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Hiring Screening Applicants Job Interviews

Last year we hired a promising individual who held six different jobs over an eight-year period. He repeatedly told us he is looking for the right company and is ready to settle down. He quit yesterday, and we are very annoyed. What could we have done to prevent this, other than not hiring him?



In the hiring process, there are many promising applicants, but some don't keep their promises. Holding several jobs in a short period of time is typically a red flag. In some cases, there are plausible explanations for job-hopping, but there are plenty of applicants who go through most of their career double-parked.

Job-related questions that focus on the applicant's work experiences, his or her likes and dislikes on previous jobs, as well as the reasons for leaving, can be quite revealing. In the vast majority of cases, the key to what a person will do on the job is what he or she has done in the past.

It can also be helpful to meet with an applicant multiple times, and more than one person should be involved in the process. References are very important, and it is also helpful to review the orientation program and the possibility of having a mentoring program.

When an applicant tells you that he or she is ready to "settle down" in the right company, you should not settle for that answer. If you want to make a better prediction of future performance, focus on his or her behaviors, not promises.



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