Just like most fields have certain myths so also the Recruitment Industry too has assumptions that people have followed till date. These misconceptions that are held are followed blindly and the field of Recruitment is no exception.

The misconceptions need to be checked and rectified in time or else it will affect the performance and efficiency with which Recruiters function. This will in turn affect the quality of the hires. We as Recruiters need to be aware of the “Myths of Recruitment & Selection”, if we are to recognise any of the Myths that apply to us. Therefore, here is a list of the, “5 Myths of Recruitment & Selection - Debunked”

Myth 1 - Job Board Ads & the Website are most Effective Recruiting tools

Well that used to be the case earlier but with the updates to Social Networking sites everything is going digital. Due to the recent developments such as Boolean Search Strings, Application Tracking System (ATS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) this no longer holds true. Isn’t this a shocker?  

Myth 2 – All Experienced Individuals are Egomaniacs

If you are doing this, “stop it right now” because you will be turning down individuals of exceptional talent and calibre. You will be depriving yourself and the company staff of the benefit of the tips, tools, techniques and the wisdom an experienced person has to offer.

Myth 3 – Best Applicants, Make the Best Employees   

Are you wondering why an applicant who nailed the interview, got selected for the job but turned out to be the exact opposite of what you had expected him / her to perform on the job? Don’t fret,  you probably have been a victim to this myth just like others before you, so next time ensure that you evaluate all the aspects before you make a decision to hire them. 

Myth 4 – All Shortlisted candidates, must be asked the same questions  

While it helps to ask similar questions as it reduces our work and also helps us gauge and compare the answers. It isn’t very effective because you are skipping information that differentiates one from the other.

Myth 5 – You cannot Prompt Applicants to respond to the questions favourably

Sometimes it helps a great deal to prompt as it helps them to develop a rapport that gives them confidence to ponder further and give you a straight answer. This will tell a lot more about the person as compared to the first impression you had of them.

If you can relate to any of these Myths or recognise the ones that you practice, it’s probably a good time to take a step back and evaluate the other Myths that have gone unnoticed so that you can then unlearn what doesn’t apply. Besides if you are practicing any of these Myths the individuals that you hire aren’t probably the right ones. So go ahead and evaluate them without these misconceptions affecting your decision to hire the Candidate.