Hiring a new employee is the one thing you as a business manager want to get right from the get-go. Of all the decisions you make for your company, your choice of who works for you will play the biggest part in determining whether you will realize your strategic objectives.
Hiring the wrong person is expensive in multiple ways. They'll fail to pull their weight, they'll lower team morale, they'll need to be micromanaged, and when you eventually have to fire them, you must devote time, money, and resources to go through the recruitment process all over again.
Streamlining your hiring process not only speeds up recruitment itself but also ensures you are more likely to find the right person for the job. Here are a couple of tips to help you do just that.
Get an Applicant Tracking System
It's always a good idea when you can let technology do the heavy lifting for you. Human resource professionals are already familiar with a wide range of human resource management (HRM) systems that automate different aspects of staff management. Nevertheless, many HRM systems are too general and attempt to address too many HR issues at one go that they fail to perform as good as they should in automating any one process.
It, therefore, often makes sense for one to go for more specialized tools that will comprehensively address one thing. That's why Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) would come in handy for most organizations. An ATS handles virtually every aspect of the recruitment process ranging from posting vacancies on major career websites to headhunting potential candidates for a position. A good ATS should have the ability to interrogate applications based on specific qualifications or keywords thus cutting down the time recruiting managers have to spend developing a shortlist of interviewees.
Define Realistic Skills
Recruiters will often overtly or inadvertently look for candidates who will fulfill their every dream for the position advertised. World-class technical skills, award-winning orator, exquisite writing skills, top-notch team player, motivational mentor, and more. This is, however, an unrealistic, rose-colored view of the talent market and features requirements that no one person can completely satisfy.
In reality, the capabilities of every potential candidate will be a trade-off of something the employer wanted. Ergo, employers should zero in on the specific skills required for a given position and classify other abilities as lower-priority. That will help them quickly whittle down the list of applicants and identify the most suitable candidate.
Don't Oversell the Position
Setting unrealistic requirements is one thing; exaggerating the benefits and status of the position is another. In their desperation to attract the best people the market has to offer, some employers will go out of their way to paint an overly glamorous picture of the job.
This is self-defeating since if the job doesn't turn out to be what the employer claimed it was, the candidate will quickly start looking for a position elsewhere. That and the bad publicity it comes with will not endear the organization to top talent in the future.
Instead, recruiters should be transparent upfront in stating what the job entails and what downsides successful applicants can expect (such as working long hours or regular travel). Such honesty is bound to get someone who's both qualified and interested in the role.
Shorten the Application Process
Many large corporations use online recruitment platforms where applicants are required to provide their details and qualifications. That way, candidate data is received by recruiters in a standard and easily analyzed format. It certainly makes the work of the recruiter easier. Nevertheless, the amount of information requested and the questions the candidate has to answer can make the process lengthy and arduous.
This can turn off highly talented individuals who don't have the patience to go through with it. Always think of your applicants as pressed for time. Keep the application process short. Also, ensure that the application web pages are mobile-friendly which would allow candidates to submit their details on the go.
People are the lifeblood of every organization. Improving and streamlining your recruitment process ensures that you will get people who are an asset and not a liability.
