Her references were strong, the interview went great and your gut told you she was the right person for the job. But two months later you're wondering how long you have to hold onto this miserable employee. Every company makes hiring mistakes, says Fleming Ford, national sales manager for the Omnia Group, a Tampa-based employee selection and management consulting firm. But these costly errors can be reduced.
Among other hints, review the resume ahead of time to help prepare questions, look for warning signs and come across more confident and professional. When reading resumes, take notice of what it doesn't say. Fortune Magazine says 66 percent of all job applicants stretch the truth on their resumes, "forgetting" to list jobs they were fired from, adjusting employment dates or embellishing job responsibilities. Some warning signs:
- Dates of employment - candidates who list only the years my be masking short-term employment. Look also for gaps between jobs and analyze the number of jobs held.
- Career progression - look carefully to see if the candidate held positions with increasing responsibilities or if she simply changed employers without changing jobs.
- Credentials - pay attention! Attending university, qualifying for licensure and completing certification paperwork does not necessarily mean the candidate graduated from college, earned her professional license or received accreditation.
(Omnia Group: Fleming Ford, 800/525-7117, http://www.omniagroup.com.)