By Peter Yang

Hiring new talent always carries frustrations and risks. How do you attract the right person? How do you ensure you’re not wasting valuable time interviewing the wrong people? How do you continue to systematically hire the right people?

The talent recruitment process can sometimes seem like a minefield. One wrong move and you’ve made a big mistake that’s difficult to undo. That’s why it’s important to know common hiring mistakes and what you can do to avoid them. 

Mistake #1: Setting Arbitrary Requirements for Applicants’ Resumes

The resume is a useful tool for hiring. It conveniently distills an applicant’s qualifications in a standardized format.

Over time, business owners and hiring managers get used to particular stylistic choices for resumes. This can lead them to becoming “set in their ways” with what they consider “proper” or “improper” resume etiquette. Unfortunately, this may result in irrationally disqualifying great candidates.

There are many different, yet valid, ways to write a resume. For example, some applicants choose a standard style. Others go with something more creative. Some keep their resumes black and white while others add color liberally. Sometimes, applicants use short bullet points to highlight their accomplishments while others prefer to write longer paragraphs.

Keep an open mind when reading applicant’s resumes. While you may prefer monochrome resumes, that applicant with a liberally-colored resume may actually be bold and willing to innovate. Think about what really determines a good hire instead of what’s just your arbitrary preference.

Mistake #2: Being Too Picky During the Initial Screening

While having high standards is a good thing, being too rigid in your initial screening can lead to losing out on strong hires.

One of the biggest ways this manifest is in overusing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). ATS filter applications by using specific keywords to weed out candidates who don’t meet the job’s requirements. The problem is that due to technology limitations, ATS may filter out perfectly good candidates. While ATS is ideal for hiring managers swamped with applications, it’s better for most hiring managers to look through resumes individually.

In addition, if you’re not getting enough candidates for your open position, look at your online application. If the application is too long, applicants may get discouraged and quit while applying. Think hard about what requirements truly belong on your online application and which can be handled during the phone screening or in-person interview.

While every hiring manager and new business owner wants the perfect fit for their position, it may not be worth it to hold out unreasonably long. Realistically, how often will you find the exact match for your job? It may be better to hire a candidate who is willing and eager to grown into the position.

Mistake #3: Not Enticing Your Candidates

Most hiring decisions start like this: the last employee leaves the role and now the position has to be filled. What do most hiring managers do? Recycle their old job post. Unfortunately, attracting quality candidates isn’t that simple.

Instead of being reactive, be proactive. Before you put up that old job posting, take some time to define who the right candidate really is. Ask yourself these critical questions: How has the job changed? Why did the last employee quit? What kind of person would best fit this position? How can I find and attract them? This sort of introspection will set you on the right path to hiring the best candidate for the job.

The best talent are in high demand. To attract them, you have to do your due diligence. Understand the market for your ideal candidate. Understand their mindset and what’s important to them. Is it money? Growth opportunity? The right working environment? Doing your due diligence helps you position your position as an ideal job for your potential future employee.

Mistake #4: Not Thinking Strategically About Your Hiring Processes

Many hiring managers and business owners fall into this hiring trap: they are overly focused on the short-term. While it’s tempting to just fill the position quickly, for long term success you must step back and consider your overall processes.

It’s beneficial to take on an attitude of continuous improvement. Every part of your hiring process might have leaks and your process can be analyzed to plug them. Start with data collection. Measure every major part of your hiring process. Then analyze each part individually and notice golden improvement opportunities.

Ask yourself: Are applicants dropping out? Maybe it’s time to increase follow up. Are the wrong candidates being hired? Look into the quality of your application and interview screening. The more holes you can identify and fill, the better your talent acquisition system will work. Ideally, you want it working like well-oiled a machine, with few interruptions.

Author bio: Peter Yang is a serial entrepreneur and business blogger. As the CEO of ResumeGo, a resume help service, he’s always on the lookout for new career advice to share to home business owners looking to strike it big.