Hiring is one of the hardest parts of managing a team. A lot is riding on the initial meeting, and if you're nervous or ill-prepared—or both—it can make you do strange things. The following mistakes are all too common, but they're easy to avoid with some advance preparation.
1. You Talk Too Much
When giving company background, watch out for the tendency to prattle on about your own job, personal feelings about the company, or life story. At the end of the conversation, you'll be aflutter with self-satisfaction, and you'll see the candidate in a rosy light—but you still won't know anything about her ability to do the job.
2. You Gossip or Swap War Stories
Curb your desire to ask for dirt on the candidate's current employer or trash talk other people in the industry. Not only does it cast a bad light on you and your company, but it's a waste of time.
3. You're Afraid to Ask Tough Questions
Interviews are awkward for everyone, and it's easy to over-empathize with a nervous candidate. It's also common to throw softball questions at someone whom you like or who makes you feel comfortable. You're better off asking everyone the same set of challenging questions—you might be surprised what they reveal. Often a Nervous Nellie will spring to life when given the chance to solve a problem or elaborate on a past success.
4. You Fall Prey to the Halo Effect (or the Horns Effect)
If a candidate arrives dressed to kill, gives a firm handshake, and answers the first question perfectly, you might be tempted to check the imaginary "Hired!" box in your mind. But make sure you pay attention to all his answers, and don't be swayed by a first impression. Ditto for the reverse: the mumbler with the tattoos might have super powers that go undetected at first glance.
5. You Ask Leading Questions
Watch out for questions that telegraph to the applicant the answer you're looking for. You won't get honest responses from questions like, "You are familiar with Excel macros, aren't you?"
6. You Invade Their Privacy
First of all, it's illegal to delve too deeply into personal or lifestyle details. Secondly, it doesn't help you find the best person for the job. Nix all questions about home life ("Do you have children?" "Do you think you'd quit if you got married?"), gender bias or sexual preference ("Do you get along well with other men?"), ethnic background ("That's an unusual name, what nationality are you?"), age ("What year did you graduate from high school?"), and financials ("Do you own your home?")
7. You Stress the Candidate Out
Some interviewers use high-pressure techniques designed to trap or fluster the applicant. While you do want to know how a candidate performs in a pinch, it's almost impossible to recreate the same type of stressors that an employee will encounter in the workplace. Moreover, if you do hire the person, they may not trust you because you launched the relationship on a rocky foundation.
8. You Cut It Short
A series of interviews can eat up your whole day, so it's tempting to keep them brief. But a quick meeting just doesn't give you enough time to gauge a candidate's responses and behavior. Judging candidates is nuanced work, and it relies on tracking lots of subtle inputs. An interview that runs 45 minutes to an hour increases your chances of getting a meaningful sample.
9. You Gravitate Toward the Center
If everyone you talk to feels like a "maybe," that probably means you aren't getting enough useful information—or you're not assessing candidates honestly enough. Most "maybes" are really "no, thank yous." (Face it: He or she didn't knock your socks off.) Likewise, if you think the person might be good for some role at some point in the future, then they're really a "no."
10. You Rate Candidates Against Each Other
A mediocre candidate looks like a superstar when he follows a dud, but that doesn't mean he's the best person for the job. The person who comes in tomorrow may smoke both of them, but you won't be able to tell if you rated Mr. Mediocre too highly in your notes. Evaluate each applicant on your established criteria—don't grade on a curve.
Regards
Ankit
From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)
31. You Talk Too Much
When giving company background, watch out for the tendency to prattle on about your own job, personal feelings about the company, or life story. At the end of the conversation, you'll be aflutter with self-satisfaction, and you'll see the candidate in a rosy light—but you still won't know anything about her ability to do the job.
2. You Gossip or Swap War Stories
Curb your desire to ask for dirt on the candidate's current employer or trash talk other people in the industry. Not only does it cast a bad light on you and your company, but it's a waste of time.
3. You're Afraid to Ask Tough Questions
Interviews are awkward for everyone, and it's easy to over-empathize with a nervous candidate. It's also common to throw softball questions at someone whom you like or who makes you feel comfortable. You're better off asking everyone the same set of challenging questions—you might be surprised what they reveal. Often a Nervous Nellie will spring to life when given the chance to solve a problem or elaborate on a past success.
4. You Fall Prey to the Halo Effect (or the Horns Effect)
If a candidate arrives dressed to kill, gives a firm handshake, and answers the first question perfectly, you might be tempted to check the imaginary "Hired!" box in your mind. But make sure you pay attention to all his answers, and don't be swayed by a first impression. Ditto for the reverse: the mumbler with the tattoos might have super powers that go undetected at first glance.
5. You Ask Leading Questions
Watch out for questions that telegraph to the applicant the answer you're looking for. You won't get honest responses from questions like, "You are familiar with Excel macros, aren't you?"
6. You Invade Their Privacy
First of all, it's illegal to delve too deeply into personal or lifestyle details. Secondly, it doesn't help you find the best person for the job. Nix all questions about home life ("Do you have children?" "Do you think you'd quit if you got married?"), gender bias or sexual preference ("Do you get along well with other men?"), ethnic background ("That's an unusual name, what nationality are you?"), age ("What year did you graduate from high school?"), and financials ("Do you own your home?")
