Recruiting and Hiring Practices

When speaking with clients about Recruiting and Hiring processes, one of the first things I always hear about is their challenges in filling the role with the right candidate. This always gets me thinking, why is this such a challenge for any company of any size? The answer is straightforward, and throughout all companies that I have been engaged with, they all have one common denominator, the lack of precise recruiting or hiring processes or practice. The majority of small business owners will slap together a brief job description, throw it online, and hope for the best; however, you get back what you put into it. So, putting a little more thought and having a solidified hiring practice can be simple but critical for the operation in vetting the proper candidates to fill the position. Below, you will learn a few tips and processes that you can implement in your business. 

First, what is the purpose of having a recruiting and hiring process? In short, having a strategy for recruiting and hiring ensures that the organization has a consistent approach in how they vet candidates for any position within the company. Recruiting employees can be challenging when processes are not followed or used due to the lack of consistency and the lack of recruiting the proper talent level required for a role. However, following this outline will give you a leg up on the competition regarding hiring the right talent for the organization. 

There are three simple steps to follow within your recruiting and hiring process. Those are; define your objective, post the job requisition in the most effective place (including local paper or service, or online), and employee selection. 

Define your Objectives

A position description is important from the business perspective, but it is also critical for the individual interested in applying for the role. The right information will allow applicants to determine if the position is in line with their current skillsets and if it is a job they would be interested in doing. It will enable both the business and the candidate to match as closely as possible based on the role itself. Identify what type of applicants you are seeking – precisely what kind of work experience and skills are you looking for? Additionally, focus on the type of questions you may want the candidate to answer during the initial screening call and then the interview. Having the right questions will give you a clear idea of the talent you are interviewing. Questions can be based on the following criteria: behavior questions based on prior experiences, determining if the candidate is a cultural fit, technical and soft skills, industry-specific questions, and overall work experiences.

Post the Requisition in the Most Effective Place

A well-crafted job posting is essential to attracting the highest volume of qualified applicants. All job openings should be posted on any company page on social media, including Facebook, Linkedin, etc. Linkedin is a triumvirate of a professional social network, headhunting tool, and job board. With 300m members, LinkedIn boasts the biggest potential candidate pool. On LinkedIn, you can search for profiles, post jobs, and message candidates directly.

However, LinkedIn is not your only option – sites like Zip Recruiter, Facebook, CareerBuilder, Monster, etc., can be utilized as a means of posting a job. All job postings must include the job description with detailed requirements for consideration, as listed below.

Employee Selection

Employee selection should be a minimum of a 3-step process.

• The 1st step is a review of the candidate’s resume and relevant experiences and skillset. By going through this process, the company will vet out several candidates that do not fit the organizational need.
• The 2nd step is a phone interview, or screening, where we spend approximately 15 minutes with a candidate by asking five or fewer questions. These questions can vary; however, they should be basic questions to verify the candidate is a fit for the role and company. After the phone screening is completed, the hiring manager or owner should rank them from highest to lowest. Once the pre-screening is complete, final interviews should be conducted with the top 5 candidates.
• The 3rd step is to conduct face-to-face interviews with the top 5 candidates. The questions you want to ask these candidates will provide you with a clear understanding of the candidate’s skill set, capabilities, and fit for the organization through planning and knowledge. Once the face-to-face interviews are done, complete another ranking of the top 5.

If the interviewee is a fit, make an offer. If interviews are not a fit, keep interviewing the next five candidates.

By following these simple steps, you and your organization will see a tremendous and vast improvement in the company’s candidates. You will see retention also increase as you mature by understanding the right questions to ask.