The worst thing that can happen when hiring is losing qualified candidates; especially, ones that may be the perfect match.

Below are ten mistakes hiring companies make that cause star candidates or candidates in general to lose interest in a job opportunity:

  1. No feedback after an interview:  Having no idea where he or she stands in the interview process can diminish a candidate’s interest in the position and the company.
  2. Slow hiring process:  Holding a candidate for three months or longer doesn’t look good.  Candidates begin to question the decision-making process of their potential employer.
  3. Tedious hiring process: A candidate who must go through several separate interviews may lose interest in the opportunity. Most candidates welcome the chance to speak with anyone involved in the hiring process. However, having multiple interviews can be tedious and time consuming—especially for candidates with current jobs. Panel interviews can be an effective alternative to this.
  4. Not being respectful of the candidate’s time:  The need to reschedule an interview happens. Things come up, and sometimes, there is no way it can be avoided. However, constantly rescheduling an interview, then canceling last-minute can cause a candidate to feel disrespected. Again, many candidates are currently employed and rescheduling at the last minute affects their schedule as well.
  5. Undervaluing the candidate:  Offering a candidate well below what they were previously making and what they are worth will make a candidate feel like the hiring company is not serious about the offer.
  6. Offering a lower salary than is stated on the position description and/or changing the benefits that were previously communicated:  When an offer is presented that is lower than the original salary range that was communicated, it causes disappointment and distrust with the candidate. Furthermore, as mentioned previously, the candidate may feel devalued and lose interest.
  7. Job description is different than the actual responsibilities: This often happens when the hiring company is unsure of exactly what they are looking for with reference to a specific position.
  8. Interviewer is not prepared: Generally, candidates are counseled on being prepared for the interview, but a surefire way to make a candidate question the hiring company’s culture, is when the interviewer is not prepared.  Asking questions that are easily answered on the candidate’s resume or being late to the interview is a poor reflection on the company.
  9. Asking inappropriate questions during an interview: This should be self-explanatory, however it still happens—the age question or round about questions to figure it out, shouldn’t be asked. It’s illegal and very distasteful. Age doesn’t always determine whether someone will fit in a company’s culture.
  10. Breaching candidate confidentiality: Confidentiality during the job interview process is extremely important, particularly for candidates who are currently employed.  Contacting former employers, and even worse the existing employer, before the candidate has even been interviewed is not a good practice.  Reference checks are important, but should be done once the initial interviews have been done and the hiring company has determined this is a candidate they are interested in pursuing.

It is just as important to the candidate to be impressed as it is for the hiring company. Finding the perfect fit for a position can be hard enough, but keeping them interested shouldn’t be. Avoiding these mistakes can lead to a much smoother and successful hiring process.