interviewing candidates – Dispatches From The Front

Bad hiring decisions tend to be expensive mistakes.

According to a study from the Society for Human Resource Management, 41% of hiring managers estimate that hiring the wrong person costs the company thousands for dollars.

The problem is, it’s not always easy to figure out who’s a bad fit— especially if they look good on paper.

“Some people really excel in the interview setting,” says Joe Weinlick, SVP at Beyond, a career network. “They’re personable, charismatic, and able to provide specific examples of past experiences that make them qualified for the job. But just because it’s printed on their résumé doesn’t mean it’s the absolute truth.”

So, how can you spot a disastrous prospective hire before you actually make them a job offer?

Hiring isn’t easy. An interviewer must consider a candidate’s potential in light of the future of a department and a company (sometimes with little guidance). In the absence of certainty, it’s not uncommon for a hiring manager to pick the applicant who possesses what Lily Zhang of The Muse describes as “sparkle.” It’s easier to like a top candidate who doesn’t simply excel over the course of the job search process, but who manages to outshine his competition.

But sometimes, when you’re leading a hiring process, you’ll find that an applicant who is strong on paper doesn’t “sparkle.” Instead, something feels a little off. Here’s what you should do when you’re uncertain how to proceed.

1. When it’s something the candidate could overcome

A candidate might not stand out simply because he’s not a strong applicant. Interviewing is a skill, and just like there are poor test-takers, there are people who study hard and then freeze up when the big day comes. In other words, his interview performance — while less than ideal — wouldn’t bear any correlation to his future job performance.

Tag: interviewing candidates

3 signs you’re hiring the wrong person | Business Insider

Is a reservation about an employee a deal-breaker? | Mashable.com