Spot the Signs of a Bad Hire

Filling an open role on your team is always a relief. There is a great deal of excitement that follows making a new hire. Unfortunately, not every new hire lives up to expectations. Keep an eye out for these signs you may have made a bad hire.

Warning Signs of a Bad Hire

Here are some of the most common warning signs you’ve made a hiring mistake:

  • Their skills aren’t what you expected – Nearly a third of candidates exaggerate their skills. If someone doesn’t seem to be keeping up, it might be wise to test them on their skills.
  • Their attitude is poor – If they aren’t positive in the first few weeks on the job, it will only get worse from there.
  • They are late or take unexpected time off – Responsible employees will tell you before they are hired if they will need time off during their first 90 days of work. Chronic tardiness or sudden requests for time off are a red flag during the probationary period.
  • Asking the same questions – People who ask the same questions over and over rather than writing things down and trying to learn likely lack personal responsibility.
  • Making the same mistakes – Everyone makes mistakes and no one expects a new employee to be perfect, but everyone should learn from a mistake and take corrective action to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
  • Constantly referring to their old job – It’s great to draw on past experience, but if someone can’t get over their old job, if they constantly say, “At XYZ Corp we did it differently,” it’s not helpful to anyone and could show a lack of flexibility.

What Should You Do If You Made a Bad Hire

The key to dealing with a bad hire is decisiveness. You must assess the situation quickly and determine which action to take, because if you notice the warning signs, you can be certain your team has also noticed them. You have several options:

  • Work with the employee – Provide constructive feedback and give the new employee the chance to take corrective action.
  • Move the employee – Perhaps there is another role the employee would be better suited for.
  • Cut ties – Letting the employee go is often the best course of action.

If you made a bad hire, you’ll most likely have to start the recruiting process all over again. If this is the case, bring in an expert who can reduce the chances you’ll make another error. Contact the expert agriculture recruiters at Morris Bixby to learn how our team can help you reduce your hiring risk.

 

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