11 Killer Ways to Improve Your Hiring Process

How do you make your company grow? You hire the right people for the right positions . How do you hire the right people? Now, that’s a question that doesn’t have such a simple answer. Have you ever wondered why most hiring managers don’t have a laidback attitude when recruiting new people in their teams? They are serious about the process, and that’s because the future of the company practically depends on these decisions.

There are few difficulties you face:

• What if the candidate lied?
• What if the reference lied?
• What if they aren’t as competent as you assume?
• The introvert or extravert character seemed cool at the interview, but what if it’s too much for the office environment?
• What if there was a great candidate who was just shy, so you failed to recognize their potential?
• What if you fail to ask the right questions?

The list can go on. The responsibility to ensure the success of the hiring process is huge. Your decision affects the organization as a whole.

You have few tricks up your sleeve. You think asking the candidates about their vision of the ideal job will help you see if they fit. However, you always get the same answer: “My ideal job is flexible and allows me to spend enough time with my family. My wish is to work for an organization that values and respects me as a worker, and gives me opportunities to grow.”

They all want and say similar things. How do you recognize the best ones? The best people are usually hired in the most unusual ways.

We’ll give you 11 tips on how to improve the hiring process.

1. Involve More People in the Hiring Process

Invite some of your colleagues to the interviews. Let them ask a question or two, and then ask them what they think about the candidates. It’s important to see how the team perceives the personalities who are about to join.

2. Improve the Job Descriptions

Experienced recruiters explain: “When hiring managers try to post the best possible job ads, they often end up with endless descriptions with countless details. That’s not productive. Focus on what your company can do for the candidate, so you’ll attract the best ones your way.”

Don’t make the description too long. Mention only the most important qualifications the candidates need, and focus the way your company will meet their needs.

3. Focus on the Goals

What exactly do you want this person to do for your company? Their skills and competences matter most. As for the education and experience; those are of secondary importance. Envision this candidate in the office environment. How would they do? What goals would they help the organization reach?

4. Don’t Ask “Magic” Questions

“What would you do if you could be God for a day?” Really? No serious candidate would be thrilled with such questions.

When you’re interviewing someone, you should focus on finding out if they can do the job. That’s it. Try to learn more about their skills, knowledge, interests, experience, and character. If you go overboard with your “creativity” during the interview, you won’t make a good impression.

5. Define Your Position

You defined the needed education, knowledge, skills, and experience in the job description, right? You’ll need to define your position during the interview, too. Explain what you expect from an employee on that position and ask the candidate if they can meet those requirements.

6. Embrace Social Media

The candidates have requirements, too. They want to work for digitally enabled companies. If you want the best people to compete for your open position, you have to show them you foster a culture that allows the technology to drive it forward.

7. Test the Best Candidates

A test period might be an additional expense in the hiring process, since your company will have to compensate the candidates for their work. However, that’s a productive expense. You get to see how these people implement the skills and knowledge they say they have. You’ll see how they fit in the office culture, too.

8. Do a Social Media Background Check

Like most recruiters, you probably perform a background check on the candidates you consider. However, you have to check their social media profiles, too. These platforms allow you to find out more about the person and their former employees.

9. Ask Why They Left Their Previous Job

If you notice they are blaming someone else, try to find out more. Maybe it was really an unhealthy working environment. If, however, you notice the candidate has an unhealthy ego, continue your search.

10. Throw In a Survey

At the end of the interview, ask the candidates to complete a brief survey for you. What did they like about the interview, job ad, and hiring process as a whole? What would they change? This feedback will really help you improve your approach.

11. Encourage Them to Interview You, Too

The questions they ask help you evaluate their attention to details. You’ll notice the things that are important to them and how interested they are in professional growth.

When the hiring process goes as smoothly as possible, you’re taking your organization towards progress. That’s why it’s important to reconsider your practices from time to time. The tips above should help you do that.