5 Game-Changing Hiring Tips
Changes and competition in the market significantly affect the hiring landscape and this year is no different. Since joining the IT and Management Consulting industry almost 4 years ago, I’ve witnessed the quickly changing hiring landscape and companies struggling to hire effectively. If you’re a hiring leader, you may have witnessed similar trends such as:
- Lack of available resources: finding qualified and available resources who fit within budget.
- Candidate ghosting: candidates losing interest and becoming disengaged throughout the interview process.
- Hiring process inefficiencies: interviewing and onboarding quickly enough to get the best resources on your team.
- External threats: competition is fierce, often resulting in multiple offers and bidding wars.
As a Business Development Leader, the companies I partner with vary in industry, technology and size. Regardless of the project or tech stack, the question plaguing clients and hiring managers remains the same: how do we evolve our hiring process to keep up with the ultra-competitive market?
I have a unique viewpoint into the hiring process. By witnessing both the clients’ and candidates’ experience and hearing feedback from both sides, I’ve identified an action plan. Here are 5 game-changing moves hiring managers can make to drastically improve their hiring process and odds:
- First and foremost, choose your consulting partner wisely! The partners you’re working with are representing you and your employer brand in the marketplace. More consulting partners doesn’t always equate to better results. Focus on building relationships with partners who understand your business and you are proud to have representing you to potential consultants and employees.
- Be mindful of your job requirements and description. Putting effort into the job description pays dividends! Make sure your job description is current and not a boiler plate description. Include in that description details on the project keeping in mind the best candidates care what they are working on. In addition to the job description, when talking with your consulting partner, provide them with details on team dynamics, contract length, possibility of extension or conversion, and the target rate range.
- Set expectations for your hiring process. Nailing down the ideal start date for your consultant or employee is crucial! From there, it’s much easier to then track back for the ideal time to start recruiting and interviewing. Determine the round of interviews up front and who needs to be in those interviews. Streamlining this process as much as possible will make a big difference in your hiring! If your process changes, communicate that immediately, and clearly so expectations can be set with candidates. Remember, the most talented and least expensive candidates are the first to get hired!
- Respect candidates’ time. How you treat candidates is how your organization is represented in the marketplace. The candidate experience is your reputation! In my experience, candidates become frustrated if the interviewing process is longer than two steps. Efficiency, communication and feedback are key to creating a stellar candidate experience!
- Make an offer ASAP! Same day offers are ideal. This shows the candidate that you are decisive and excited to hire them. Candidates who were initially thrilled about an opportunity will start to talk themselves out of the role if there is too much time between the final interview and an offer. If you have flexibility on rate/start date/other factors, tell your consulting partner sooner than later. This can make the difference between getting the candidate you want to hire and losing them to other offers!
Companies that implement these best practices consistently hire top talent in this highly competitive marketplace. Although the market may be spooky, by implementing these small changes you can greatly impact your hiring and ultimately increase your odds!
Are you interested in learning more about how I’ve helped organizations hire the talent they need? Or are you in need of strategic insight into the candidate market? I’m happy to help you strategize! Drop me a line today: