企业如何避免招错人

将错误的人招进公司，可能会导致你和你的公司损失几万甚至几十万美元——这取决于你给他开多少薪水。根据2013年北美最大的招聘网站凯业必达（CareerBuilder）进行的一项调查，有27%的公司表示，他们的每一次招聘失误，都会导致公司付出5万美元以上的损失。

过去20年间，我一直致力于帮助《财富》500强企业构建他们的团队并招聘合适的人才。以下是我在辅导客户的过程中总结的五个经验步骤：

1、清楚自己需要什么，据此进行面试。

首先，你要归纳出自己到底需要新人具备哪些素质。比如，他们应该熟悉哪些平台？他们是主要和客户对接，还是和你对接，亦或两者兼而有之？另外，他们必须具备哪些技术能力？

一旦你明白了自己到底需要什么，而且如果你已经开始对求职者进行面试了，那你就要放弃含糊不清和假设性的问题。比如，不要问“介绍一下你自己”这样大而化之的问题，而是要问：“你在为上一家公司工作时，是怎样使用社交媒体提高客户转换率的？”总之，只有你明白了自己真正想要的是什么，才会更容易得到自己想要的东西。

2、至少挑选五名求职者进行面试，不要轻易招聘第一个被推荐过来的人。

不要因为图省事就略过面试过程。虽然面试和审核求职者是一项很耗时的工作，但它可以避免你招到错误的人。很多人往往倾向于招聘第一个被推荐过来的人，但你永远不知道另一家公司的内部运作是怎样的。一个人对某家公司来说是可能是杰出人才，但这个人对你的公司来说，却可能只是泛泛之辈。再比如说，你面试的某个人可能比较适合在一个亲历亲为的经理人手下做事，但你需要的却是一个主观能动性强、善于主动工作的人。

3、知道你的盲点和弱点。

说老实话，我并不擅长发现自己的错别字，也不是特别擅长把我的辅导意见转换成营销语言。由于知道自己有这样的弱点，我便请了一个擅长这些领域的助手来帮助我。

那么，你怎样才能找到一个能填补你的盲点的人呢？首先，在面试时不要直截了当地问：“你擅长纠正错别字吗？”（因为大多数求职者会说擅长。）而是要问他们擅长什么。如果你提出的是开放性的问题，那么你就更容易得到诚实的回答。你也可以组织一次小考，测试一些他们的相关技能。

如果你不确定自己的盲点是什么，可以试着做做九型人格测试，或者也可以问问你最“毒舌”和最诚实的朋友。

4、如果不能见到本人，至少通个视频电话。

身体语言和面部表情是很能说明一些问题的。当你们谈到上一份工作时，求职者们的表现如何？当你要求他们谈谈他们做过的一些比较乏味的任务时，他们又是什么反应？他们的反应是投入和开放，还是焦虑和抗拒？这些事情通过电话面试是看不出来的。

5、让求职者提供几名你想联系的证明人的联系方式——而不仅仅是由他们提供的证明人。

我们在求职的时候，都喜欢找愿意为我们说好话的人来当证明人。但如果你主动要求求职者提供更多的证明人，就可以对求职者产生更加全面的了解。

因此，你不妨这样说：“我们刚才谈到了你在某公司时所做的项目。我能联系一下他们，好进一步了解那个项目的情况，以及你在其中扮演的角色吗？”

如果你这样问了，最好的结果是：求职者给了你有关证明人的联系方式，然后你了解到了关于他的更多信息。最坏的结果是：他告诉你，他已经与那些人断了联系，或者他们之间有矛盾——不过这也是一种有用的信息。

如果你从招聘流程一开始就投入了更多的时间和精力，那么你就会招聘到更聪明、更投入、更合适的员工——而这会给你的公司省下好几万美元。这绝对值得你的付出。

本文作者苏珊·德拉姆是一名CEO咨询顾问和一名领导力辅导专家。她在带领团队和企业家超越自身潜能方面拥有超过20的经验。她辅导过的学员包括康泰纳仕（Conde Nast）、欧莱雅和维康（Viacom）等公司的高管。

译者：朴成奎

Hiring the wrong person could cost you and your company tens of thousands of dollars—maybe even hundreds of thousands, depending on his or her salary. In a 2013 CareerBuilder survey, 27% of U.S. companies said they lost $50,000-plus for each bad hire.

I’ve spent the last two decades helping Fortune 500 companies build teams and hire right. Here are the five steps I coach my clients through:

Get clear on exactly what you need, and interview based on that

Outline what exactly you need in new team members. Which platforms should they be familiar with? Will they be working with customers, with you, or both? What sort of technical know-how is required?

Once you know what you’re looking for and you’ve started the interview process, forego the vague, hypothetical questions. Instead of, “Tell me about yourself,” try, “Tell me how you increased conversion rates for your last employer using social media.” When you know what you’re looking for, you’re more likely to find it.

Start with a pool of at least five candidates—don’t just hire the first person who comes recommended

Don’t try to shortcut the interview process. While interviewing and vetting multiple candidates is time-consuming, it can prevent you from hiring the wrong person. It’s tempting to hire the first person who comes recommended, but you’ll never know the inner workings of another business. One company’s outstanding performer might be your average employee. You might be interviewing someone who needs a hands-on manager, but what you need are self-starting, autonomous employees.

Know your blind spots and weaknesses

Truth be told, I’m not great at catching typos and could use a bit of help turning my coaching language into marketing language. Knowing that about myself, I looked for an assistant who excelled in those areas.

How do you find a team member who fills in your blind spots? Rather than asking them point-blank, “Are you good at catching typos?” (because most applicants will say they are), simply ask them what they’re good at. When you lead with open-ended questions, you’re more likely to get honest answers. You can also create a sample exercise that tests them on those skills.

If you’re not sure what your blind spots are, try the Enneagram personality test (or just ask your most brutally honest friend).

If you can’t meet in person, at least do a video call

Body language and facial expressions are incredibly telling. How do the candidates behave when talking about previous jobs? How do they respond when you ask them about some of the less exciting tasks they’ve been asked to do? Do they seem engaged and open or anxious and closed off? These aren’t things you can necessarily tell from a phone interview.

Ask for the references you’d like to speak to—not just the references they provide

We’re all inclined to use references we know will speak highly of us. You’ll get a more complete picture of a potential hire if you ask to speak with a few more people.

Here’s how to do that: “We talked about the project you worked on with X. Would it be possible for me to contact them so I can hear more about that project and your role in it?”

Best-case scenario: The candidate gives you the contact information and you learn more about her as a potential employee. Worst-case scenario: She tells you she’s no longer in contact with that person or they had a falling out, which is also helpful information to have.

When you put in more time and effort at the beginning of your hiring process, you’ll hire smarter, more committed, better employees—and save your company tens of thousands of dollars. It’s absolutely worth the effort.

Susan Drumm is a CEO advisor and leadership coach with over 20 years of experience leading teams and entrepreneurs to exceed their potential. She’s coached C-Suite executives from Conde Nast, L’Oreal, and Viacom.