When it comes to hiring, a familiar adage has never been truer: “If you snooze, you lose.” With the job market as competitive as it’s ever been, the companies that execute their hiring process faster and make decisions more quickly have a better chance to land top talent.
Does that mean employers must sacrifice quality in order to expedite their hiring cycle? In a word, no. Instead, organizations need to engage in advance planning – before a job is posted and recruiting gets underway – to ensure they can attract and hire the right candidate, even as they accelerate the process.
Start by getting the hiring team aligned
The first step is to get everyone involved in the hiring process on the same page. It starts with the timeline: set dates when recruiting will begin and end, and stick to them. This will force your team to stay on top of the job search, and help them to push each other to keep the process moving.
Next, identify who will be involved in hiring, from HR to department managers to colleagues. Bring them together to come to consensus on the criteria being used to screen candidates and select a new hire. When everyone is clear on the duration of the search, the key skills and traits being sought, and the path to making a final determination, the process will naturally flow more smoothly and quickly.
Get a handle on the interview process
For many organizations, the interview process is where the hiring cycle gets bogged down. Trying to match calendars to schedule interviews can be a difficult task in today’s busy workplace, but remember: candidates have choices, and as time passes, they are more likely to move on than wait for a company to get its act together.
To keep the process moving, block times for interviews on everyone’s calendar before anything is scheduled. Do initial interviews as a group, and conduct them using video. This is one of the lessons learned during the pandemic that should be kept intact: early-round interviews can be done efficiently and effectively via Zoom, and then when you get down to 2 or 3 finalists, those can be done in person.
When you find the right candidate, make an offer
Finally, speed is of the essence when it comes to making a job offer. Once you’ve found the candidate you want to hire, don’t wait. Extend the offer, and tell them what’s in it for them. Above all, make them feel wanted. The organizations that do that will stand out above the competition and have more success in a super-competitive job market.
If it takes your organization longer than 30 days to fill a position – from job post to start date – that’s too long. The expert team at Alaant can help refine and improve your current hiring process, or build a new one that reflects today’s environment. Contact us today and let’s get the conversation started!
