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What to Do If You Hired the Wrong Candidate

Sometimes hiring mistakes happen, but it’s important to know how to handle it the right way. Here are some suggestions for making an internal transition work.

Be Upfront About the Situation

Simply hoping things will improve on their own isn’t a good approach to take because it will likely only get worse. This is the type of situation that you want to face head-on. “Rather than hoping for the best, or trying to deter a confrontation, leveling with the new hire about your dissatisfaction and their performance issues can open the way to joint problem solving,” explains business consultant Liz Kislik.

It’s not always the most comfortable conversation to have, but it’s important that you’re upfront about it because that’s usually the quickest way to finding a solution. In some cases, offering detailed feedback is all it takes to prompt a positive change.

Consider Placing the Person in a New Role

Just because an employee isn’t working out in one particular role doesn’t necessarily mean all hope is lost. In some cases, putting them in a different position that’s better aligned with their talents and skillset can work out well. However, there are two key questions you should ask yourself before exploring this route.

Do they fit in with your company culture? And have they demonstrated a good work ethic? If the answer is yes, carefully examine their skillset and see if they could potentially be placed in a new role.

Make a Smooth Transition

If you feel comfortable keeping a new hire on board, make the shift and find a replacement for the now-vacant position. However, it’s crucial that you do this in a way that creates minimal friction. If you have enough manpower to cover the workload temporarily, you can go ahead and assign the employee to their new position before starting the hiring process. Otherwise, you may need for them to remain in their original position temporarily until you find a new candidate.

Or if it simply won’t work out and you need to part ways, try to negotiate a plan that’s mutually beneficial for both parties. “An honest conversation can give the unsuccessful hire more sense of personal control and also give you the leeway to work publicly to support the team’s activities and find a replacement,” Kislik adds.

Realizing you’ve hired the wrong candidate can be frustrating and stressful. But following these tips should help you fix the situation and get things back on track.

Looking to recruit top talent in your area? Contact the professionals at Axiom Staffing Group today to see how we can help.

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