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In hindsight, we should have done a reference check to see why they left their last employer and if they were re-hireable there or not. Luckily we are not at a point where background checks are needed, but as we grow I can see this eventually becoming something we might have to look into making part of the interview process.

Having done about 15 interviews since then at this point, I know I’m far from a seasoned vet. But I have got a pretty good grasp as far as what I’m looking for in either a Tier 1 or Tier 2 rep and also who will fit well with the current group of employees.

There are many ways between the interviews and reference checks to spot someone who doesn’t walk their talk.

If an analysis isn’t done, then whatever happened is likely to happen again.

The person I was tasked with letting go right after I took over, was someone I had sat in on the interview and my opinion drove the decision on hiring or not. Unfortunately, the new hire ‘talked the talk’ and had a very good interview with all the correct answers. Sadly they could not ‘walk the walk’ and just drove down the productivity of the entire support staff once put on the floor after training. I guess what I experienced was all of the steps. I faced the fact that I screwed up and hired the wrong person, I knew they were bringing down the numbers for not just my people but making my supervisors and me look bad to the director of operations for the company. It was one of those moments in life where you just have to suck it up and do what needs to be done. As Barry pointed out, they could have had a family or they could have relocated for the job, luckily this person was not in that category. It was a situation where I had to take the bull by the horns, break the bad news and send them on their way. Have to say I did feel bad doing it, since I have been on the other side of the desk before and know ‘the look’ that the manager gets right before telling you ‘good luck in your next job’. But it didn’t last long, it was done and over with and after another 5 interviews, found another person to fill their shoes, that happens to be about 3 times more productive then some of my other staff members. So, it turned out well for the company and me in the end.

I think Barry’s take, though, is spot on, in that too often it becomes painfully clear that a hire simply isn’t going to work out. And rather than nip a potential morale, security, or productivity problem in the bud, we’d rather try and let them “work it out,” with the end result usually being six to twelve months of frustration for not just the manager and employee, but an entire department.