Recruiting and hiring the right people for your team can sometimes seem like an almost impossible job. Candidates with the best skills may seem to have the wrong temperament for your company, while the best “culture fit” might need considerable training to complete required tasks.
But good workers are out there, and with some tweaking of your hiring process, you might find the perfect employee. Here are eight steps you can take now to improve your hiring process in the new year.
8 Tips to Improve Your Hiring Process
1. Rewrite Your Job Descriptions
If you do not see the right resumes, your job listings may be part of the problem. First, make sure they are transparent and inclusive. Avoid unintentional bias in descriptions.
Write a clear and direct overview. Descriptions aren’t the place to use creative writing and sensational words, such as “rock star” and “dynamic.” Ensure applicants have a clear understanding of the job and aren’t left guessing.
Before you even get to the interview process, make sure that your recruiters not only understand your company culture but can articulate it.
2. Shorten the Process
The average job search lasts about five months, according to Forbes. Considering all of the other commitments an applicant has in their life, they will appreciate a clear and concise process.
Streamline your communication and ensure the applicant knows when they can expect a response. Utilize new technologies, such as one-way video interviews and AI for resumes.
If it’s challenging to coordinate schedules for several high-level leaders, pull in tenured team members to conduct part of the screening. Applicants may relax and ask them more questions about the work environment and job duties.
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3. Improve Your Interviews
While conducting a virtual interview or chatting with a candidate in one of your conference rooms, make the experience as worthwhile as possible, for both of you.
Chances are that your applicants researched the company and rehearsed for the interview. Offer them the courtesy of doing the same. Make notes about what skills they have and what companies they’ve worked for before, then mention those to personalize the interview.
Rehearse some standard answers to job questions so that you can present the work environment as a priority rather than an afterthought. Prospective applicants will be reassured when they feel that you’ve prioritized the hiring process.
4. Don’t Discount the Personality Factor
Speaking of company culture, unless you are recruiting for a very specific specialty, prioritize personality over skill set for hireability.
If you have an open office with fun in-person activities and challenges for the team, an introvert is going to struggle to thrive. Likewise, an extroverted personality who is expected to sit at their remote office desk, only communicating once daily through email, may not last.
While skills can often be taught, personality needs to fit the team. Perhaps the applicant was in a company that stifled growth and creativity. Offer them new opportunities and training, and you may find a flourishing employee passionate about the company.
5. Pay Attention to Your Reviews
According to the Harvard Business Review, “a bad reputation costs a company at least 10% more per hire.”
Some employers consider employee review sites, such as Glassdoor and Linkedin, to be just a place for venting. In reality, most companies have more positive than negative reviews. And 76% of users on Glassdoor say their perception of the company improves with a response to a review.
6. Showcase Flexible Options
The percentage of applicants that HR experts report you’re missing out on by not offering remote or flexible work arrangements is as high as 70%.
If an entirely remote workforce isn’t a possibility for your company, don’t despair. There are several different hybrid work models that a company can adopt. Finding a model that maintains your company culture and meets your employee needs is worth the time and effort.
With a remote or hybrid model, you widen your applicant base significantly. Workers who don’t fit the traditional schedule and geographical radius are now an option.
7. Don’t Force It
In many ways, this relates to flexibility and personality, but it may require even more creativity on your part. Don’t be tempted to shoehorn an applicant into a lousy job fit when you become enamored of them.
An article from Robert Half advises against this, stating, “In that case, consider scouting around for another job within the company that better suits this particular candidate. You don’t want to end up putting a good worker in the wrong job.”
8. Think of the Future
Before you hire for the company’s current state, ensure that you’ve reflected on the company’s long-term goals.
Are you planning to redesign your offices or your roles? Considering a hybrid work model, or embracing flexible work arrangements? Undoubtedly, these transitions will have a few hiccups or bumps in the road. Ensure you are communicating the possibility of change and growth.
Some prospective applicants will be excited about navigating those with you and will make a great addition to the team. Others are more suited to less transition and should be placed in your pipeline for future opportunities.
Assess, Improve, and Grow
Before you make any changes to your recruiting strategies, carefully examine what isn’t working for your company.
By following these eight suggestions, you should find that more excellent candidates find your job postings and secure spots on your team. In turn, the time you spent improving your processes will prove to be a worthwhile investment.
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