Many are asking how a blunder this bad came about but the truth is that these things happen and it got us thinking about what you should do if you make an Oscar-style mistake when it comes to hiring new employees? Have you ever chosen the wrong candidate for a role and made a bad hire? Do you admit your mistake and endure the embarrassment like last night’s award presenters did, or do you keep quiet and pretend it’s not happening? As a recruiter, my advice would always be to own up and face the music! The real cost of making a bad hire can much more than that person’s salary and can set your company back hugely, especially if the problem isn’t addressed fast. Here’s my tips on what to do:
- Make the decision
Trust your instinct and confront the problem. You know your company well and you’re probably correct on whether this person is right for the job and the wider business. If you’re feeling unconfident and unconvinced, don’t leave it 6 months before making your decision, go with your gut and take control fast.
- Don’t hang around
Once you’ve decided this person isn’t right, you need to act straight away. You will need to go through a formal dismissal procedure which usually takes some time. Kick start this process as soon as possible to minimise costs and reduce the level of damage to your business and to the candidate involved
- Re-hire!
It’s time start the hiring process for this role again, but this time, do it right. It’s time to turn to outside support and resource to salvage this hiring slip-up. Using a specialist recruiter with knowledge of your industry can open up access to an extensive network of candidates with the skills you need way beyond what you can access yourselves. Communicate clearly to your recruiter the specific requirements of the role and exactly what your expectations are to get the best possible results. Meeting with your recruiter face to face, onsite at your business can help the recruiter to understand the culture of your team and how your operation works, ensuring the quality of your new hire even further. While recruitment agencies will always try their hardest to fulfil the brief, another advantage is that they offer a rebate period; so, if something goes wrong with a hire in the future, your recruitment consultant will find a replacement candidate free of cost.
