Hiring continues to be one of the most difficult aspects of managing and growing a successful business. A massive amount of research has gone into the subject and methods of all kinds have been created by thinktanks and scholars, yet it remains one of the top 3 objects of worry for business leaders in the U.S. While finding the perfect hiring method may have eluded us so far, it is possible for us analyze the biggest mistakes hospitality managers make that keep businesses from realizing their potential level of success.
- Succumbing to Panic
It’s not uncommon for business owners or managers to find themselves desperately understaffed after a previous team member suddenly resigns or acts in a way that necessitates their immediate severance. It’s in these instances that it is easiest to succumb to the pressure of your staff to hire replacements immediately to fill the holes left by the previous employees, regardless of whether or not those rushed hires are compatible with the business or the best fits for the job. This can lead to workplace instability, conflict with staff, and a lowered productivity level that can easily sink your business.
The best way to avoid this is being proactive and having a plan for staffing emergencies. It’s very easy to get into a comfortable place and fail to observe changes in the behavior of your employees that may becoming less invested in your business and their job. This is the number one sign of an oncoming opening in your staff-and you do NOT want to be caught unprepared. Always be on the lookout for people who may be interested in working for you-take down the contact information of anyone who comes in wondering if you’re hiring, and keep a lookout on employment services like linkdin and job boards around your area for people who are looking for a job in your industry.
ALWAYS utilize pre-employment checks before settling on a candidate. No matter the pressure you’re under to fill a spot, never let your guard down lest your business suffer the consequences of a lying candidate.
- Not Following Gut Instincts
We see it in movies and television all the time: the down-on-their-luck man or woman who goes from place to place looking for a job to no avail. If only someone would just give them a chance, they would make an exemplary employee and be a boon for business! We all root for this person, and when we see it in real life, we want to see them succeed all the more. While such generosity and empathy should be undoubtedly encouraged, we must express temperance, as it is easy to get caught up in the moment and ignore the signs we feel may not seem entirely right about a prospective employee.
The guilt we feel over not giving somebody the chance that they desperately need, or perhaps the self-righteousness and vindication we feel when we decide that WE are the ones who will give that person the opportunity can easily cloud our better judgment. Always take a step back and analyze your gut feeling about a person. It doesn’t matter if it’s the homeless woman down the street or the snazzily dressed middle class man with the impeccable résumé smiling at us from across the table, if something feels off about them, listen to that instinct. People can catch small idiosyncrasies subconsciously, and those little inconsistencies give us a sense of unease. If you feel that unease during the hiring process, that candidate may very well not be worth the chance.
- Tunnel Vision
As managers, it’s easy to become fixated on certain traits we believe to be imperative in a successful role fulfillment while hiring. The checklist of main personality aspects and skills that are essential to the role drown out everything else on the list of things that make a good employee. While they are important, we can’t focus on such traits to the absolute exclusion of all other things.
For example, when hiring for a sales position, we may think that the most important aspect of a potential employee’s personality may be the gift of gab and conversation. Once we find someone who can easily build rapport and close a sale, we hire them without looking at the other aspects of their personality. Once hired, though, we find out they may be lazy, deceitful, or are incapable of operating as part of a team. The same principle applies to the hospitality industry-we may hire a server who is personable, attractive, and coordinated, but they may be disorganized, forgetful, and unprofessional in their relationships with their coworkers.
