Time is a precious commodity for hiring managers; to be more effective, you may want to begin streamlining your hiring process. As a result, you will uncover top-notch candidates in an extremely competitive field.
Streamlining includes how you write your ad, where you post, how you find candidates, to the onboarding process. If a well-organized strategy is in place, you will have a greater chance of finding and hiring top contenders before your competition.
Advertising your position
There are two approaches you can take:
- Needs-Supply Approach – Emphasizes what the company can do for the applicant.
- Demands-Ability Approach – Emphasizes what the company expects from the applicant.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the needs-supply approach proves to attract the best applicants.
Buzzwords
Flesh out the job description and write your copy. Confer with appropriate personnel to ensure an accurate description. Interjecting attention-getting buzzwords into the ad title and content will help you entice and retain qualified candidates.
A tool you can use to determine buzzwords your competition uses is keywords everywhere. It’s a simple plugin for your browser that, will provide a list of the high-ranking keywords used. Just open to a competitor page and activate the plugin.
Visuals
Visual appeal attracts more than ads with just copy. “A picture is worth a thousand words” proves true when it comes to job postings. Rise above the competition and snag the perfect candidate with a visually-pleasing and intriguing ad.
Ad Tips
- Make the title an attention-grabber; it is the first thing candidates notice. Add action words to stir emotion.
- Add two points under the title that will make the job sound more attractive.
- Prepare an appealing summary to describe your business.
- Sell your geographic area when recruiting outside of your general area.
- Spell out the application process.
- Respond promptly to emails and phone calls.
- Quotes are popular and rank high in the social media arena.
Additional Methods for Discovering Qualified Candidates
- Before you post outbound ads, make current staff aware of new openings. Offering your current employees the chance to apply builds company morale and may eliminate new hire and onboarding costs.
- Ask your staff for recommendations and offer a referral incentive.
- Pull out files from previous promising candidates.
- Peruse social media channels.
Overcoming Obstacles
Don’t waste precious time weeding through your overflowing inbox of unqualified applicants, playing phone tag when trying to schedule applicants or check references, or waiting for department heads to give you feedback.
- If a call is unanswered, leave a detailed message and follow-up with an email.
- Use an ATS, pre-screen applicants, and keep the number of interviews to a minimum.
- Schedule meetings with pertinent managers to discuss applicants.
Interviews
Interview for both qualifications and personality. According to Working Leadership, hiring emotionally intelligent people is the correct approach. People can learn new skills, but character and personality are more inherent traits. Using an emotionally intelligent leadership quiz may provide a glimpse of a candidate’s personality.
Conduct focused interviews. Avoid distractions, turn off your monitor, hide your cell phone and give the applicant your undivided attention. Keep in mind that distractions imply disinterest and are not conducive to an outstanding corporate image.
Brand = Reputation
“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.” Jeff Bezos
The digital age benefits society in many ways. For example, virtual doctors can help patients across the globe, artificial intelligence streamlines business, and time-saving systems allow for greater productivity, but there’s a downside to digital advancement. Unfavorable reviews can quickly spread and diminish your chances of attracting the heavy hitters you need to hire. Keep track of your online reviews and take a proactive role in tracking and improving your reputation.
The statistics are alarming:
- According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 30 percent of business failures are due to poor hiring decisions.
- Leadership IQ reports that “46 percent of newly hired employees will fail within 18 months, while only 19 percent will achieve unequivocal success.”
Don’t fall on the wrong side of a statistic. Pre-planning your hiring process with a solid strategy will prove beneficial for all. Practice your strategy and partner with a reputable staffing company, such as Lingo Staffing. Your process will become more streamlined and your new hires more likely to stay.
About Lingo Staffing
Lingo, the language of On Demand solutions is a full-service staffing firm dedicated to providing top quality services to its clients and its candidate pool. With extensive knowledge and experience in light industrial, administrative, and professional employment, Lingo encompasses the capabilities and resources necessary to help you get ahead. Contact us at an office convenient to you: locations in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia.