Tips to Speed up Your Recruitment Process

Tips to Speed up Your Recruitment ProcessTips to Speed up Your Recruitment ProcessDeciding whether and when to extend the job offer in the recruitment process can be an excruciating exercise for hiring managers. If youve hired the wrong candidate before, you may want to take your time so you can be confident in your decision. But waiting too long to hire can leave you lamenting the one that got away, especially in todays employment market.Talented candidates are in high demand and short supply. They hold the advantage, and they dont like to wait.What job candidates say about a long recruitment processIn a recent Robert Half survey, 57 percent of the mora than 1,000 U.S. workers polled said the most frustrating part of the job search is waiting to see if they got the lokalitt after going through the interview process.How long is too long? Nearly one-quarter lose interest in the firm if they dont hear back within one week after the initial interview another 46 percent lose interest if theres no status update from one-to-two weeks post-interview. Candidates expect the recruitment process, from interview to offer, to be wrapped up quickly.Besides just losing interest, many of the respondents (39 percent) said a lengthy hiring process would lead them to lose interest in the job and pursue other opportunities. Ouch Imagine if your top candidate removed him- or herself from the recruitment process because you dragged your feet.Learn more about why managers need to move quickly in their recruiting efforts, what workers want and what it takes for companies to bring them on board in Robert Halfs report, The Demand for Skilled Talent.How a long recruitment process can hurt your businessThe hiring process provides a window into the overall corporate culture, says Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half. If people feel their career potential will be stifled by a slow-moving organization, they will take themselves out of the running.Beyond that, consider that in-demand candidates may have multiple companies competing for their talents. The longer you wait to extend a job offer, the more likely it is that another firm will do so first and snag the professional you had hoped to bring on board.A quick but informed recruitment processWhats a hiring manager to do? On the one hand, job seekers exiting the interview process expect a quick decision. On the other hand, that costly hiring mistake you made last year still haunts you. You probably feel like youre between a rock and a hard place.Discover what making a bad hire could cost your organization.It doesnt have to be that way. Yes, hiring is one of the most important decisions your firm makes. But that doesnt mean the recruitment process must drag on.With an organized approach, a full understanding of your companys needs and the exorcising of unreasonable expectations, you can create a quick but informed decision-making process - and get a step ahead of your competitors. The key takeaway i s for firms to tighten their timelines without skipping steps, McDonald explains.Follow these steps to a timely, successful recruitment processDefine - or re-define - your hiring needIts foolish to think that any candidate will fit the bill until you know what you want. So be sure your hiring criteria are clearly outlined from the start. If youre staffing an existing position, consider how your needs may have changed since the job welches last vacant.Be meticulous in crafting the job descriptionNot only will this ensure you attract candidates who are truly qualified, it will serve as a performance evaluation tool once youve found your perfect hire. Be honest about the duties the position does and does not entail. Dont over-promise room for advancement or gloss over unglamorous tasks like filing. Clearly state the degrees, certifications or experience required. This will help you quickly evaluate the first round of applications.See the essential elements of a job description that a ttracts strong candidates.Get in positionMake sure youve secured the sign-off to staff the job along with an approved salary range and the buy-in from stakeholders that hiring is a priority. You dont want to find the perfect candidate only to be unable to pull the trigger and have to start the recruitment process back at square one.Set a schedule and a deadlinelager out time for the interview process and commit to it, consolidating on-site meetings in one or two days, if possible. Set dates for key steps like deciding whom to call in for an interview, when you want to offer the position and a start date.Use these top 10 interview questions to help find a great hire.Be consistent, objective and realisticBe sure youre not creating a job very few, if any, people could be considered qualified for. Of course you have the dream candidate in mind. But ask yourself Does that person really exist? Holding out for Mr. or Mrs. Right is a surefire way to delay the recruitment process. Decide on four or five must-have attributes and apply them to every candidate. And take notes during interviews so you can objectively review every candidate at the end of the interview process, when all your encounters may seem to run together in your memory.Check referencesYou want to be efficient, not foolhardy, so dont speed up the recruitment process at all costs. Checking references, for example, is not a step to be rushed through. It could be crucial in avoiding a hiring mistake.Find out how - and why - to check references every time.Dont leave them hanging - even for a little whileDuring the interview process, let candidates know when they may expect to hear back from you, and follow through. You know your silence means youre polishing your offer package, but a potential hire might interpret it as disinterest and pursue another job.Make the decisionWhen you find that next addition to your team, youll want to make a verbal offer pending any reference or background checks before you negotiate an offer package. Make sure you have the buy-in from fellow stakeholders to do this - and then plektron up the phoneHiring is among the most critical decisions your company makes, but its importance can lead to paralysis in the recruitment process. With an understanding of the key attributes youre looking for in a candidate and an organized, targeted approach, you can nab the best talent quickly without suffering hirers remorse.Youll have a hard time hiring the best talent without a strong compensation package. Find out how your salary ranges stack up with our annual Salary Guides.