The hiring process has picked up the pace–for many reasons. Many companies are in need of recruiting tips and strategies to keep their own hiring on pace.
Nearly every industry is facing labor shortages. HR teams and leaders want to hire yesterday. Remote work has shaken up the workforce and expanded geographies. Workers have more options and leverage than they had before. And of course, there are headlines like this:
- Forget going back to the office. People are just quitting instead.
- As the pandemic recedes, millions of workers are saying, “I quit.”
- Americans are quitting their jobs in droves.
Headlines like these can be fear-inducing, but most experts agree it’s a signal of optimism about the economy. The pandemic has rewired the way many Americans think about work. And now, talented employees from every sector are leaving their jobs in pursuit of better pay, more flexibility, and more happiness.
On the other hand, this Great Resignation is adding to the struggle many companies face while trying to keep up with economic recovery after the pandemic. Where does that put companies who are short-staffed and needing to hire?
How can companies respond?
As HR experts watch this wave of resignations happening on the employee side, we are also watching the response of savvy businesses who leverage the sudden outburst of available talent.
The Wall Street Journal describes sectors like manufacturing, leisure, and hospitality–on the uptick from stimulus packages and re-energized consumer spending–”on the lookout for workers, eager to snap up promising candidates.”
To do so, they’ve got to be quick. Between company turnover and a hot labor market, the best talent out there have many options. Long, drawn-out recruiting processes will get in the way of capitalizing on the best available talent. True, companies need to maintain the standards of a thoughtful recruiting process to find the best possible fit. But they need to do so in a way that is efficient.
Bottom line: companies in need of talent need to reduce the amount of time between posting a job and making an offer. Here are our recruiting tips to improve hiring efficiency.
Recruiting tips for speeding up the hiring timeline
Unprecedented trends call for unprecedented measures. Companies are turning to innovation to change the way recruiting happens. Here are some recruiting tips:
Automation and Technology:
While most Airlines experience a massive staffing shortage, Southwest turned to chatbots and automation to help with hiring. The chatbots, expected to cut the hiring time in half, are able to ask basic screening questions. The platform’s algorithms score candidates to help recruiters understand which ones to prioritize. And of course, gone are the days of needing to travel for interviews. Companies and candidates can embrace virtual interviews to speed up the process.
Pre-Screening:
Southwest tapped into a big time saver: pre-screening. Don’t waste your time and resources with candidates who aren’t eligible, won’t fit your salary requirements, or are otherwise not a good match. You can automate pre-screening questions into most online platforms or incorporate them in your hiring process.
Write Better Job Descriptions:
It sounds like a no-brainer, but the more accurate your job description is, the better qualified the candidates will be who apply. Make sure you’re clear, from the job title to the day-to-day responsibilities, to the long term expectations.
Faster Communication:
Once a candidate has completed one step of the hiring process, don’t delay. Move ahead to the next step quickly, and communicate to all parties involved.
Check References Sooner:
We might think of this as a last step. But, many employers have made it all the way through the hiring process only to find a red flag with a reference. Now it’s back to square one. Check references a step sooner to avoid having to start over again.
Hire Internally:
Companies with a great talent pipeline find more opportunities to hire internally. Not only is it more efficient, but it’s also attractive to external candidates to see their ability to grow with your company.
Outsource to a Recruiting Firm:
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we’d recommend this. Recruiting firms can be the most efficient way to find the best talent. From knowing where to look and how to move the process along, we’ve been known to staff hard-to-fill roles with amazing candidates in just a few weeks. Consider outsourcing your hiring needs to remain competitive in a tight labor market.