- Actually knowing who you need
Most hiring managers typically want to fill their open positions as quickly as possible. And because of that, sometimes they won’t take the time to determine what kind of candidate they really want and need.
How many times are we guilty of brushing off the previous job description, specification, remuneration etc for the role and replacing it with a like-for-like?
Take the time to assess your current team first, establishing a clear overview of the skills and behaviours within your team.
Is there scope to do something different?
Could you make savings and broaden the roles’ responsibilities?
Is the previous role still fit for purpose in your current operating model?
Take the time to consider your talent pool and if there are any successors waiting in the wings. This will help you determine exactly what to look for in your next hire.
- Write more accurate job descriptions
One thing that frequently gets overlooked during the hiring process is the purpose of the job description. The purpose of the job description isn’t just to tell candidates the duties of the job. Its true purpose is to attract the right candidates and set the right expectations about the position, the company, and the culture.
Because of the typical rush in the hiring process, the hiring manager may not spend enough time developing an effective job description. And when this happens, the result is either a deluge of unqualified candidates or a trickle of candidates who can only meet super-specific demands.
Take the time to create a list of top qualities, certifications, and education that you want to see within the applicants for the position.
When you produce a job description that gives a true likeness of the position along with preferred and critical qualifications, you decrease the amount of time you will spend interviewing, which will, in turn, speed up your hiring process.
- Preserve diary time
As the need for speed is so important to hiring managers, it is vital to make appropriate time for the process. So many times, hiring managers receive CVs and don’t have time to review them. Similarly, they find themselves unable to commit to interviews for two or three weeks. This is incredibly frustrating for recruiters and candidates, who are waiting eagerly to kick start the process.
Upon posting the vacancy, sit down and schedule time later that week and the following week to screen CVs. By assessing your candidates early in the process, you allow yourself to spend time interviewing the high-potentials only, resulting in a shorter time-to-hire and less time spent per hire, while simultaneously improving hiring quality.
Then schedule two-hour diary slots over the next seven to ten days for interviews.
- Make the most of the interview
After screening applicants, the next step is to interview the top candidates individually. When interviewing, you’ll want to follow some interview etiquette in order to retain candidates during the hiring process.
- Don’t involve too many stakeholders in the process or decision
- Only ask questions that have a purpose and will help you glean insight
- Have a structure behind the questions you’re asking
- Follow up, follow up, follow up
- Don’t be time bound – take the necessary time to get to know your candidate
- Find the balance between speed & quality
Focus your time on the right people, decrease the number of candidates to interview and the number of steps in the process (after all, you’ll already have the required insights at the start). This allows you to find a balance between hiring speed and hiring quality.
If you and your team find certain steps confusing or lengthy, the chances are your candidates do, too. Identify where you can cut out cumbersome procedures, streamline work, and improve communication.
By making changes like the ones outlined above, you’ll speed up your hiring process and create an interview procedure that makes everyone’s lives easier, yours and the candidates’ included.
Contact us to discuss how we can help (michelle.johnson@ingeniumtalent.co.uk).
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