Candidates think all the pressure is on them. But, as executive recruiters in Sacramento, CA, Pacific ExecSearch knows that for employers, hiring a new senior executive always comes with its own set of risks and considerations — as well as the potential for mistakes. If your company is gearing up to hire for a C-level position, here are 4 common mistakes to avoid:

Mistake #1: Focusing too much on industry experience.

Industry experience may be nice to have, but don’t overlook an otherwise ideal candidate who comes from a different industry. A person’s broad experience, abilities, personality and work ethic are often far more important than industry experience. The reality is a high quality executive will be able to learn the nuances of an industry in a matter of months. In addition, they will bring with them new ideas and a fresh perspective that will force people to think differently.

Mistake #2: Not selling the company.

Don’t spend all your time analyzing the candidate and his or her background and not enough on why they should want to work for your company. A senior-level candidate has to be wooed. For such an individual to want to join your team, you need to show them possibilities and get them excited about joining your organization. As a result, you should be spending as much as time as possible engaging with them.

Mistake #3: Holding out for perfection.

When hiring, you want to secure the absolute best person possible for the position. However, you also need to be realistic and understand that no candidate is perfect. Otherwise, if you hold out for perfection, your hiring process will drag and you’ll lose out on top candidates.

Mistake #4: Relying on first impressions.

Don’t use the interview process to validate your first impressions of a candidate. Some candidates seem perfect on paper or make a great first impression in the interview, only to flounder once on the job. Put aside whether you like or dislike the candidate and instead focus on matching their strengths to the responsibilities of the job. While you can’t guarantee the success of a new hire, you can lessen the risk of making a hiring mistake by not using your first impressions as a factor in your decision.

Hiring decisions that result in “bad” hires sap your organization’s time and resources. Avoid the mistakes above – and you’ll be on your way to making hiring decisions that help you develop a healthy, productive and competitive organization.

If you’d like additional assistance with your candidate search, read our post about Advice for Attracting Leaders When They Aren’t Looking, or give us a call. As executive recruiters in Sacramento, CA, our team of experts has extensive experience in sourcing, evaluating and helping companies hire leaders for top positions. Call us today to learn more.