7. You Stress the Candidate Out
Some interviewers use high-pressure techniques designed to trap or fluster the applicant. While you do want to know how a candidate performs in a pinch, it's almost impossible to recreate the same type of stressors that an employee will encounter in the workplace. Moreover, if you do hire the person, they may not trust you because you launched the relationship on a rocky foundation.
8. You Cut It Short
A series of interviews can eat up your whole day, so it's tempting to keep them brief. But a quick meeting just doesn't give you enough time to gauge a candidate's responses and behavior. Judging candidates is nuanced work, and it relies on tracking lots of subtle inputs. An interview that runs 45 minutes to an hour increases your chances of getting a meaningful sample.
9. You Gravitate Toward the Center
If everyone you talk to feels like a "maybe," that probably means you aren't getting enough useful information—or you're not assessing candidates honestly enough. Most "maybes" are really "no, thank yous." (Face it: He or she didn't knock your socks off.) Likewise, if you think the person might be good for some role at some point in the future, then they're really a "no."
10. You Rate Candidates Against Each Other
A mediocre candidate looks like a superstar when he follows a dud, but that doesn't mean he's the best person for the job. The person who comes in tomorrow may smoke both of them, but you won't be able to tell if you rated Mr. Mediocre too highly in your notes. Evaluate each applicant on your established criteria—don't grade on a curve.
Regards
Ankit
From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
This one makes refreshing read. Its quite different from most articles I have read so far.
From India, Nasik
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
From India, Nasik
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Excellent, Ankit!
This is something every HR professional must keep in mind. You have pointed out common things that everyone simply neglects or is unaware of. Let's open our eyes, friends, and see the invisible around us.
Thank you,
Binu
From India, Thiruvananthapuram
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
This is something every HR professional must keep in mind. You have pointed out common things that everyone simply neglects or is unaware of. Let's open our eyes, friends, and see the invisible around us.
Thank you,
Binu
From India, Thiruvananthapuram
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Hi Ankit!
Thanks for your efforts to educate people like me who are still students in this field. I find the information very useful and believe it will help me achieve success in the near future. 😊
By the way, I need some clarification. I have a friend who was recently placed in TCS as a trainee Software Engineer. He is a fresher and was selected through campus recruitment. However, there seems to be a problem now. The college is demanding that the students pay half of their salary. They are even threatening that they will not provide the offer letters unless this payment is made.
Is this ethical? How should they proceed now? How can they bring this issue to the attention of the companies where they have been placed?
I am looking forward to your reply.
Warm regards,
Krishna Mohan.
From India, Hyderabad
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Thanks for your efforts to educate people like me who are still students in this field. I find the information very useful and believe it will help me achieve success in the near future. 😊
By the way, I need some clarification. I have a friend who was recently placed in TCS as a trainee Software Engineer. He is a fresher and was selected through campus recruitment. However, there seems to be a problem now. The college is demanding that the students pay half of their salary. They are even threatening that they will not provide the offer letters unless this payment is made.
Is this ethical? How should they proceed now? How can they bring this issue to the attention of the companies where they have been placed?
I am looking forward to your reply.
Warm regards,
Krishna Mohan.
From India, Hyderabad
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Hi, Krishna Mohan,
Was there any written commitment signed between the student and the campus committee of the institute? Providing placement through campus recruitment is one of the implied duties of the institute, and no institute can deny that.
Regards,
Ankit
From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Was there any written commitment signed between the student and the campus committee of the institute? Providing placement through campus recruitment is one of the implied duties of the institute, and no institute can deny that.
Regards,
Ankit
From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Hi Ankit!
Thank you very much for your reply. Yes, they were placed, received confirmation, and also signed a letter stating their willingness to join the organization. Can they approach the HR personnel of that organization to address this issue since 21 students have been placed there? If the college doesn't provide them with an offer letter, are they not allowed to join the organization? Can they directly inform the HR team about their problem, or would it be considered an internal conflict between the students and the management, resulting in the organization withdrawing the offers?
With regards, Krishna Mohan
From India, Hyderabad
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Thank you very much for your reply. Yes, they were placed, received confirmation, and also signed a letter stating their willingness to join the organization. Can they approach the HR personnel of that organization to address this issue since 21 students have been placed there? If the college doesn't provide them with an offer letter, are they not allowed to join the organization? Can they directly inform the HR team about their problem, or would it be considered an internal conflict between the students and the management, resulting in the organization withdrawing the offers?
With regards, Krishna Mohan
From India, Hyderabad
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Talking to the HR of that organization could be considered sufficient, as no college can force you to pay your salary amount. Another thing, may I know the name of your college and its accreditation, etc.
Regards,
Ankit
From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Regards,
Ankit
From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Hello, sir,
Thank you for the very helpful information. Could you also describe some more errors that can happen in the HR field, such as placing the wrong person in the right job, biased appraisals, promotions, welfare activities, awareness of labor laws, discipline, etc.? These are errors that an HR person can commit at work.
From India, Secunderabad
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Thank you for the very helpful information. Could you also describe some more errors that can happen in the HR field, such as placing the wrong person in the right job, biased appraisals, promotions, welfare activities, awareness of labor laws, discipline, etc.? These are errors that an HR person can commit at work.
From India, Secunderabad
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)CiteHR is an AI-augmented HR knowledge and collaboration platform, enabling HR professionals to solve real-world challenges, validate decisions, and stay ahead through collective intelligence and machine-enhanced guidance. Join Our Platform.
10 Mistakes Managers Make During Job Interviews.doc