8 ways to avoid a long recruitment and selection process
An efficient hiring process is key to the smooth operation of any organisation. Whether you’ve identified a gap in your workforce for a new position or you need to fill an existing role, the process must be as fast and as effective as possible to minimise the impact on productivity.
So how can you avoid a long drawn out recruitment schedule and side-step the pitfalls that could ultimately lead to a ‘bad-hire’? Here are the top 8 areas to consider:
#1 Define The Hiring Need
Before you start the whole recruitment process it is important to work out why you are hiring someone – and this means working out what the role is, where it sits within the organisation and what you want the successful applicant’s output to be.
If you’re are replacing an existing employee’s position, you may want to change the role to better suit the ever-evolving needs of the business.
#2 A Good Job Description
It’s fundamental to the recruitment process to have a clear and accurate job description so you can attract the right candidates – a vague or unenthusiastic job description will result in unsatisfactory or unsuitable applicants and the process may have to be repeated, wasting your time and money.
Take time to highlight all of the key responsibilities of the job and be sure to describe the goal of this role and the purpose of this position in relation to the overall business.
#3 Widen Your Search
To widen the reach of your job ad you could try using a reputable recruitment consultancy like TN Recruits. We manage the complete recruitment process for you and use over 30 different methods of resourcing candidates. The methods TN Recruits have in place include; a database of circa 3,500 candidates, advertising, social media and much more.
#4 Set Up A Screening Process
By following the previous 3 tips, this should help towards a more effective screening process. If the Job Ad is clear and specific, and the recruitment is targeted you should receive relevant and suitable applicants.
Keep a checklist of which skills are mandatory and which are ‘nice to have’. Have a clear idea what experience and background you would prefer the candidate to have. Once you have this list and have prioritised the importance of each you can start sifting out only the most suitable applications.
If using a recruitment consultancy, they can manage the screening stage for you.
#5 Set A Schedule – And Keep It To The Minimum
The various steps of the recruitment process can be time consuming and, if not managed tightly, can be spread over a protracted time. This is not only costly to your business productivity but you may miss the ideal candidate as they could be snapped up by someone else before you get to the end of the process.
Setting out a clear schedule – and sticking to it is the best strategy to accelerate your hiring process. 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.
Be clear and be strict – set your standard response times for each point of recruitment, make it quick and stick to it. At every decision point, let each candidate know their status and inform them about the next steps promptly.
Block out time for the interview process in advance and commit to it, consolidating on-site meetings in one or two days, if possible.
After you have decided who the successful applicant is – make the offer within 24 hours.
#6 Get The Most From The Interview
Interviewing candidates can take up a lot of time, so optimise it by developing a smart interviewing protocol. Strip out the usual questions such as ‘What are your strengths/weaknesses?’ and work out what exactly you want to know based on the skills/experience requirements for the role.
You could consider adding in another interview step, like giving an assessment test or exercise to really ascertain how a candidate will behave in a given position – although this is adding time to the recruitment process, it will give a greater insight into the candidate’s capabilities thus avoiding a bad hire.
#7 Be Realistic
Make sure you do not create a job spec that very few people could be considered fully qualified for. Holding out for the perfect candidate in every way could delay the whole recruitment process.
Keep an open mind during selection and interviews – stay open to creative problem solvers and candidates from outside your industry that still have reputable skill sets, backgrounds and references.
#8 Make a Decision
In the ideal world, by the end of the recruitment process you are left with one clear winner that stands out. But this is not always the case. You could be left with 2 or 3 candidates who all have different skills and experiences to offer so a difficult decision has to made. Talk to your fellow stake-holders and maybe a few team members where the role is based.
But a decision has to be made – and relatively quickly to keep the enthusiasm of the successful applicant.
Taking away the stress of the recruitment process
Bringing on new members of staff can feel like a time-consuming process which only adds even more pressure to your already busy diary.
But leaving your business under-staffed can affect employee engagement and moral which, in turn, can lead to reduced productivity levels and ultimately impact on business profitability.
At TN Recruits, we can help by managing the recruitment process for you, effectively freeing up your time to focus on your business. Our experienced consultants can advise you on every step and help you get the best candidate for the job.
Call us now on 01892 571105 to talk through how we can help.
