One of the most challenging tasks hiring managers face is properly planning ahead for positions they would like to open later in the year. It’s not uncommon to forget about the leg work that goes into implementing an efficient process for reviewing resumes, which can lead to chaos at crunch time. But, by constructing a game plan early on, hiring managers can cut down the time it takes to interview and give out an offer by half, or even more! Here are a few quick tips on how to best set yourself up for a successful hire:
Start sourcing 3 months before
Many times, I’ve witnessed a company open up a position without doing any planning and they always seem to end up with the same results: unqualified candidates, months of interviews, and candidates turning down their offers.
To ensure better results and a talented hire, target candidates three months before opening a position. By doing so, you’ll have a good idea of what the market is currently looking like, and depending on different factors, a chance to make adjustments to the position if needed.
Plus, one of the benefits of searching proactively is that you open up your talent pool to more candidates. Often times, talented candidates are interested in different opportunities in the market, but just aren’t ready to take a gamble yet because they don’t want to leave the security of their current job.
When hiring managers reach out to candidates beforehand, not only does this give them enough time to sell the position and benefits of their company but also gives the candidate enough time to weigh the benefits of the opportunity altogether. A candidate is more likely to leave their current role for a better opportunity when they feel like they are personally being selected by a company.
When the time does come for interviewing, the candidates who were reached out to in advance are likely to perform significantly better in interviews because they’ve had time to properly research and will feel more confident that it’s a beneficial career decision for them. For any contracting/consulting roles, this is also an efficient process because you can target candidates who are finishing up a contract and can transition them smoothly into a new project.
Learn more about finding better candidates
Keep a shortlist of candidates you are interested in and contact them every quarter on company updates
Often times, hiring managers come across professionals who they know would be a great resource to their team. However, they lose out on hiring these candidates because they are often 1. Forgotten about and 2. Aren’t sold enough on their company.
To avoid this, using something as simple as an Excel sheet with candidates and their contact information can save months of interviews. By taking 30 minutes every quarter to send out a quick company update to your hot list, you can establish a pipeline of communication that will always benefit you and your company.
Always keep track of talented candidates who interview well.
I’ve seen many candidates over the years, who met all qualifications of a position and performed phenomenally in the interview stage, lose out to another candidate who may have been internally referred or did just a little better than them.
It’s easy to lose track of these candidates because you feel so confident about the new hire you’re bringing in and you’re pleased that your team is set for the foreseeable future. However, these candidates that lose out often go on and obtain more valuable skills with other opportunities that could benefit your team in the future.
I recommend following up with them once a year to see what type of experience they’re developing. In the world of recruiting, timing is everything, and knowing a candidate who is familiar with your company only helps to lessen the time it takes to re-interview them.
By following these tips year-round, you will not only save time but money as well. For more tips on saving money throughout the recruitment process, check out our post, Quick Hits on How Your Company Can Save on Recruiting Costs.
