The 5 Decision Making Mistakes To Avoid
Are you a good decision maker? If not, it’s something that you can be proactive about changing. You can improve your ability by simply avoiding some of the most common mistakes that recruiters make when making decisions. Below we take a look at five of the most common.
Assumption
If you’re recruiting for a long term client it can be easy to start assuming what they want, rather than actually asking them and acting on it. Just because you know there business well and are almost certain of what they will require in a candidate, never, ever assume and always ask them. As well as saving you time in the long-run by preventing you interviewing unsuitable candidates, it’s this sort of attention to detail that probably won you the business in the first place, so don’t let other agencies get another bite at the cherry by letting your service slide.
Not utilising enough information
If you’re faced with decisions that need to be made quickly, it can be far too easy to go ahead without taking the time to gather enough information to make a good, informed decision. Be honest with yourself and assess whether you have enough. If not, put the decision on hold for a short time to give you chance to gather the information needed. This will lead to a slower decision, but a slight delay is much better than a wrong decision.
Taking too long
When a client is recruiting for a new member of staff, it means that their team is under resourced, and that means that as well as not operating as effectively as it could be, each day they are without that team member they are losing money. Of course the final decision as to who they will employ will be down to them, but you are there to screen candidates and present them with a handful of highly suitable candidates. Recruitment is all about speed of response, so avoid taking too long to decide who to put forward. At the same time, don’t be too hasty and cut corners, which could be disastrous for both you and the client.
Not looking at the bigger picture
Are you prepared to sacrifice short-term wins for long-term gains? As a recruitment consultant, you will be presented with decisions that bring this issue to the fore. If for example, your client is desperate for a new member of staff, have you ever been tempted to recommend someone just to fill the vacancy, even if they’re not suitable for the role? Being honest with your client and explaining that things may take a little longer may not be great for your figures in the short term, but your client will appreciate your honesty and you’ll gain in the long-term.
Not taking personal responsibility
When that client congratulates you on the standard of candidates you’ve supplied them with, you’re happy to take personal responsibility aren’t you? But what when they’re not happy? If you’re tempted to shift the blame elsewhere, don’t. Your clients are business professionals and any hint that you’re not the type to take personal responsibility could lose you their business. People make bad decisions sometimes, it’s a fact. Admit them, learn from them and use the experience to provide an even better service than before.
What mistakes do you think it is important to avoid when making decisions? We’d love to hear your views.
Till next time,
Cheryl