Hiring a new employee can be time-consuming and expensive. You have to pay someone, or a group of people, to go through dozens of resumes to find the perfect fit. The Society of Human Resources Management has said that it can take up to 42 days to hire one new employee. And it costs $4,129. Cut down on time and expenses by applying these tips to your hiring process.
Be A Familiar Face
It’s hard to get the right people if they don’t know you exist. Millennials have grown up in a technological world. It’s all they’ve ever known. To them, it’s reasonable to have access to personal details through a simple Google search. And search for you they will. Before a candidate puts in an application, they’re going to do some checking on your company.
Here are some things you can expect them to look for:
- company website
- company reviews
- active social media presence
These are signs that you’re growing with the times. And a good indication that you plan to be around for a while. Companies that don’t keep up with trends tend to be less successful. Keep your information up to date and watch for any negative reviews which pop up.
Watch Your Reviews
Candidates will look at reviews of your company before they decide to apply. If there are a lot of negative comments from previous employees, this could spook new talent away. Indeed surveyed a group of participants to find out how negative reviews impact a company’s hiring rate. 83% of participants said they would ignore a job if the company has negative reviews or a bad reputation.
If your company has a lot of reviews, it might be time to make some changes. You may have to restructure your company policy. Or set up more precise guidelines for employees. Don’t be afraid to make changes if it will better your organization.
Have a Polished Job Description
Don’t ramble off details about the position in your job listing. Instead, talk about the essential qualifications and skills your ideal candidate will have. Mention what experience is a bonus, but be lenient about the length of experience. Don’t go overboard with what you want the ideal candidate to have.
To attract qualified candidates, write job descriptions in a “Needs-Supplies” approach instead of a “Demands-Abilities” approach. What this means is, don’t tell the candidates what you want from them. Explain what you can do for them. The Wall Street Journal published an article on a joint study conducted between the U.S. and Canada. The study showed that applicants preferred job listings that were “Needs-Supplies” based.
Improve Your Recruitment Strategy
Having good organization can go a long way to making the hiring process easier and faster. Checklists are great to ensure you have everything prepared. Use them for screening calls and interviews. Have your questions prepared so you can jump right in without having to think of things you want to know.
Use software to keep up with resumes. Applicant tracking systems provide you steps to complete for each possible candidate. You can set these up to work with hiring teams to reduce wasting time on unqualified candidates. You can also include notes for each team member to review.
Have an Efficient Screening Process
Screening candidates can help reduce the number of interviews you have to conduct. There will be a lot of applications that don’t match your criteria. Toss these out and focus on the ones that do. Two of the most common things recruiters look for is education and experience. These are important but don’t dismiss a possible candidate because they aren’t an exact match.
Prescreening phone calls are a great resource you should use. You get the chance to learn more about the applicant, which could lead you to offer them an in-person interview. Keep your questions specific to the position. Off-topic questions are a waste of your limited time. Be sure to keep notes of things you notice during the meeting. Review these with your team to get their feedback.
Use More Than One Person
Having one person that reviews every application can take forever. If you have the available resources, use two or three people, or more. Each member of the group can be responsible for a part of the hiring process. Let each member conduct their interview, or do a group interview.
Having different people ask questions will provide you with different insights. You will each notice specific things about the applicant. The way they talk, the vocabulary they use, how they express themselves. These subtle cues can help get a more in-depth insight into the person’s suitability with your company.
Make Your Interviews Count
Interviews are a valuable tool you shouldn’t waste. They give you and your hiring board the chance to get to know the candidate. Don’t squander the opportunity to ask business-related questions. Find out what they can do for your company that would be an asset. Watch body language, as it can tell you a lot about them as a person.
The candidate’s personality can play a significant role in whether they’ll be a good fit for your company. Emotional intelligence should be an important factor to consider. You can learn technical skills. Teaching people skills isn’t as easy.
A three-year study by Leadership IQ showed that only 19% of new hires last longer than 18 months. This statistic is due to things that hiring managers missed during interviews. The most common pitfalls are:
- Candidates can’t handle feedback – 26%
- Candidates can’t manage their emotions – 23%
- Candidates lack motivation – 17%
- Candidates have the wrong temperament for the job 15%
- Candidates lack necessary technical skills 11%
Being Prepared Saves Time
It’s no secret that having everything prepared saves time. It also saves money; and your sanity. Use these tips to help you improve your hiring process. Once you get things organized efficiently, the process will begin to move faster. Now, you’re ready to get the best candidates without wasting a lot of time and money.