How Not to Make a Bad Hire
 September 9, 2005

The affect of a bad hire on a law firm goes far beyond the wasted time and lost salary costs. One bad hire can do serious damage to a firm’s culture and cost the loss of valued employees. In fact, one of the most common motivations we see for staff members changing jobs is the introduction of a new administrator or department director who is not a good fit for the firm. Here are some things you can do to avoid a bad hire:

1. Know what you are looking for. Before you worry about job descriptions, lay out a clear set of expectations of what the person should accomplish in the first year, what their relationship should be with other people and what their role will be in the overall scheme of the firm. Then work backwards and describe the kind of person who can accomplish those things.

2. Don’t fall in love with one candidate. Occasionally we will see a firm become enamored with a candidate, sometimes the first resume they see. They will then virtually ignore all other candidates and some major red flags (the candidate’s references don’t return phone calls, some inconsistencies in the resume, etc.). As a recruiter we love to see a quick hire but not at the expense of a good hire.

3. Check references. Always check business and personal references – always! Ask tough questions: “Have you seen any evidence that this person uses drugs or alcohol to excess?” or “Other than vacation, approximately how many days off did this person take off over the past year.” In order to provide a favorable reference, most people are willing to bend the truth, but not break it. Ask specific, pointed questions.

4. Get a second opinion. As someone completely uninvolved with the hire to give you a cold read. Ask an attorney or a staff member from another department who will not be working with the person to do a quick (five minute) interview. Their first impression will mirror the first impressions of others in the firm who will not have the benefit of knowing the persons qualifications or having seen other candidates.

5. Avoid friends and family. It can be tough politically but do what you can to avoid candidates that are in anyway attached to partners or clients. Not only is this the greatest source of bad hires, it is among the toughest to fix. Suggestion: advise the person recommending a candidate to ask them to “send the resume directly to the recruiting firm and use my name as having ask them to give you early consideration.” Then feel free to blame the recruiting firm when the person doesn’t get hired. That’s part of what we get paid for.