Mistakes can be made by anyone, even the most highly skilled HR professionals in the field. It will still do you well to make sure you do everything in your power to avoid these errors, because however minute they may seem in the moment, they might have detrimental effects on your company in the long run. Listed below are some of the most common errors in the hiring process that you must avoid at all costs.

1. Not taking your time to hire
This is a mistake that can turn out to be very costly for the organization in the future. In worse cases, the problems may manifest the moment a new employee starts working with the organization. They may not have all the required skills for the job, or even if they do, they may not be able to assimilate well with the culture and ways of the organization. To be able to find the right person for the right job, you must always take your merry time and do your due diligence.

2. Not running reference checks
Not verifying the information provided on a candidate’s resume can also factor into the hiring of employees that do not fit the criteria that are required to perform the task that the job entails. Only by running reference checks can you ensure that the employee has been able to perform consistently well in their past workplaces, and learned enough knowledge from college to be able to apply it to technical situations.

3. Not running criminal history checks
Along the same lines as reference checks, background investigations into the criminal record, or lack thereof, of a potential recruit is a step you must never skip. You would run criminal history checks depending on the country that you are in. For example, for Australian job applicants a police check australia is necessary. Take the time to run a search through the national police database to screen for candidates that have a criminal record and can become a liability for your business and a threat to the safety of your employees. Some industries may go further for background screening and may require government mandated checks like the working with children check that is commonly required for children related roles in Australia. You will also need to check if you require a state based check like a victoria police check or a national police check. Although it should also be noted that a state based check in countries like Australia is in essence the same as a national check.

4. Not taking a test
Situations or tests that simulate the tasks and conditions that your recruits will be required to work with help you gauge their proficiency and skill levels when it actually comes down to performing the tasks. Therefore, neglecting this measure, which can serve as a great way of weeding out candidates that lack the ability to convert their knowledge and experience into results, and only hire the ones that are able to perform to your organization’s requirements.

5. Not being transparent
When you are beginning to send out ad listings, you must make sure to avoid the mistake of being vague about the job description, job specification, and information about your company. Ambiguity can be confusing, and you will be very likely to receive applications from people who do not possess the necessary skills and experience; cannot perform the task entailed by the job for whatever reason, or would fit the organization’s culture, all the while the best candidates overlook your listing because of lack of information. It simply makes you look unprofessional. You can only get the best candidates when you let them know you are looking for them.