Controlling the Recruitment Process: Lay the Foundation

Laying a solid recruitment process foundation is the first step in our three-part series on delivering a candidate experience that positively spotlights your brand and culture.

1. Assessing Motivation
Budget approval aside, what is motivating the hiring manager to fill the position? Is there a genuine sense of urgency and is the manager willing to invest in the process? Knowing where your hiring managers fall on the motivation scale will help you lead to successful outcomes.

2. Job Description
Job descriptions are both a blessing and a curse. When generic and outdated they serve little purpose. When lengthy and too specific they’re even worse. Have your hiring managers pitch their jobs to you. Why should candidates want the job? What’s in it for them?

3. Managing Expectations
Let’s be clear: job descriptions can easily become impossible wish lists. Avoid the unicorn-riding purple squirrel quest by asking your hiring managers to clearly define three or four needs versus a laundry list of wants.

4. Interview Structure
Candidates are often lost during unnecessarily lengthy interview processes that require multiple calls and onsite visits. Respect candidates’ time and manage your own by helping your hiring managers form flexible interview teams that can keep the interview process moving while providing thorough feedback. Collect schedule information, including any travel plans for team members.

5. Fill Goal
Every month a job is open it becomes harder (and more expensive) to fill. Don’t let time derail the commitment of your hiring managers and interview teams. Set reasonable “fill-by” targets and reevaluate your open positions based on the real-time market insights recruiting and interviewing provide. Update the playbook, get back out there, and repeat.

Next:
Step 2: Control the Process
Step 3: Manage the Experience
Series Home