The new world has driven us to wear busyness like a badge of honour and it’s preventing our chances with excellent candidates that we every so often don’t even get the opportunity to meet.
In our business, we see it over and over. We gather forces in pursuit of the best talent the market has to offer and get them excited about the idea of working for you. We present the necessary information to the recruitment decision makers, the candidates are great on paper and we’re ready to schedule that interview! Then comes the clincher; clients can’t find the time in their diaries. The “hurry up and wait” theme can kill a candidate’s interest before they even meet you.
Long internal hiring processes are damaging to a great candidate’s interest; the people we hire are our most valuable assets, so surely we should be working harder to give them the best experience possible?
We need to get rid of the thought that “immediately available” candidates are desperate. The reality is that top notch candidates have their fair selection of offers and if you don’t make them an offer, your competitors will. These candidates are actively on the market; replace “desperate” with “hungry” and I think you can see where I’m going with this. These candidates are more exposed to opportunity; they’re going on more interviews and are eager to accept a first time offer if it meets their needs. Did you know that a candidate is more likely to take the first of two equal offers rather than risk losing both?
In our technology-driven world, there are so many ways to get around the lengthy internal process.
Use the technology that is available to you. First round interviews aren’t limited to telephonic and skype anymore. With WhatsApp video/Google Hangouts, extending interview times to coffee after hours and on the weekend or having candidates record their answers and share the video with you; it’s easier than ever to schedule this type of interview. Giving up a little down time may not sound appealing, but the reward could be great for a candidate that will drive your business to new levels of success.
Another way to avoid losing top talent, is to confirm dates and times for interviews at the get-go. When you brief your Consultant on the position, allocate time to interview their shortlist as this ensures that the process runs smoothly and the candidate’s interest is maintained.
The point is, slow internal hiring processes are not beneficial because you’re missing out on the best talent out there. Time waits for no man, and remarkable candidates won’t wait for you either. In a talent market more competitive than ever, the most important fact we need to remember is that we’re dealing with human beings. We suggest that you make use or at least try our tips to speed up your hiring process as well as grab and hold the attention of the talent your business deserves.
