Today, we’re going to talk about some best practices! This list is hardly comprehensive, but it should help to elevate your recruiting team’s performance.
Recruitment Strategy
- Clear targets inform strategy. Establish measurable goals for your recruitment team (ie. Time-to-fill, time-to-hire, time-to-first contact with candidate).
Preparation
- Set clear expectations with hiring managers and interviewers prior to posting a role. If necessary, have leaders block time for interviews on their calendars so there’s no delay in scheduling candidates.
- If you have technology that can help with the recruitment process, (applicant tracking system, job posting portals, scheduling assistance like Calendly), thoroughly train users in that technology and allow it to automate the more tedious parts of the recruitment process.
Posting
- The quality of your job ads DOES matter. Use simple, clear, and precise language when marketing your positions, and use job titles that will be more commonly searched by the general public.
- Since most applicants will begin searching for jobs on their phones, make sure your advertisements are optimized for smartphones.
- Don’t forget that not every job will bring the same audience. Consider the appropriate messaging for each job opening and make sure you are crafting communications for your target audience. Sometimes posting to niche job boards will be necessary to hit the target market.
- Get your current employees to help you market your jobs! If hiring managers are active on LinkedIn or other social media platforms, ask them to share openings with their networks.
Application Process and Resume Screen
- Your team should test the application process. If a reasonably prepared candidate can’t complete your application within 5-10 minutes, you are likely to lose their interest. If possible, compare the number of “clicks” on your jobs to the number of actual applicants to evaluate if a long application process is hurting your conversion rates.
Candidate and Employee Engagement
- Your best candidates are likely to apply within the first three days of a posting. For entry level or junior roles, aim to contact qualified applicants within 24 hours of their application.
- Reward your current employees. In the battle for talent, current employees may feel lost in the shuffle. Focus on initiatives that improve retention and develop a positive employee culture. It will be hard to recruit and retain talent if your organization isn’t healthy, and your current employees are your best ambassadors.
Interview + Offer
- Limit interview rounds, especially for entry level roles. With each additional interview, you risk losing candidates.
- Provide an interview timeline to candidates during first contact.
- Stay flexible. Your candidates probably have jobs. They will not always be able to schedule during tight and rigid windows.
- Lead the conversation on pay, benefits, and other selling points of the job. Candidates should have a clear picture of pay and benefits before their hiring manager interview, and all members of your interview team should be able to answer basic questions about pay and benefits.