Hiring employeesBringing on new employees can be an expensive task to undertake – especially considering the hidden costs of hiring – so you want to make sure that you get the best candidate possible. But what if, in your efforts to find the perfect fit, you’re actually turning away good candidates?

Here are three things that will turn candidates off quickly – keep them in mind so that you can avoid making the same mistake.

Asking for Salary History

Many companies ask job candidates to provide a history of their salaries at previous positions. You want to make sure you’re going to give them a number that is fair for both parties, but to the job seeker it often seems like you want to lowball them. You should instead be upfront with the candidate (once talks get serious) and give them a range that you’re thinking. If they’re smart they’ll meet you somewhere in the middle.

Not Responding

It’s one thing if they’re part of a massive influx of online resumes, but once you’ve spoken with a candidate directly, either in person or on the phone, you should reach back out to them no matter what happens. You may decide the time is not right to bring on another employee, but if you don’t reach out to the candidates that you did like, they’ll be less likely to come back when you’re ready to hire again.

Too Narrowly Focused

You have the ideal dream employee in your head and you’re not going to stop until you find them. Take this approach if you want to, but know that you’re probably going to pass up a handful of excellent candidates in the process. This can give them a bad opinion of you and also cost your company more money as you search for the diamond in the rough.

Finding the right person to hire for an open position is an inexact science, but one that you should approach carefully. It’s all about finding a balance between hiring the first person you meet and searching endlessly for your ideal candidate. Help yourself by avoiding these three recruiting mistakes to make your hiring process more effective.