew I shouldn’t have hired him…”

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