There are many steps that go on in between having a job opening and finding a viable candidate to fill that position. The time in between is often filled with endless phone calls, sourcing, and strategic discussions to get the candidate to accept the position, all the while maintaining your composure and motivation when times are tough. Keep reading to learn about five tips that will help you streamline your recruiting process and make sure your ideal candidate accepts your job offer.
Sourcing is Key
If you source the right people, you will save yourself a bunch of time. Make sure to schedule time on your calendar to source people, because it’s an activity that you need to do in order be successful. Also, the earlier in the week you can source the better, That way you will have a better chance of connecting with people during the week.
Limit Your Time on the Phone
Another tip is to learn how to get off the phone quickly and politely if you think a candidate is not a fit. Make sure to end the conversation on a good note and ask to keep their contact information for future reference. Just because that candidate wasn’t a fit for that particular position, you might work another position that they would be perfect for and you want to maintain a good relationship.
Keep Candidates Informed
Keep in touch with candidates even if you don’t have any news. It’s important to keep candidates engaged so they don’t think you’ve forgotten about them and end up accepting another position. Call them every couple of days and let them know you were just checking in and wanted to see how they were doing.
Never Lie to a Candidate
This is a big one. It’s important to be upfront and honest with your candidates and your client, because there are so many different ways a lie can come back to haunt you.
Don’t Ignore Red Flags
Don’t gloss over any indicators that your candidate is not going to be a long term employee. For example, I recently had a candidate who told me he does not like to be micromanaged. This particular company had weekly meetings with all their sales reps. When I told the candidate this information, he immediately went on a rant about how he hates micromanagement, but since the company was offering him more money than his current salary, he would take it. I knew that the company liked him and it would be an easy placement, but I knew that their conflicting views on management styles would ensure that the candidate wouldn’t stay very long. It was a hard decision to make, but I knew that I would end up having to replace the candidate down the line and start the whole process over.
Recruiting can be a frustrating job, but following these tips will help speed up the time it takes for you to find and hire new candidates, and help you stay motivated.
