The 5 Worst Employee Recruitment Strategies

The hiring decision is one of the most important moves a company makes. It’s too bad that it can be sabotaged so easily by poor employee recruitment methods. Here are five ways you might accidentally drive away your dream candidates.

1. Dooming yourself to repeat mistakes: When a position becomes vacant, don’t just slap up a job posting right away. Review the exit interview (you did conduct an exit interview, right?). Why did the previous employee leave? Was the company culture unpleasant? Was it the work (too much or too little, overwhelming or boring)? If you don’t know what’s wrong, there’s no way to fix it, and you run the risk of the position just becoming a revolving door.

2. Who you know ... is all you know: Referrals from current employees are appealing, and with good reason—your workers already like you, and you already like them. But just because you like Bob doesn’t mean you want a company full of Bobs. Keeping your search open is the way to find employees with different backgrounds and personalities that can bring a breath of fresh air to your organization.

3. Being a faceless entity: What does your company website say about your organization, its values, and its culture? (Hopefully more than “coming soon” or “under construction”!) Savvy job hunters will make sure they match more than just the list of required experience in your listing. Company culture is key to employee happiness, so prove to potential candidates that you have one they’ll want to join.

4. Not respecting boundaries: When you’re wooing a candidate, make sure you don’t woo too far. Don’t cold-call them on their work number during the workday to ask if they want to quit their job and come to your company—even if they’re inclined to say yes, they can’t say so when they’re sitting four feet from their boss. Being mindful in your communication can do wonders for winning over someone you want to pursue.

5. Failing the face-to-face impression: The interview is the time to screen candidates, sure, but remember that they’re also evaluating you. Explain what your company has to offer, like growth opportunities and an inspiring culture. And don’t forget your (or your interviewers’) behavior: Put away the phone and the unwelcoming scowl, and show your top candidates why they should jump at the chance to work at your organization.

If you’re finding that your hunt for a great employee isn’t turning up results, take a look and see if you’re inadvertently committing any of these blunders in your recruitment strategies. You’ll be surprised how a mistake that slipped through the cracks can make such a big impact on your search.

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