Inc.com offers up this slide show that nails it – 10 derailing mistakes that can short circuit any hiring process.
A couple of my favorites:
Jumping to conclusions
Don’t be too hasty when reviewing resumes. A 30-second glance isn’t enough to eliminate a candidate. Be fair, and take the time to discover the truth behind a resume.
I would take it one step further – don’t jump to conclusions after interviewing the candidate either. We have sat through many interview debriefs where the hiring manager took one piece of data from the interview and ran it out to a sinister trend in the candidate. There is nothing more frustrating than that. Ask questions. Ask follow-up questions. Ask clarifying questions. Don’t assume.
Letting personal attitudes and biases impact decisions
Everyone has pre-dispositions, but if you begin the process with bias for any reason, you may well miss out on a great candidate.
This mistake is subtle and difficult to expose. We see it often and try to work around certain aspects of it. Most often these biases are based on recent experiences. Heaven help you if you find a strong candidate who has any resemblance to the person who last held the position!