How To Improve the Recruitment Process

Even though the labor market has become more employer-friendly, many enterprises still find it challenging to fill technical roles. According to a recent survey, over 60% of organizations have missed key customer satisfaction, revenue, or quality targets because they simply don’t have enough qualified personnel. How can your company enjoy greater success with hiring objectives? Looking for ways to improve your recruitment process is one of the most important steps.

SIGNS THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO IMPROVE ITS RECRUITING PROCESS

Some hiring issues are more serious than others. Keep an eye out for these recruitment red flags:

• You’re frequently forced to “settle” for candidates who have a bad attitude or low motivation.
• A high percentage of your new hires end up leaving or getting fired within a year.
• Your recruiting team has problems attracting high-quality candidates.
• Many of your new hires lack the required skills or lied about their abilities.
• Qualified candidates are rejecting you, and not the other way around.

Every company has something it can improve about its hiring process, from streamlining the time invested or identifying better candidates.

EFFECTIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE THE RECRUITING PROCESS

These recruiting resources can simplify your internal operations, improve interview results, and teach interviewers how to become better recruiters.

1. Focus More on Skills and Experience Than Degrees

For many IT roles, experience and skill are more important than a bachelor’s degree. Hard skills are things candidates know, like network maintenance or coding. Soft skills refer to personal abilities, such as problem-solving.

Plan your hiring assessments around the skills you want. Use “hands-on” technical tests and open-ended interview questions, such as “What would be your first three actions if you got called in about a data breach at 3 a.m.?”

2. …But Don’t Ignore Attitude

One study found something surprising about hiring failures. In the vast majority of cases (89%), workers weren’t let go because of technical or experience-related issues.

Instead, problems stemmed from:

• Poor attitude (15%)
• Not willing to accept feedback (26%)
• Minimum effort only (17%)
• Trouble managing emotions or coworker relationships (23%)

Recruitment shouldn’t focus exclusively on credentials. You also need to judge the candidate’s attitude. Arrogant or power-hungry workers make life harder for everyone on your team.

Perform due diligence. Check references. Review social media posts to get a sense of the applicant’s personality.

3. Create a Data-Driven Hiring Plan

Before posting an opening, evaluate who your company needs. Look at the responsibilities and determine what qualities, experience, and training are necessary to shoulder them.

Are you trying to strengthen your cybersecurity or find a self-motivated team leader? Include these “wish list” items in your hiring plan.

Ask relevant stakeholders for feedback. To balance out a firebrand on your team, you may need someone with a calm personality. Visionaries might need an assistant with strong organizational skills.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE DURING RECRUITMENT

Applying for a job is stressful for new grads and experienced professionals alike. Good recruiters know how to put candidates at ease.

4. Tell Potential Applications What They Need To Know in the Job Posting

Some companies hide salary information in job postings, worried that professionals won’t apply if they find out how much the job pays. This strategy often backfires. A recent survey found that 75% of applicants want to know a salary range before applying. And 4 in 10 candidates will walk away if they don’t get one.

Making applicants go through the entire process only to disagree on salary is a waste of your time and theirs. By sharing enough information, you ensure that candidates who do apply are more likely to fit.

5. Walk Applicants Through Your Recruitment Process

Even skilled workers get nervous about interviewing. Improve the candidate experience and reduce their stress levels by letting them know what to expect:

• What skills or job experience you want to ask about
• How the interview process will work, including phone, video chat, or in-person meetings
• Who will be performing each interview
• Where the person can reach you with follow-up questions

You don’t need to provide a list of questions. Just give candidates a general idea of what you're looking for.

6. Respond More Quickly

One of the most common recruiting challenges is having applicants drop out of the process unexpectedly. Did you know that it’s not the delay in hiring that turns people away? It’s the lack of communication.

Applicants are often willing to wait several weeks for a job offer, but they expect to schedule the first interview within a week max.

7. Maintain a Record of Interview Progress

Over 65% of applicants find it irritating when they have to repeat the same information multiple times. Redoing an interview weeks later is even worse.

Keep track of the results of interviews and skills tests. Don’t make candidates repeat them if a new role opens up. Instead, schedule a brief phone call or video chat to discuss the new opportunity.

GOOD HABITS OF GREAT RECRUITERS

Learning how to be a better recruiter isn’t hard. You don’t need special charisma. Success is more about the way you view candidates:

• Build relationships: Be professional but friendly, treating applicants like potential coworkers. Listen carefully when the person speaks and smile.
• Be genuine: If the person doesn’t have the skills you’re looking for, be honest instead of ghosting them. End interviews on a positive note.
• Keep track of strong candidates: Let promising candidates know you’re keeping an eye on openings for them and that you’d be happy to have them.
• Keep an open mind: Stay alert for skills and value, not a preconceived checklist. Hard workers and creative thinkers don’t always have a bold personality.
• Ask for help: Know when to work with a recruitment agency for specialized roles or to avoid burnout.

Good recruiters are like house flippers. They can recognize a diamond in the rough and transform it into a bright superstar.

EXPERTS IN THE IT RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Improving your recruitment process should be an ongoing goal. Talent drives your business, so finding qualified personnel is one of the best uses of your time and money. Discover TSP’s customized IT recruitment solutions for your company’s hiring and technical needs right away.