Streamline your recruitment process to make it more effective
It is often the case that recruiters feel that the more checks and tests they add in to the recruitment process, the better their chances will be of finding the perfect candidates. The result can all too often be a multi stage recruitment process that is not only exhausting for all concerned but that can also be very counterproductive. In this article, you will find out why it is better not to over complicate the recruitment process and, further, how you can streamline your recruitment process to get the best results.
What are the disadvantages of a long recruitment process?
There are many reasons why it is a good idea to make your recruitment process as short as can possible whilst still ensuring that you assess each candidate adequately. Firstly, a long recruitment process is exhausting for everyone concerned. As this blog post suggests, waiting for a final outcome can be very stressful for interview candidates, whilst recruiters who are tired out from spending several weeks assessing candidates will struggle to stay clear headed and on the ball right to the very end of the recruitment process.
Another important consideration to take into account is the fact that most people who are job hunting will be applying for several different jobs simultaneously. So, if your company has a long recruitment process, you run the risk of losing promising candidates half way through the process as they are snapped up more quickly by other employers.
What does an interview candidate want?
Anyone who applies for a job wants their application to be considered carefully – and to be informed of the result. The two are by no means mutually incompatible, as you will see from the discussion below. In addition, job candidates usually like it when recruiters keep them informed about what the assessment process will involve and when they will expect to find out whether they have been selected for interview or not (and, after the interview, when they can expect to hear back with a final decision).
How can you streamline your recruitment process whilst still getting the most out of it?
There are a few things you can do to cut back on the time that you spend recruiting candidates whilst still making sure that you give every application the attention that it it deserves.
The first thing to do is to craft a good job advert. One of the things that can really slow down recruiters is when they have many applications from people who are just not suited to the role. It is better to have fewer applications to assess – but from more suitably qualified candidates. So, ensure that your ‘person specifications’ are clear and comprehensive, so your advert will attract only people who are suitable for the role in question. If it helps, you can divide these specifications into ‘necessary’ and ‘desirable’. Use application forms to find out absolutely everything that you need to know about a candidate in order to decide whether they will be good at the job they are applying for. Then, use the interview to test that they have those skills – it really is as simple as that.
Once applications come in, you can immediately sift out everyone who does not have the ‘necessary’ characteristics for the role. Then, create a shortlist of people to interview. It is fine to create a long list first before narrowing this down to a shortlist. Make sure that you only interview people whom you could envisage taking up the job. It is a waste of everyone’s time to interview people just for the sake of it!
Finally, set deadlines throughout the recruitment process and stick to them strictly. Have a deadline for applications, a deadline for long lists (if applicable) and a deadline for shortlists. It is best to meet with other assessors right after the interviews – or perhaps the day after, so everyone can sleep on their decision – to discuss who is to get the job. Once you have decided, inform all candidates of your decision.
Conclusion
A swift and streamlined recruitment process is better for everyone concerned. So, why not use the guide above to cut down on the unnecessary steps in your existing process? That way, you are less likely to lose promising candidates to other employers and both you and your interview candidates will be able to complete the recruitment process without getting stressed out and tired.
