I was chatting with a friend of mine who works at an Indianapolis staffing firm recently and the conversation turned to the unpredictability of candidates, not an uncommon topic when I talk with others recruiting specialists.  “I can do everything right,” he said.  “And the deal still may not go through.”

While I’m sure this is true to an extent in any industry, in the recruitment industry we struggle with the challenge that our “product” is a human being.  Adding in “the human element” leads to so many opportunities for a project to go wrong.  Was the person being upfront when they said that the position was what they were looking for?  Did they have a lingering concern that they never mentioned?  (Even though I asked!)  Or maybe something came up unexpectedly at the last minute, their dog died, another job offer, they were in a car accident…  The list of excuses why a person may just not show up on the first day of work could go on forever. 

So what’s a small business owner to do when they set out to hire?  The key, as it is in so many business decision, is due diligence.  The only way to improve results is to uncover as much information about the candidate as you can before you bring them on board.  There will always be surprises as you get to know each other, but asking the right questions and approaching the situation with your eyes open is the best way to minimize the unpleasant ones!