8 Mistakes Companies Often Make When It Comes to Recruiting
Welcome to Recruiter Q&A, where we pose employment-related questions to the experts and share their answers!
Today’s Question: What’s one aspect of recruiting that companies often get wrong? Why do you think that is, and how can they improve?
These answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization composed of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs.
1. Misunderstanding Candidates’ Motives and Desires
Understanding the candidate’s motives and desires for their future going forward is of critical importance. Simply providing a competitive salary and/or benefits aren’t enough to keep employees in-house these days. Incentives with real-life purpose and growth is becoming the main desire for many in the job seeker market. — Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC
2. Taking a Passive Approach
A passive approach to hiring is a mistake. It shouldn’t take weeks or months to fill roles. It’s an outdated model that often devalues candidates’ time and risks losing out on top candidates who can be off the market in days. Employers should take more initiative to pitch to candidates early and often in the process; assess their qualifications and quickly gauge whether they’d be an ideal fit for the role. — Rong Zhang, Hirect
3. Prioritizing the Wrong Qualifications
When it comes to recruiting, some companies are stuck in the 20th century. They prioritize education and relevant work experience over the skills and characteristics that make team members more effective in a modern work environment. Look for recruits who have unique backgrounds and ambitions, and you can build a diverse and highly capable team to carry your business far into the future. — Bryce Welker, The CPA Exam Guy
4. Not Focusing on Culture Fit
One aspect of recruiting that companies get wrong is not focusing on cultural fit. Business owners believe that skills and experience are the most important factors, but in reality, cultural fit is a major predictor of success. Focusing on cultural fit can help you improve your recruiting process by ensuring that employees who are a good fit are brought on board. This reduces attrition too. — Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
5. Looking in the Wrong Places
When I just started my company, I had trouble finding people with the skills my company needed. Later, I realized that I wasn’t looking for candidates in the right places. So I used data to find the best places to recruit. I quickly started discovering highly skilled candidates whom I could happily hire. — Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
6. Hiring Too Fast
While vacant positions delay operations, accelerating the hiring process puts unhealthy pressure on recruiters and you may end up hiring the wrong candidate. Instead, have a well-structured hiring process with manageable deadlines to give the hiring team enough time to make decisions. — Candice Georgiadis, Digital Day
7. Failing to Present the Company Well
One aspect of recruiting that companies often get wrong is the way they present their company and their job openings. They may not highlight the benefits of working for them or they may make it difficult to apply. Companies can improve their recruitment efforts by making their website easy to navigate and creating a solid brand that potential employees want to be a part of. — Blair Williams, MemberPress
8. Looking Only for Active Job Seekers
One aspect of recruiting that many companies get wrong is opting to only select from a pool of applicants who are actively job searching, rather than working to attract exceptional employees from competing companies. Of course, attracting employees from the competition is easier said than done, which is why so many companies only find mediocre success when recruiting. — Richard Fong, Bliss Drive
Get the top recruiting news and insights delivered to your inbox every week. Sign up for the Recruiter Today newsletter.