Whenever a hiring manager interviews a prospective hire, they have likely gone through many batches of decent sessions before they have a great conversation. Once that energetic and engaging job seeker comes along, it can be tempting to hire them on the spot, but doing that can go terribly wrong. Instead, input notes into the company’s HR software solutions, so all members within the human resources department can provide their own feedback.
Going with this strategy instead of acting on impulse will allow recruiters to find a person who truly wants the job opening, not the list of benefits that are found on the careers website portal. Inc. Magazine contributor Jeff Haden learned from this similar mistake the hard way.
“He was tired of scheduled breaks and lunches and wanted to set his own schedule,” Haden wrote. “He was tired of taking directions and wanted to be the one who gave directions.”
When a position opened up at the company Haden was overseeing, he immediately thought that the person who was with the organization the longest would be the best qualified. However, it turned out the individual was more willing to reap the benefits, neglecting to take on the responsibilities the job required. What appeared as a win-win ended up being more of a lose-lose because both parties were not holding up their end of the bargain and Haden had to hire another person.
“I needed someone driven to excel at those tasks so they could make things happen,” he explained. “I didn’t need someone who wanted the position because they wanted all the “stuff” that came with the position.”
While a strong first impression can accelerate a person’s chances, it is equally as important to find someone who is capable and willing to take on every responsibility. Use information that is already provided in the business’ HR software to identify what questions should come up during the next stage of the interview because focusing solely on their past may hurt the company’s future.