For recruiters and employers alike, there is nothing more gratifying than finding a candidate whose skills fit the open position and also aligns with their company culture.
On the flip side, that also means there is nothing more frustrating for a recruiter or employer when they get it wrong.
When companies make bad hiring choices, they’re making costly mistakes. Not only does it impact their bottom line, it also affects their office productivity and employee morale.
While there is no guaranteed method for completely avoiding bad hires, there are ways to significantly reduce your risks of choosing the wrong candidate while ensuring you’re attracting the best candidates for your positions.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of four tips for fine-tuning your recruiting initiatives.
This may seem pretty basic, but it’s a step that often gets overlooked. Read over your current job postings to ensure you’re describing the job accurately and in a way that’s easy to read. A great job posting should describe what the job entails (think loosely day in the life) and describe who would be successful in that role. Even slight changes, like listing key job responsibilities, can help improve your results.
If your prospective candidates are forced to fill out several pages of information before even submitting a resume, there’s a good chance you’ll lose them before they apply. The candidates you’re looking for are highly-skilled, which means they probably have many other employment options to consider. If applying for your jobs is complicated or cumbersome, your best candidates may just give up and go elsewhere. Plus, once they’re gone there is little chance they’ll ever be back or recommend you to their peers. Your recruiting/hiring process is a reflection of your company. Make sure it shows that you're sensitive to candidates’ needs.
There are many occasions where recruiters will come across a candidate who doesn't fit the job opening but could be a great prospect for a job in the future. For candidates like this, create a system that helps you stay in touch. By keeping close communication with key prospects, you can help make sure your employer is the candidate’s first choice when looking to make a career change. Send your best candidates current openings and company announcements to help keep prospects engaged and interested in your company’s opportunities
Take advantage of social platforms where job seekers already spend most of their time. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are great tools to leverage when sourcing for candidates. If your company already operates a Facebook page, don’t forget to post job openings there! Even if your fans don’t identify with the position, providing a link will encourage them to share the job with someone who they know who may be a better fit.
Obviously, it’s difficult to avoid ever making a bad hire, but the goal is to minimize the frequency by taking the right steps to prevent it. Pay attention to your job descriptions, provide easy apply tools, nurture candidate relationships and invest in social platforms. Each step will help improve your candidate selection and ultimately your chances of landing that next great hire.
