Ok some recruiters will tell you they can find unicorns and on occasions they do. But mostly they can’t. I thought about writing this whilst shopping for my 4-year-old daughter’s birthday party so apologies for the unicorn reference.
Recruiting the right people to your business is so crucial yet I still see so many businesses and hiring managers make mistakes in the process. Here are 5 easy and essential tips for hiring managers to make sure you get the right people and keep them:
1. Understand exactly what you need
Clearly define what you are looking for. That doesn’t mean digging out a 10-year-old position description, it means assessing precisely the duties you need the person to complete on any given day. Update the position description so that it truly reflects what the job involves.
There is a reason I had this as number 1. It’s the most crucial piece in the recruitment process. Get this right and the rest of your process will be much easier.
2. Define your recruitment process
Decide who needs to meet this person and how many interviews you think are appropriate. Any more than two formal interviews is too many in my opinion. If it’s a technical role, consider whether you need to have a set of technical questions or a technical test to assess the skill set.
I can’t see a reason for more than two formal interviews. If you can’t decide on somebody’s suitability after the two, I would go back to tip number 1 and re-evaluate what you need.
3. Delays kill the recruitment process
This is true for both agency recruiters and internal talent teams. In 2024 there should be no reason you can’t get an offer out within 2 weeks of a first interview. Lengthy delays in the process at worst lose candidates and at best leave them wondering if all the wonderful things you mentioned in the job advert were nonsense.
The best hiring managers know what they want, so when they are assessing candidates, they move quickly to either reject or hire. A quick process leaves successful candidates feeling positive, engaged and better about the role and the company. The same process leaves unsuccessful candidates with a quick and clear outcome.
4. Onboard efficiently
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on the latest HRM system to provide an effective onboarding experience. Clear and friendly communication prior to the candidate starting is a terrific way to start. Then make sure you have day one and the first week planned out and ensure the candidate has everything they need to do their job, meet all relevant stakeholders / colleagues and feel comfortable in the first week.
I like the first week to be mapped out clearly with times in diaries for meetings and training. A good mix of work-related meetings and casual catchups is my approach.
5. Listen and understand that recruiters don’t set salaries
Sorry this one really gets me. Please listen to your internal talent teams or external recruiters, particularly when it comes to salaries. The market and your competitors set the salaries, recruiters don’t. I can’t tell you how many hiring managers or recruiters I have spoken to who want a $200k skill set for $150k.
This scenario plays out all too often. If you have budget constraints, I get it. Maybe you need to go back to tip 1 and cut out some of the duties and responsibilities to ensure your $150k gets what you need. Recruiters cannot find unicorns after all!
If you would like to know more about how Synchronise Resourcing can help you with your next role or hire then please get in touch with us today on 1300 471 829 or email us at info@synchroniseresourcing.com.au