How to Make the Recruitment Process Run Smoothly for Your Hiring Team

The recruiting process  can be time-consuming, and it often feels inefficient to hiring departments. Finding high-quality candidates to fill important roles and take on critical responsibilities at your organization is rarely a one-step task. Employees are an asset to any business, and finding the best employees is crucial for the growth and success of every company.

We’ve all been on the job-seeking side of the recruitment process and know how frustrating it can be to apply for job after job. We often feel as though our efforts are useless. In order to make the recruitment process run as smooth as possible for your hiring department as well as your applicants, follow these practices for the best results:

Respond to as Many Applicants as You Can

Always make your best effort to send a response to each applicant who sends their cover letter and resume along. While it may seem trivial, a quick note back can really go a long way when it comes to making your brand stand out amongst others. If a qualified applicant receives a message back from your company, and not your competition, when it comes time to make a decision (assuming they’re offered a job with both businesses), they might lean towards joining your team. Qualified and experienced candidates want to work at an organization where they feel respected and valued, and a little message can do just that.

Personalization

If you’ve been through the interview process with various applicants and have finally selected the most qualified candidate and offered them a position, don’t forget about the other job seekers you spoke with. Set aside a few minutes to send them personalized messages, letting them know that the position has been filled. It’s a good idea to include a brief explanation of why they weren’t a fit. Providing that kind of feedback to candidates helps them with their job searches going forward, and it also shows that your business really does a thorough job of making sure it has found the best fit for any given position.

It’s Not a Numbers Game

As a recruiter, it’s easy to get caught up in finding as many applicants as possible. While having options is always great, having qualified options is even better. Focus on quality, not quantity. A few applicants with the right skills and experience are better than a ton of applicants with only some of the qualities you need. Spend more time searching for perfect-fit applicants, and you’ll spend less time down the road weeding out poor fits. At our digital agency, we’ll often leverage programs like LinkedIn’s recruiter tool to help this process run smoothly.

Create Your Own Database

Sometimes, you’ll find yourself meeting with experienced applicants who just are not a fit for the specific position you’re hiring for at that time. No need to completely forget about these people. Keep them on file. It may be time-consuming initially, but creating your own database of resumes will likely prove very beneficial when it’s time to fill new positions at your company. Create categories based on skills and experience, and hold onto those contacts. There is almost always a new position to fill at some point. Don’t forget about past applicants when it comes time to find a new hire.

Don’t Jump to Conclusions

If you’re interviewing someone, never turn them away or stop giving them your undivided attention. Be open-minded and focus on everything that the applicant says. Perhaps the applicant isn’t a fit for the position they initially came to interview for, but they may be ideal for a different job with a different department in the future. Make notes throughout the interview to remind yourself of some of their best qualities and traits, and hold onto their resume in your database.

Mix Personal Conversation in With Tech Talk

You’ll spent a lot of time interviewing plenty of candidates during the hiring process. After a while, the candidates may all begin to blur together. It may become easy to forget certain details or confuse one candidate with another. Sometimes, mixing some personal conversation into the usual interview questions can help you remember each candidate as an individual. Don’t be afraid to lighten up the conversation by asking about a candidate’s hobbies or interests.

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All in all, following these guidelines will enable you to hire the best candidate for a given position. If you are conscious and courteous, speak professionally and personally, and always give the applicant your full attention, your potential hire will leave feeling uplifted by the positive interview experience. Although every applicant may not be an ideal fit for every position, it is important to give each candidate your full respect. No matter what the candidate brings to the table, you want them to leave with a positive impression of your business.