7 Common Mistakes Hiring Managers Make When Hiring Their Technical Team

Discover seven common hiring mistakes and learn how to avoid them to build a strong technical team.

In today’s tight labor market, everyone is looking to move quickly to hire the best talent for their technical teams.

But in the rush to hire technical staff quickly, hiring managers often fall victim to common hiring mistakes. These mistakes not only can result in bad hires, but they also can be costly to a company’s bottom line. From erasing time and monetary investments associated with training new hires, to reducing team morale and efficiency, stalling project progression and hindering overall business success, the pitfalls of an ineffective recruitment and selection process can have far reaching effects on your organization.

So how can hiring managers slow down when selecting technical professionals without missing out on great talent? Here are seven common hiring mistakes to avoid when hiring a technical team — and steps hiring managers can take to steer clear of making them.

Common Hiring Mistakes

1. Falling for Urgency Bias

Urgency bias in hiring occurs when hiring managers feel pressured to fill positions quickly, often leading to rushed decisions and potential bad hires. This bias can result in overlooking more suitable candidates who may take longer to find or evaluate. By taking your time and being intentional with your search — and giving qualified candidates time to apply — you’ll be more likely to find a long-term fit with the skills needed to be successful in the role.

2. Selecting the First Candidate

Rushing to hire the first candidate you interview can result in missing out on better-suited talent. Take the time to evaluate multiple candidates and adequately assess their skills to gauge their true abilities, confirm their qualifications and evaluate if their skills (both hard and soft skills) align with what you need.

3. Not Knowing What You’re Looking For

Without a clear understanding of the skills and qualities needed for the role, you risk attracting unqualified applicants or hiring the wrong person for the job. It’s important to define the role’s requirements clearly before starting the hiring process and documenting them accurately in the job description. Make sure to involve people who will supervise or work closely with the new hire to ensure the job description reflects the full scope of the role. Having an accurate and detailed job description that outlines the true competencies and abilities you’re looking for will help attract candidates matching the job requirements.

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4. Poor Interviewing and Assessing Talent

Insufficiently trained or unprepared interviewers can lead to hiring the wrong people and potentially missing out on top talent due to an inability to adequately assess a candidate’s abilities. Improve your interviewing skills by using structured assessments to evaluate candidates consistently and effectively. It’s also important to consider both hard and soft skills during the interview, making sure not to place too much emphasis on one. Determine what attributes you’re willing to concede in lieu of another if the right candidate comes along.

5. Not Preparing Yourself

Failing to prepare for interviews can result in missed opportunities to identify the best candidates. Make sure you're well-prepared and have a clear plan for each interview. Review a candidate’s resume beforehand and prepare thoughtful questions to garner more information about their past experiences, the value they would bring to the role and what differentiates them from other candidates. Preparing and asking scenario-based questions is another great way to evaluate a technical candidate’s skills beyond those listed on the resume.

6. Not Selling Yourself to Prospective Talent

Many hiring managers don’t spend enough time promoting their company and the role to prospective talent. It’s important to highlight the benefits and opportunities your company offers to not only attract top candidates but also to increase your competitiveness amid the tight labor market.

7. Not Moving Quickly Enough

While it's important not to rush the hiring process, moving too slowly can result in losing top candidates to other opportunities. A rigid, lengthy process — especially one that involves multiple interviews with different people — can drive qualified applicants toward companies with a more streamlined hiring process. It’s important to recognize when you have a qualified candidate that matches what you’re looking for and being able to adapt or curtail your hiring process to move swiftly to make an offer.

Hiring mistakes can be costly. Hiring the wrong person has the potential to derail project progress and hurt team morale. Being cognizant of common hiring mistakes can help you reduce the risk of making a bad hire and minimize turnover within your technical team. By circumventing the tendency for urgency bias, prioritizing preparing interviews and structuring an interview process that supports consistent yet timely assessments of candidates, you’ll be in a better positioned to vet candidates effectively and build the technical team you need.