If you have a tough time finding qualified candidates for open positions, there’s a good chance your recruitment process is the culprit. Don’t worry it’s not just you. A 2016 Society for Human Resource Management survey found that about three quarters of HR professionals find company recruiting slow or difficult compared to 10 years ago.
We created this article to provide helpful steps to developing an effective recruitment process that can be used in any business environment and attract talent quickly.
Steps To Developing An Effective Recruitment Process:
Have a Short List of Criteria
Without specific, measurable criteria in a job listing, it’s nearly impossible to identify the most qualified candidates. When job descriptions are too broad, you could end up with 10 applicants who have some of the skills you need, but not all of them. Meanwhile, the ideal candidate may have applied for a different position at your company because she didn’t see her skills listed as a requirement. Without criteria, it’s difficult to screen candidates and make informed hiring decisions.
Instead of vague job titles such as “Web Developer” or “Customer Service Representative,” use specific criteria such as “Proficient in .NET Framework version 4” or “2+ years of experience in support and customer service.”
Criteria also includes a minimum education requirement, if there is one. This can be especially important when dealing with job candidates who have degrees from foreign universities.
Consider the Work Environment
While most businesses focus on the technical experience of job candidates, you should also consider how well that person will mesh with the company culture. For example, a company that focuses on work-life balance might not be interested in an aggressive salesperson who feels like he has to put in 12-hour days in order to be successful.
What makes for a good fit depends on your industry, customers and even your market area. If you’re in a big city, candidates who are willing to commute five hours a day are probably not an optimal fit.
Be Honest About Your Company Culture
Let’s face it: Not every company is fun to work at. But if you don’t give candidates an accurate picture of what it’s like to work there, they may be surprised when they arrive on the first day of work. It might cost more than average to attract top talent if you have a difficult workplace culture to deal with, but this is something that must be considered in the recruitment process.
For example, many companies in the legal profession have a firm hierarchy where the ability to make decisions is viewed as more important than knowledge of the law.
Set Clear Expectations
When candidates apply for a position, they want to know as much information as possible about the job and they want it quickly. It’s important to give candidates everything they need when they first apply, so you can shorten the recruitment process and reduce interview time. For this you can use a campus hiring software which will indicate your expectation and will shortlist candidates for your company.
For example, if you have internship or co-op programs for students, let them know upfront that this is a requirement for a potential job. Let them know how many hours they would be required to work per week, where they would work and what their responsibilities will be. Candidates may be willing to take an entry-level position if it gives them valuable experience that will help them land a full-time job later.
Use Interviews as a Tool, Not an End Goal
An interview is not meant to make or break the relationship between candidate and company; it’s only one step in the selection process.
One of the biggest mistakes applicants make is to expect a job offer on the spot after completing an interview. It’s not uncommon for a company to wait weeks or months before offering a job, so don’t put pressure on your candidates to make hiring decisions immediately.
If you want your candidates to take the next step, they need to connect with you and see that working at your company will be a positive experience. It’s best to field questions only when appropriate, such as after the interview is complete and you two are familiar with each other.
The best way to know whether or not an applicant has been accepted for an interview is by talking with them directly. However, if you’re not comfortable talking with a candidate, you can ask the applicant to email you directly. Not only will this show your willingness to quickly move on to the next stage of the recruitment process, but it will also give your candidate an opportunity to contact you if they have any concerns.
Stay Organised
Organisation is key when recruiting top talent because so much information needs to be communicated in a timely manner. If you don’t follow a standardised process for posting job openings and communicating with candidates, it can lead to confusion and frustration for both parties—and even decrease your chances of finding a good candidate.
For example, some HR professionals tell candidates that their job openings will go up on the company’s website in two weeks. It’s important to communicate to the recruiter, who is usually responsible for posting new job postings, that this is not the case. Otherwise, people might send a resume or application only to find out later that the job has already been filled. That’s what makes HR obliged to use recruitment software to automate the recruitment process.
Instead of doing this yourself, you can use an online recruiting software that manages your open positions and other projects without negatively impacting your productivity as a recruiter. These employees usually charge a much lower rate than a full-time recruit in HR or recruitment and will work for you as long as you need them until you are able to fill all your normal positions. This can help you keep your expenses down while you are still finding the perfect candidates for your company.
Types of Positions Employers Want to Fill
Most job searches are actually focused at a specific position and not specific companies, but still candidates often have unrealistic expectations. For example, a candidate may assume that if he is qualified anywhere, he will be accepted for the job. This often leads to frustration when he knows the company is seeking someone with a specific set of skills based on experience, education or industry. Think about what your business needs and try to meet their needs as best you can.
If you are seeking to use recruitment software then, I will recommend you to use Mercer Mettl. It is one of the best recruitment management software which will help you to create an effective recruitment process.
