5 Common Hiring Mistakes (& How to Fix Them)

The time, effort, and onboarding costs for building a great team and capable company culture can add up and, if not done correctly, cost up to 30% of a candidate’s salary. Preventing turnover and underperformance are key reasons companies rely on staffing firm partnerships “to get the job done.”   Consider these five common hiring mistakes energy companies make so you can avoid them when the time comes to do your hiring:

Hiring mistake #1: Overhiring or under hiring talent

Overhiring is a short-term solution to a long-term problem and leads to too many employees without enough work. On the opposite end of the spectrum, under-hiring leaves you with company underperformance issues and employees who become stretched too thin due to taking on workloads that should be divided among several employees.

Solution: Often, a staffing firm partnership is an ideal solution to this all too common dilemma, especially for manufacturing, energy, and utility firms that endure fluctuating hiring cycles. Rather than enduring eventual layoffs, putting a business in the unfortunate position of letting some employees go, companies can hire contract employees who specialize in their field of work like Tim, a master planner/scheduler responsible for overseeing a $40 million building renovation.

Hiring mistake #2: Rushed or unplanned hiring process.

It’s a natural impulse to want to fill an open position in your company immediately; however, rushing the hiring process can lead to a candidate lacking the proper skills, personality, or work ethic to fit with your company. Just as overhiring can lead to future staffing issues, so can hiring someone on a whim, decreasing morale and forcing others to pick up the slack. It’s better to have a smaller yet stronger team than a weak link interrupting the momentum.   

Solution: Take the time you need to define the job, search for quality candidates, and conduct several interviews with the most promising potential employees. If partnering with a staffing firm, these steps are automatic as recruiters analyze individuals based on their experience and personality. In the rare instance where a candidate doesn’t work out, a replacement can be on-site the next day. Depending on the situation, there may not even be a charge for the person who didn’t work out.

Mistake #3: Not vetting candidates

In today’s competitive market, many job seekers have become well-versed in the science and art of interviewing. Just because a candidate seems confident, eager, and knowledgeable during your interview, don’t rely on your gut instinct alone.

Solution: Ensure to set time aside to call references, perform background checks, and meet with your candidates on more than one occasion before making your final hiring decision. If working with a staffing firm, it’s just one more of the benefits offered to clients, often saving valuable time and money in the long term.

Mistake #4: Not asking behavioral-based interview questions

No yes or no answers here. Behavioral-based interview questions are specific to the individual candidate and the job at hand. They help the interviewer discover how job seekers behave under pressure, problem solve and manage stress.

Solution: Don’t forego your regular interview questions if they are essential to the position, but be sure to include specific, behavioral questions like how they overcame any job obstacles in previous positions and the outcomes. Staffing firms always do this to better gauge a contractor’s impact on-site. Consider Jeff, an experienced commercial construction manager, to enforce QA and QC best practices while installing a denaturant line, all while enduring critical supply chain delays.

Mistake #5: Too much of a good thing

While it is essential not to rush your hiring process, make sure it does not become too drawn out. It’s best to assume candidates are interviewing with other companies, possibly even competitors who may beat you to extending a job offer.

Solution: To ensure you don’t lose your top candidates, keep your hiring and interviewing timeframe brief and keep your candidates in the loop.

The best way to ensure hiring top talent remains a priority is to partner with a niche staffing firm like FootBridge. We specialize in helping businesses throughout the energy, oil and gas, process industries, utilities, and manufacturing industries streamline their hiring processes and fill their open positions with the most promising candidates in the field. If you are looking to hire the top candidates in the energy industry, contact the energy staffing experts at FootBridge Energy today!