It takes a great hiring process to land great people. That’s because the best people are just as selective as you are. So here are some questions to ask yourself about your hiring process.
Are you screening people out, rather than in? Using knockout questions as your sole source of screening will result in a pile of mediocre candidates. Instead, consider training your hiring managers to quickly spot those candidates who are extraordinary.
Do you have to have a degree in computer science in order to apply? That may be fine if you are looking for an IT person, but what about if you are seeking to fill a position where technical skills are secondary? When is the last time you tried applying for a job with your company? How easy was it to apply? Or are you still online trying to get the system to accept your application?
Is your hiring process too impersonal? We’ve all heard stories about applying for jobs and never hearing again from a company where you have interviewed. It’s time to teach your hiring managers manners. At a minimum, a letter should go out to candidates thanking them for their time and letting them know when they are no longer in consideration for a particular position.
Is your company taking months to make a decision? Taking months to fill a job, when there are plenty of well qualified candidates, sends the message that you have more important things to do then fill this position. Is that really the message you want to send to candidates you may want to hire?
Does the right hand know what the left hand is doing? I’ve been in in a situation where I received a rejection letter from one division the same day I received an offer letter from another. Confusing…yes. Impressive…no. Make sure your message is clear when you are trying to woo a candidate.
Finding great hires in any economy can be a challenge. Start with a good hiring process and you’ll no doubt end up with top talent.
For more than 25 years, Roberta Matuson, president of Human Resource Solutions, has helped leaders in Fortune 500 companies and small to medium-size businesses create exceptional workplaces leading to extraordinary results. As a seasoned consultant, Roberta is considered a leading authority on leadership and the skills and strategies required to earn employee commitment and client loyalty.
4 Comments
Unfortunately, I know far too many people who are looking for a job; some because they’ve been notified that they’re being laid-off, and some because their job became intolerable after a merger with another company.
They all complain about the same things; you apply for a job and never receive a response, and you take the time (3-5 hours) to go to an interview, and afterward you never get word that the position’s been filled.
Both of these complaints are easily fixed with autoresponders and form letters. Sure, it’s a canned response, but preferable to the long void of silence.
Good manners should apply to recruiters as well as job seekers.
=>Donna Caissie, the ExtraOrdinary VA
http://www.extra-assist.com
Thank you for your comment Donna. There is no excuse for this type of bad behavior. I often wonder how these same people will feel when they find themselves on the other side of the fence.
Roberta
I am a small business owner (independent contractor/insurance agent) with 8 employees, 4 of whom are part-time. Also, the community we serve is small. Do your hiring suggestions apply for a small business, sole proprietor, as well as larger concerns? Do you have any suggestions for hiring when there’s a limited talent pool?
Thank you.
Yes Lois. Best practices for hiring can and should be applied across all industries and are not specific to size of the organization. That being said, we do know that small businesses generally do not have the same resources available as large corporations. Given the information your provided, I would suggest the following:
If you are working in a situation where there is a limited talent pool then you have no choice but to become an exceptional workplace. This will allow you first pick of what is available in your area. Also, companies who are on the “hot” list rarely have to seek talent as they have people coming to them all the time.
Now I realize if you aren’t quite there, that this will take time. Here are some tips to help you out as you work towards achieving this fine state for your organization.
Take another look at your job descriptions-Are all your requirements really requirements or are they “nice to haves?” Relax the minimum qualifications and watch your applicant flow increase.
Look where no one else is looking-So many employers have written off workers over the age of 40. While that may not be great news for job seekers (never mind the fact that it’s illegal) that is terrific news for you. Contact the alumni association at local universities and ask them how to best reach those who are returning to work or are currently actively seeking work.
Cast your net wider-Be sure you are posting all job openings on your website so that they get picked up by job search spiders like Simplyhired.com or indeed.com. This doesn’t cost a dime to do and you will reach candidates who you may have missed.
Review your hiring practices-It may have made sense years ago to put into place a “no rehire” policy but does this still make sense today? If someone has left your firm because they thought the grass was greener on the other side, welcome them back with open arms. They will be sure to tell everyone around them how things really aren’t better some place else.
For more suggestions and on-going tips, please subscribe to my monthly newsletter. Do so today and you’ll be sure to receive the issue that is set to go out tomorrow morning. Here is the link: http://www.yourhrexperts.com/newsletter/
Roberta