Chances are you’re not alone in the struggle to find great candidates, to retain new hires, and to fill positions in your company. Although some of that can be attributed to the increased competition in getting the best, some of it may also be attributed to how things are done in the recruiting process. Perhaps, there are better ways to find great candidates, to retain those new hires, and to fill some of those open positions. Here are five easy things you can do to improve your recruiting process:
Add More Detail to Your Job Postings
We previously discussed job descriptions on the RPOA blog, but the job posting is the very beginning of the recruiting process and needs to explain the open position well in order to attract the best candidates and to retain them. Instead of just listing the needed education, experience and training, also include the day-to-day activities of the position, or even what the new hire is expected to accomplish in the first 90 days of the job. The latter do a much better job of attracting and retaining the right fit. When it comes to the experience, it’s worth elaborating. For example, instead of saying “10 years of experience required,” say “10 years of experience managing teams and projects effectively, or “10 years of experience creating marketing plans and bringing new products to market.”
Include Others
The CEO or the hiring manager’s opinion is important, but including others in the hiring process can flesh out whether a candidate is a good fit for the position and for the company. One important isn’t necessarily the best opinion or is the complete picture. When including others, it’s best to include those the new hire will interact with most often on the job. Those people will have a strong grasp of what’s required to do the job and what kind of person it takes to do that job.
Don’t Be Afraid to Test Candidates
This is crucial for a recruiting process that’s looking for candidates with technical skills, or a strong background or experience. Sadly, people like and stretch things on their resumes, creating difficulty to the process and to the company after the initial hire. Don’t be afraid to ask a copywriting candidate to write a press release, or a programming candidate to write a short code, or a sales candidate to do a mock sales call. Especially if the test is on the spot, it’ll make it clear who can work under a tight deadline and who actually stands up to what the resume says.
Ensure the Process is Consistent with All Applicants
Make sure that every candidate goes through the same thing, no matter how far s/he makes it through the process. Every candidate should be asked the same questions during the interview. It’s okay to ask a personalized question, but if some candidates are being asked about their project management skills, and others aren’t, then this needs to be fixed. To reduce bias (like favoring a candidate from a specific school or who has worked with a certain company), use a hiring scorecard to make sure that education, experience, certifications, and training are accounted for with each candidate in a similar manner.
Emphasize Growth and Development
Growth and development are important to young professionals, who might not have it all already and who value an employer that values its employees and their professional growth. If the struggle to find a great candidate or to retain someone is based on the fact that you are looking for the perfect candidate or a very narrowly defined skill set, then you’re missing out on those who could become that perfect candidate with a little bit of growth and development.
