The time it takes to hire new employees has increased dramatically in recent years. According to Jobvite’s 2019 Recruiting Benchmark Report, the average time-to-hire takes 38 days. But even as the hiring process increases, top candidates still expect the interview and decision-making process to move quickly. But how do you speed up your recruiting process?
Talented candidates know their skills are in-demand and won’t wait around for months for a decision has been made. Instead of losing out on top candidates, make sure your current hiring process is updated and efficient with these 6 tips.
First Candidate Interaction
Nothing is more frustrating to job seekers than applying for a job and not hearing anything back from the hiring manager. It leaves the candidate with a bad impression of both the HR department and the company.
Instead of waiting weeks or even months to reach out to candidates, you can set up a simple autoresponder when a candidate applies letting them know you received their application and will get back to them shortly. It can be especially difficult to respond to individual candidates when you receive a ton of applies for a new job, but the alternative is losing out on potentially great candidates.
Use Social Media to Move Quickly
In today’s world, people expect instant gratification and are constantly connected to their phones and social media. As a hiring manager, you can either embrace this way of thinking and use it to your advantage, or you can reject it and miss out on some great candidates.
One way you can embrace this constantly connected society is to have an active recruiting presence on social media. Since many candidates use social media to search for jobs and research companies they’re interested in, it is extremely beneficial for HR professionals to connect with potential candidates on that platform. But no matter what strategy you use to connect and engage with candidates on social media, the most important part is responding to candidates very quickly. Social media can be a powerful recruiting tool if used correctly, but if you can’t commit to using it regularly and responding to candidates on a daily basis, then it can do more harm than good.
Schedule Multi-Step Interviews Close Together
Another way your hiring process can be slowed down is when interviews are scheduled too far apart. Even if you’re able to quickly schedule an initial interview, if you wait too long before the next interview the candidate can lose interest or accept another job in the meantime.
One way to get the interview process moving is to do an initial phone interview to gauge a candidate’s interest and qualifications. Then you can schedule a follow-up phone interview for the next day to speak more in-depth about job requirements and duties. If the candidate is still excited about the position, then immediately schedule them for the first in-person interview. This helps to move the process along quickly without making the candidate feel rushed. Scheduling a phone call in between the first call and the in-person interview also helps the candidate feel connected and engaged in the process.
Use Technology To Your Advantage
There are many HR technologies available to companies, but one of the most important tools you can use is an Applicant Tracking System. Not only does an ATS help you manage potential candidates, you can also set up autoresponders every time a candidate replies. You no longer have to waste time responding to candidates as they apply, the system can do it for you. The only caveat is that you should make sure to set up customized responses. If your emails look too generic then it will defeat the purpose. Also, you can add the next steps, candidate resources, and exactly how long the candidate should wait before receiving another message. This will help reduce the number of candidates calling and emailing you on a daily basis and help speed up your recruiting process.
Collect References in Advance to Speed Up Your Recruiting Process
This step is pretty self-explanatory but very crucial to getting your candidates across the line and hired. When a candidate is moving through the process and about to have their final interview, start verifying their references. If all goes well in the final interview, you will already have references completed and be able to extend an offer to the candidate quickly. Saving time by tracking down and speaking to references in advance can be the difference between a candidate accepting your offer and accepting another company’s offer that was extended days earlier.
Schedule Timely Decision Meeting
A decision meeting should be scheduled immediately after a candidate completes multiple interviews with various professionals and executives at your company. The longer you wait to schedule this meeting, the harder it will be to get all of the interviewers together and you may forget important details from the interview.
In today’s candidate-centric job market, you can’t afford to have a slow recruiting process if you want to hire top candidates. Contact Naviga today if you need assistance in recruiting and speeding up your hiring process: 866-477-4156 or fill out a contact form today!
