There is a lot of pressure on general managers come draft day and free agency. One of the big differences between lackluster franchises and the ones that win championships and forge dynasties is their ability to acquire the right free agents and draft well. Building a great team starts at the top and bringing in the talent you need to succeed.
In that same vein, when you are a hiring manager, the stakes are high with every personnel move you make. The same way general managers can draft busts and set their team back years, so too can hiring managers make mistakes in the hiring process that can leave their team with a personnel mess.
Here are a few common mistakes employers make, and how to avoid them.
Nix the “Ninja”
There is a trend nowadays to create “job titles” that sound less like actual positions and more like Halloween costume ideas. “Ninja,” “Superhero,” “Rockstar”—the groan-inducing list goes on. These titles can sound forced, faux-quirky, pandering, and condescending—because that’s exactly what they are. They not only treat the people you’re hiring like they’re children who can’t handle a proper job title, but it denies them the career prospects opened up by having an actual job title on their resumé instead of one of these jokes.
Applicants know that, which is why many avoid jobs with these pandering unhelpful titles. Listing your job with one of these, thus, undercuts your company’s ability to recruit the best talent and demeans the very people you’re looking to hire.
Goodbye to Ghosting
It’s true in dating, and it’s true in hiring—ghosting hurts. Nevertheless, while there are understandable reasons to ghost in the former, simply never getting back to rejected applicants can start to spread a bad reputation about your company. Besides, it’s hurtful. Rejections are never easy, but a “Thank you for your interest…” letter is better than nothing.
Be Realistic
Nobody’s perfect. As such, if you’re waiting to fill a role until a 100% perfect candidate rolls around, you may as well say you’re waiting for an M. Godot to apply.
With these factors in mind, your hiring managers will be able to avoid common pitfalls and start building the kind of championship company you need.