A successful recruitment process is a combination of patience and correct judgment. Hiring a new employee is a complicated process; a hiring manager must first find someone whose views align with the company’s mission and values. It becomes extremely important to search for the right candidate as that influences a company’s success. Here are eight common hiring mistakes every hiring manager should avoid to prevent major business damage further:
Common Recruitment Mistakes to Avoid
1. Writing Vague or Inaccurate Job Description
An unclear job description leads to unrealistic expectations, disappointed candidates, and confusion when onboarding a new hire. That’s why the first step is to create accurate and clear job descriptions. It should outline the work rather than the ideal person for the job.
To create a great job description, use clear language, so the candidate understands your basic requirements and gets a clear picture of the responsibilities. Add the company description and your values so the candidate can assess whether they are a fit for your company. Use keywords related to the industry and position. If you are struggling to create a job description or need additional help, there are several free job description templates you can download and edit to align them with your company’s tone.
2. Not Valuing the Power of Employee Referrals
Employee referrals are a strong tool to get candidates that fit your search. In fact, the researchers concluded that employee referrals have the highest applicant-to-employee conversion rate. Some employers feel that referrals fit the company better than other candidates. They also tend to stay longer in the company, increasing your employee retention rate.
But before you employ the referred candidate, do a reference check. No matter how much you trust the employee who referred you to a candidate, it is important to conduct a reference check to ensure that the candidate is a fit for the organization.
3. Avoiding the Telephonic Interview
Before the initial interview, pre-interviews or telephonic calls are necessary to add efficiency to your hiring process. A quick phone call can eliminate candidates that don’t fit before scheduling a proper interview.
You can question a candidate’s previous experience, know when they can join if hired, and get clear with their salary expectations. The pre-interview doesn’t even have to be a lengthy call. A quick 10-minute phone call to get a clear understanding of their resume is enough.
4. Turn Away from Technology
Technology has created tools and resources that are meant to simplify your work. Take advantage of it to improve your hiring process and make it more efficient. Incorporating tools and technology into your hiring process is easy. Here’s how you can get started:
- Recruiting Software: They streamline your hiring process by filtering resumes so you can optimize your time handling other aspects of hiring.
- Social Media: Many individuals post their job openings on the company’s social media profile, job boards, and other professional networking sites. This makes it easier to attract candidates, as today, everyone has social media where they spend most of their time.
5. Only Considering External Hiring
When hiring for a position, most organizations prefer looking for external candidates and often undervalue their existing staff. The process of hiring someone external is much more costly. On top of that, external candidates take almost three years to perform as well as internal hires for the same position. Before deciding on a candidate, try to circulate the job posting within the organization to save time. If no one seems to fit the role, turn to external hiring.
6. Not Listening to the Candidate
No one likes being talked over. The same applies during an interview. An interview is meant to hear the candidate to better judge whether they are a right fit for your organization. So, don’t make the mistake of talking more than listening. Instead, create a balance by structuring your interview in a way where both of you can speak and ask questions. Use open-ended questions so the candidate can give a detailed answer.
7. Rushing the Recruitment Process
Sometimes organizations have to hire a candidate immediately, which is understandable. However, rushing the hiring process can lead to several problems. One of them is recruiting someone who does not fit the company culture. When this happens, you have to repeat the entire hiring process. So, it is better to prolong and take calculated steps than to hire hastily and regret it later. It will save you money and time as you get an employee whose vision and goals align with your company’s values.
8. Failure to Involve the Rest Of Your Team
Seeking advice on your hiring decision can be beneficial at times. Department heads may rely on soft skills or expect new hires to have specific knowledge. One of your team members may notice candidate characteristics that you did not notice, such as a lack of fit with the work culture or a lack of essential requirements.
You can invite other members of your team to sit in on interviews, either in person or over the phone. You can also arrange for second-stage interviews with department heads. You can also get second opinions on resumes that have potential. Hiring the right person with the help of a team can help your company’s productivity.
Strategies to Build the Best Team
1. Enhancing the Employer Brand
Seventy-two percent of recruiting leaders believe that the employer brand is critical to hiring success. Branding is the image of your company and the first thing candidates see when considering applying.
2. Passive Recruiting Increases Business Visibility
Companies frequently search for ideal candidates while remaining invisible to the rest of the market. Some candidates aren’t actively looking for new opportunities, but reaching out raises brand awareness and can start important conversations. This is an efficient way to attract potential candidates while avoiding the use of extraneous resources.
3. Utilize Recruitment Videos and Social Media Tools
Many people prefer visual content to written content. If your HR team is conducting outreach to find the right talent, a recruitment video will assist in communicating the same information to a different audience. This could be a series of YouTube or IGTV videos, more casual videos to connect with talent on Linkedin, TikTok, and reels, or live videos on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
4. Redesigning the Recruitment Procedures
Creating and improving recruitment strategies will assist hiring managers in locating the candidates they seek. Ensure that each moving part is as efficient as possible when planning the process. Long and ineffective hiring processes are one of the most common complaints of candidates in today’s market, so doing your part to ensure the process is as efficient as possible will go a long way in hiring top talent. Finally, even if it requires a little more effort or creativity, hiring qualified and culturally fit candidates will prevent high turnover and ensure your company’s success.
Conclusion:
The key to a smooth and efficient recruitment process is making optimal use of technology and all the resources available to you. Focus more on the candidate’s skills rather than just searching for experience levels because several candidates possess potential but are not considered given their experience level. Ensure you are in sync with the latest hiring trends; stay updated and avoid common mistakes!
Author Bio:
Kelly Barcelos is a progressive digital marketing manager for Jobsoid
. She is responsible for leading the content and social media teams at work. Her expertise and experience in the field of HR enable her to create value-driven content for her readers – both on Jobsoid’s blog and other guest blogs where she publishes content Regularly.