7 Secrets Every Hiring Manager Should Know

Hiring the right person can often be compared to the odds in a Las Vegas casino crapshoot. 

Yet hiring on those odds can be very costly. A CareerBuilder study estimates that the average financial cost of hiring the wrong individual for an entry or mid-level position is $7000 to $10,000. The financial cost for making the same mistake for a manager position is typically in excess of $40,000.

What if you were able to substantially increase your odds to hire the right employee the first time? Every minute and dollar count as you try to fill this much needed position.

1.    Never hire out of desperation – NEVER, NEVER, NEVER hire an individual just to have a body or fill a position. This is the biggest mistake that I have seen hiring managers make. Because the position is open and you know it needs to be filled judgment goes out the window. Expectation as to what is needed often put to the side in order to fill the position. This will set the person and your current team up for failure. 

It is better to continue to look for the right person and have the position open longer than to fill only to have a warm body in place. Your team will also agree. They will start to resent you and the bad hire. The damage that this can cause is sometimes irreversible. So, I will say it again NEVER hire out of desperation.

2.    Do more listening than talking – There will be plenty of time for you to share about the company. (Don’t miss #6) This is the time to find out as much about this candidate as you can and the best way to do this is to make them feel comfortable to share. Ask plenty of questions that require more than a yes/no answer. While you are asking questions, it shouldn’t feel like an interrogation but an organic conversation that will encourage the person to let you into their world.

Listening also allows you to observe. You find out a lot by watching people. Are their words in sync with their body language? 

3.    Do they have the skillset needed to do the job? – Most hiring managers use the individuals' resume to determine if they can do the job. While their resume should be an indication of what they can bring to the position, it is no guarantee. However, what you can do to further assess their skill set is to find out very specific details based on their experience. How have they operated and handled situations in their previous position? (Ex; At XYZ you mentioned that you were able to turn sales around and increase profits by 10% tell me exactly how you were able to do that.) 

You will learn far more this way instead of asking them how or what they would do in a situation in your company. The fact of the matter is they don’t know how they would handle that experience in your company. The keyword being experience. They haven’t had it yet.

4.    Team and cultural fit – You think you found that perfect employee and they have all the skillset needed for the position so what could go wrong? Seventy percent of our time is spent at work so taking that into consideration will retain your top and best talent.  Personality and cultural fit seal the deal. This ensures that you have a team that gets along and creatively works well together. 

I have witness teams where one person seemed to have all the talent but the worst attitude. The toxicity this brings to the team and work environment will never allow you to find out what other hidden talents are in your midst.

Whether spoken or unspoken every organization has a company culture. Understand that not all company cultures are alike. Knowing your company culture and being able to communicate with future employees will be essential to finding that ideal candidate.

Nike has built teamwork at the heart of its company culture. Their organization culture is centered on creativity and innovation to provide products that suit current consumer preferences. That will come as no surprise if you have read “Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike”, Phil Knight. All of his early employees were not only athletes but runners like himself.

5.    The good, bad, and the ugly – Many of us get caught up in just telling the candidate the pleasant things about the job and company. While you are not there to speak ill of the company or individuals you do need to keep it real. Let’s face it when a candidate just tells you all their best qualities during the interview you know that there are somethings that they are not sharing.

(Ex; The normal hours are 9-5 however if the team is working on a project deadline, they’re expected to work some late nights.) 

Candidates appreciate the transparency upfront, instead of walking into a situation where they fill blindsided later on. This is your opportunity to build a relationship of transparency with the candidate from the very beginning and share with them things that they will need to know to fit into your organization.

6.    Know and share your company story – Every company has a story. If you are startup you have the story as to why the company started. And if your company has been around for centuries you have a longer story, but every company has a story. Telling your company story is a critical part of building your brand, but it’s also crucial during the hiring process. Storytelling when done right will pull a consumer into your brand. Consumers are future employees.

If you are familiar with Warby Parker the eyeglass company their story started out simply. One of the founders lost his glasses on a backpacking trip and spent his first semester of grad school squinting and complaining because he couldn’t afford to replace the glasses.

I’m quite sure that after hearing their story, buying their product and experiencing their customer service they have turned many a consumer into company brand ambassadors. 

Stories move people and create emotions.

Stories are part of the company culture and evolution. You probably have your own story as to why you started working at the company. Don’t be afraid to share these stories.

7.    Recognize red flags during the interview – The poet Maya Angelou said: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Don’t disregard signs you see that indicate that this is not the right candidate. I will caution you not to make a swift decision, but to ask more questions so that you have clarity.

I once had a video interview with an applicant and in the background, I saw the work banner from the bank he was currently working in. When I asked if he was at work, he didn’t hesitate to tell me yes. It turns out that he was on shift working and didn’t have a problem doing the interview while on work time. When I asked him if he saw a conflict with this, he told me that his manager hated her job also and was okay with it. So many red flags I lost count.

Hiring right requires effort, time, and dedication. Hiring wrong can weigh on an organization financially and take a toll on staff. When done right it is music to your ears. The result, employees well suited to your company, culture, and a bright future.