Hire Smarter: 6 Ways to Improve Your Recruitment Process

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According to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), it takes an average of 36 days to fill any given position, coming at a cost of $4,425. That’s a lot of money and time to dedicate to hiring each new employee, which makes improving the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization’s recruitment process essential.

If you aren’t already taking advantage of these methods, consider them a must for improving your recruitment process.

Implement an Applicant Tracking System 

Implementing an applicant tracking system (ATS) like a talent acquisition software is the key element in efficient recruitment strategies. An ATS will allow recruiters and hiring managers to track applications throughout the hiring process, from the time an applicant sends in their resume or application to the offer letter and onboarding. It also allows an organization to determine where most qualified applicants are coming from, such as a job board, a website careers page, or social media. That can help recruiters pinpoint the best avenues for success, which they should pull back on and which are worthy of additional resources.

Only Include the Essentials In Job Descriptions

Including unnecessary details in job descriptions, such as secondary responsibilities or certifications you’re willing to train for, will significantly narrow your pool of talent. Many will see those and automatically assume their chances of landing an interview are nil, failing to apply when they might have been your ideal candidate, which means your search will take much longer. The longer your search, the more time and resources it costs. The tighter your job descriptions, the greater quality and breadth of your applicants.

Focus More on Personality

Many hiring managers and recruiters assume having the right skillset is the most important factor in determining whether or not a candidate is a good fit. But the reality is, skills can often be acquired through on-the-job training, but personalities can’t. Be sure to focus on personality fit, considering whether the characteristics of the candidate’s personality are aligned with the team and the daily job responsibilities. For example, being an empathetic person is probably more important when hiring a nurse than it would be if you were hiring a software engineer. The right hire should depend on the type of job and the organization’s culture.

Invite Co-Workers Into the Hiring Process

It’s important to see how the entire team perceives a potential candidate, which means you’ll want to involve more people in the hiring process. Invite colleagues and co-workers, including those who will be working directly with them, as well as higher-ups, allowing them to ask a question or two, collecting impressions from a variety of staff members.

Don’t Leave Candidates Hanging

Keep in contact with your candidates. If you leave them hanging, it will turn them off your company, particularly if they are among the elite who are probably on the radar of other companies and fielding multiple offers. If they don’t hear from you, after a while, they’re going to move forward with another opportunity. You want to stay at the top of their minds if you hope to have them as a viable option and avoid an entirely new search.

Build a Stronger Brand

By building a stronger company brand, you’ll be able to attract “passive candidates,” meaning those who aren’t actively seeking jobs but are open to new opportunities. A strong brand means an organization that treats its employees right, responds to reviews, shares updates on the work environment and culture. Be aware that potential employees often seek insider information about organizations they’re considering working for, such as reviews from current and former employees on sites like Glassdoor and salary estimates.

When you have a strong brand, you won’t need to do as much active recruiting as your company will be a more sought-after organization that gets flooded with quality applicants.