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Hiring decisions have a huge and lasting impact on your team, so they need to be taken seriously. Careful checks and balances must be put in place to do everything in your power to avoid a bad hire. With that said, some common red flags shouldn’t be taken at face value.

Perfectly talented, lovely candidates are often taken out of the running due to factors that aren’t necessarily indicative of poor performance. Here’s a look at three of those reasons and why you should be willing to overlook them.

Online Degrees

In the past, online education was largely taboo. Considered an easy way to earn a degree, many schools were unaccredited or lacked the structure of traditional learning. This is no longer the case. The digital era has hugely impacted the education industry, as even Harvard University now offers online learning.

All online degrees aren’t created equal, but then again, neither are all in-class programs. Instead of simply writing a candidate off because they earned their degree online, take the time to research the academic institution and see how it measures up.

Also consider whether the person went to school full time or earned their degree while balancing a 40-hour workweek. You’ll likely find many candidates with online degrees put a lot more effort into their education than those who took the traditional route.

Employment Gaps

Candidates who have left the job market for a while are often essentially blacklisted, but this practice is hugely unfair. People step away from work for all kinds of reasons — e.g., raising a family, going back to school or being laid off after a merger.

Simply assuming everyone with an employment gap is lazy, incompetent or otherwise a terrible hire will cause you to miss out on some really outstanding candidates. Instead of assuming the worst, dig deeper to find out why the person took a break from the workforce.

Inappropriate Social Media Profiles

Social media is a relatively new factor added into the job search. In 2005, only 5 percent of American adults used social media, but that number has skyrocketed to 69 percent in 2018, according to the Pew Research Center.

The savviest job seekers know to put their personal social media accounts on lockdown, but everyone isn’t aware of the best practices. It’s fair to be alarmed if a candidate reveals a bit too much on their public platforms — e.g., pictures of them drinking a margarita on the beach — but that doesn’t mean they’ll be a bad employee.

Steer clear of people engaging in illegal activities or sharing largely negative content, as they probably wouldn’t be a great addition to your team. There’s no hard-and-fast rules around this, so use your best judgment.

Having trouble finding the best person for the job? Team up with PrideStaff Northern Kentucky. Contact us today to connect with top talent eager to fill your temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire positions!

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