How Can We Better Assess Candidates to Prevent Early Departures After Hiring?

Hi All,

I'm facing a peculiar problem. We made an offer to a guy for a technical position in November, and he joined us in February after a long delay. However, after 10 days, he received another offer and left us. For the same team, we had offered another guy who also left us citing personal reasons.

Please tell me how to judge the candidates during the interview so that they don't leave us after joining.

Hi,

Why don't you enter into an agreement with the employees when you make an offer? You should also specify the damages in case there is a breach of contract. I hope this would work.

Regards,
Manoj

Hi Sushma,

The problem that you are facing is indeed peculiar but not rare. There is very little that we as HR personnel can do in order to stop an employee who has decided to quit the job. What we can do is to identify ways to improve our work processes by conducting exit interviews.

Now, exit interviews do not mean asking a definite set of questions and recording them in black and white. What we have to do is to touch their human angle, ask them personally the reasons for their decision, work on them, and try to retain the workforce.

In your case, I feel that the job description you have given is not designed properly. Employees come with expectations, and if the job does not fit their expectations, they leave. I recommend you redesign the JD.

A contract is not recommended in such cases as employees feel bound by them, reducing the organization's goodwill in the market. Also, contracts have very little value as there is no specific law for contract labor in India.

Thanks and Regards,

Sonit Singh

Hi Sushma,

The problem you have faced has been encountered by most of the HR professionals.

I am not sure how a candidate can join you in February while the offer was given in February. I believe we mention the joining date in the offer letter, and any delay is usually extended until the offer validity period.

In case you have extended the dates, it is advisable to conduct one round of HR interview with the candidate to understand their current and previous work details and reasons for the delay.

Some suggestions that might be helpful:

Firstly, analyze the resume and look at the continuity of the candidate's job trends, ensuring you understand the reasons for any gaps.

1. "Which companies has he/she been interviewing with in the last 3 weeks?" Most candidates answer this question honestly, providing insights into their job search.

2. "What is his dream job/role?"

3. "What is his dream company?"

4. "When would he be able to join your organization?"

5. "How can he assure you that he will join by the specified time?"

6. "Why should your company hire him?"

"Try to assess the candidate based on their attitude" - Are they seeking career growth, financial rewards, or a commitment to learning, etc.?

You could also conduct a simple analysis of recruitment activities, such as candidates declining offers or leaving within 2 weeks, categorized by technology and region.

This analysis will help you understand trends and patterns. For example, if you select a candidate from another location, they may relocate but later feel homesick. As an HR professional, you need to consider all these aspects.

Before proceeding with offer formalities, ensure to conduct reference checks on the candidate. Request three references - one close friend, one of the candidate's father's colleagues, and one business reference (not a relative).

I hope this guidance is beneficial. Remember, practice is the key to success.

Regards,

Radhika

Hi All,

I'm facing a peculiar problem. We made an offer to a candidate for a technical position in November, and he joined us in February after a long delay. However, after just 10 days, he received another offer and left our company. Similarly, for the same team, we offered another candidate who also left, citing personal reasons.

Please advise me on how to assess candidates during interviews to prevent them from leaving shortly after joining.

Hi Sushma,

I am Nikhil from Large Company. In this problem, there is incorrect validation if the candidate has been sourced by a consultant. I suggest the following solutions for this issue:

1. Before making an offer, clearly communicate the candidate's role in the organization and provide time for them to decide.
2. Do not provide a written offer until you have confirmation from the candidate.
3. Encourage the candidate to minimize their notice period, as there is no law in India that can prevent them from breaking it.
4. Highlight the company and its growth opportunities within the organization.
5. Conduct thorough reference checks before extending an offer.

I hope these suggestions help address your concerns.

Hi Sushma,

"I'm facing a peculiar problem... We made an offer to a guy for a technical position in November, and he joined us in February after a long delay. But after 10 days, he got another offer and left us. For the same team, we had offered another guy who also left us, citing personal reasons. Please tell me how to judge the candidates during the interview so that they don't leave us after joining us."

Well, you have posed a good question... as we all face this perennial problem of whether he would join or not? Radhika and others have given valuable insights, especially the questions to ask and probe. Besides this, one needs to develop the knack of reading the candidate while interviewing them. Understanding psychology and human behavior is useful. This takes time and effort; after all, interviewing is both a science and an art! :D

Cheers, Rajat

Hi there,

I read the responses to your dilemma and honestly had a smile on my face, not in ridicule but in remembrance. Here in Canada, breach of employment contracts can be pursued. The reality is that the questioning techniques (some good hints given previously), timing of offers, interview process like panel and team interviews work best in my view as "flags" or concerns missed by one can often be picked up by the team.

I also believe that the more experience you have in interviewing, the better you become at picking up the signals that there may be issues. Where I personally have failed in my judgment of a candidate, it is important for me to reflect, after the fact, on what questions I might have asked that would have revealed additional information, what clues did I miss, what statements did I perhaps misread. This reflection has helped me to refine my interviewing skills and, in retrospect, helped me understand that human nature, culture, and integrity are so intertwined and ultimately individuals choose what they feel is best for them. My influence is at best limited. Thank you for allowing me to share my insights.

Best regards,

Jo Verde
JeMM Consultants
www.jemmconsultants.com