Hiring your first employee is a big deal!

Do you remember your first hire? It’s normal to have felt nervous because you definitely didn’t want to make a mistake. You wanted your first hire to be amazing!



All of our new recruiters and hiring managers face the same issues when hiring for the first time. They’re not quite sure what to do. It’s kind of like bringing your first baby home from the hospital. Remember that? You get to the lobby with your baby in the car seat, and you’re waiting for someone to stop you like “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” They might as well put a sticky note on your forehead that says Hey I’m new to this!



That’s exactly how our managers feel when they hire for the first time. You’re letting me make this decision? Are you sure?



To help out, I’ve put together a list of the Top 7 Rookie Hiring Mistakes to avoid. Here they are:




Letting HR Control the Process This is your hire. You’ll probably be working with this person every day, so get involved from the start. Don’t just sit back and let HR handle everything.



Looking for the Perfect Candidate No one is perfect, not even you. Find someone who can do the job well and fit into your team, rather than holding out for perfection.



Hiring Someone Just Like You You might think someone like you would be great, but it’s often better to hire someone who complements your skills and brings something different to the team.



Moving Too Slowly If you find a great candidate, don’t wait too long to make an offer. Good candidates are often snapped up quickly by other companies.



Taking Too Long to Fire a Bad Hire First-time managers often think they can fix a bad hire. Don’t drag it out—if it’s not working, let them go quickly.



Thinking Recruiting Isn’t Your Job As a manager, finding the right people is part of your job. Take ownership of the hiring process and work with HR, but remember that you know your team’s needs best.



Worrying About Leadership Judging You Leadership isn’t going to judge you on one hire. They look at your overall hiring track record. One mistake won’t define you, so don’t stress too much about it.




What do you think? What are some of the biggest hiring mistakes you see new hiring managers making? Share your thoughts in the comments!