As one of the leading staffing agencies in Houston, Murray Resources hears horror stories about it time and again. A candidate looked great on paper, performed well during the interview, and fell apart once on the job.

What gives?

It’s scary but true that there are many job candidates out there who are really good at interviewing and selling themselves. But once they’re actually hired, they simply don’t meet expectations. Clearly this isn’t the kind of person you want to bring on board. But how can you avoid it?

While there are no guarantees in the recruiting game, there are some things you can do to minimize the chance of making a hiring mistake. One of them involves handing out homework to your top pick candidates.

Here are a few reasons why this will help you when it comes time to make your final hiring decision:

Reason #1: Assess a candidate’s eagerness.

If you hand out a homework assignment and the job candidate rolls their eyes, sighs, or protests that they have a “really busy week,” then this is a good indication that they’re not as eager to get the job as you thought. On the flip side, if a candidate takes on the assignment with a smile, asks some insightful questions about your expectations for it, and then submits it on time and done well, then you just likely found yourself your next hire.

Reason #2: Overcome any biases.

Everyone has biases; we’re only human after all. But biases can be seriously harmful when it comes to hiring. They can lead you down the wrong path because someone “seemed” like they’d do a better job. But when you ask candidates to actually complete a homework assignment, you can push biases aside. The work they submit will help you gain a much better sense of whether their skill set matches up with their resume and interviewing abilities.

Reason #3: Evaluate a candidate’s quality of work.

When you receive homework assignments from candidates, you’ll likely be able to tell in a few seconds who put in a lot of effort and who just plain didn’t. When you receive work that is well thought out and insightful vs. sloppy and poorly planned, you’re hiring decision just got a whole lot easier.

Reason #4: Serves as a tie-breaker.

Have two candidates you’re equally interested in and just not sure whom to hire? Giving them a homework assignment will offer you real, tangible pieces of work that you can compare side by side…and gain a better understanding of which one is the right hire for you.

Need Help Hiring Top Candidates?

Hiring is hard work, plain and simple. And if you need some help with the process – whether because you don’t have the time or the resources – let us know. As one of the leading staffing agencies in Houston, Murray Resources can handle the hiring process for you, from start to finish. And you can rest easy knowing your chances of a hiring mistake have been minimized greatly. Contact us today to learn more.