Happy Halloween readers! Today we’re dedicating this post to all the things that go bump in the night hiring process. Your hiring process is one of the first contact points potential employees have with your company and heavily affects your employer brand.
How you treat candidates during the hiring process is often a fair indicator of what it will be like if they worked for you. So, when was the last time you looked at your hiring process? Are there kinks in the road that could turn them off your path? Faults in the recruitment process can be a big turn-off to great candidates and affect your ability to attract future top talent.
Below are some questions we use to identify any potential cracks in the hiring process:
Job Posting
Does your job ad sound boring?
Having an enticing job ad that talks not only about the job, but also the culture of your organization is so important. You can read more tips on writing job descriptions here.
Are you advertising in the right places?
Having a fabulous job posting won’t do you any good if you’re fishing for candidates in the wrong places! Look at the quality of applications you receive from different advertising avenues. If you’re only getting quantity and not quality from a certain job board, then perhaps it’s not worth posting there anymore.
Have you considered social recruiting?
The best candidates are those that aren’t even looking! Social recruiting options such as LinkedIn can help you reach those passive candidates.
Interviewing
Is your interviewer prepared and experience?
We’ve had top candidates opt-out of the process because of inexperienced and unprepared interviewers. Make sure interviewers are familiar with professional interview practices and are being consistent with all candidates.
Do you ask appropriate questions?
Oddball brainteasers and irrelevant questions can be a big turn-off. Even Google has ditched the brainteasers for behavioural interviewing.
Do you treat the interview like a two-way conversation?
The goal here is fit. And determining fit is a two-way street. Make sure your candidate is heard and has time to ask questions; remember, they’re evaluating you just as much as you’re evaluating them.
Communication
Do you respond back to candidates when you say you will?
One of the top complaints of job seekers is that employers don’t get back to them. It can be impossible to get back to absolutely everyone who applies, but during the process you should stick to your word and respond to candidates you’re interested in the time frame you’ve discussed.
Are you respectful of their time and other commitments?
It can be tough to court a candidate who is employed if you’re inflexible about when you can meet. Are you really willing to lose out on great talent because you were unwilling to meet them after hours or in a lunch break? We’re not asking you to jump hoops for all your candidates, but it’s worth keeping an open mind and being more accessible for the ones you’re truly interested in.
Job Offer and Negotiation
Is your offer on-par with market value?
The offer stage is no time for surprises. When you’re putting together an offer package, ideally it should match what you’ve discussed previously in interviews (or in your job description). And it should also be in line with market value for candidates in similar roles with similar experience. Low-balling offers almost never work and can not only offend a great candidate but also tarnish your name in the marketplace.
Do you offer flexible benefits?
More and more people in the workforce are expecting flexible work benefits from their employers. It’s increasingly becoming a deal-breaker if companies don’t have some form of flexible hours or telecommuting options. But it’s also a great opportunity for employers to use this as a bargaining tool, especially if you don’t have any space to move on salary.
Post-Hire
Remember that the hiring process doesn’t end once the offer is signed. Get your new recruit excited about the job, have them meet the team and set them up for success with a proper onboarding program.
