Editor’s Note: It’s an annual tradition for TLNT to count down the most popular posts of the previous 12 months. We’re reposting each of the top 30 articles through January 2nd. This is No. 26 of the 800 articles posted in 2018. You can find the complete list here.
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You’re excited for the New Year. The first quarter plans involve ambitious goals for company growth. Of course, the best way to fuel that growth is with a great hiring process.
But you might not actually be ready for growth recruiting. Your hiring process could have some blind spots. The last thing you want to do is uncover these gaps when it’s already too late.
Watch out for these warning signs that your hiring process is not prepared to handle rapid company growth:
1. You aren’t using your employees in the hiring process
Candidates want to know as much as they can about your culture and the employee experience. They should be excited to join your team. However, if you just have a basic “Careers” page on your website, they won’t know if they truly fit.
Let’s say you deliver awesome employee experiences and build a fun culture. You shouldn’t hide it behind boring job listings and office pictures. Instead, get your team involved in showing what it’s really like working at your company. Encourage your employees to share their experiences, both good and bad, to give an authentic perspective. This will attract candidates who fit and discourage those who wouldn’t.
Create a video for your website that includes real testimonials and highlights the employee experience. Be sure to promote it across your social media accounts.
Also, connect candidates to employees by starting an “Ask an Employee” campaign. This gives candidates direct access to whoever they want in the company. This way, when you’re preparing to hire a lot of talent, you’re building positive relationships with candidates before they even apply.
2. You aren’t accounting for unconscious bias
From someone’s name to how they dress, there are several factors influencing how you feel about a candidate. This is problematic because it leads to biases during the hiring process.
Of course, if you’re unaware of these biases, you can’t do much to change this behavior. However, you can add elements to your hiring process that prevent biases from occurring.
Use software tools to perform a blind resume review. There are plenty of programs and applications that remove surface demographic characteristics. They present only the most important information to you — the candidate’s specific qualifications and talents. AI tools are also being implemented to scour your ATS, presenting only the best fits for your job openings.
Also, make the most of your time by requesting work samples to predict future job performance at the beginning of the hiring process. This enables you to pursue candidates who submit the best work before you even research who they are.
3. Your candidate experience keeps applicants in dark
Bad candidate experiences are, unfortunately, quite common. In fact, nearly 60% of candidates have had one, according to a 2016 CareerArc survey. Of those who have had negative experiences, 72% shared their story online or with someone directly. This quickly spreads a bad reputation, which can deter A players from applying.
The most common suggestion for improving the candidate experience involves communication. Six out of ten candidates who participated in the CareerArc survey suggest that better communication through the applicant process makes a positive impact. In other words, don’t leave candidates in the dark. Instead, engage them with chatbots that can answer basic questions and provide status updates throughout the process.
But don’t forget to make a human connection, too. Replace boring, boilerplate “thank you for applying” emails with a video that includes your employees. Candidates want to see who they might work with.
This process is scalable and repeatable, so even when you’re assessing hundreds of candidates, you’re keeping them in the loop and adding a human element to the process.
4. You aren’t using social media to recruit
Social media presents a unique opportunity for you to connect and build connections with candidates early in the hiring process. Without social recruiting, you’re adding to your time to hire, which slows down growth recruiting.
Start a social media search party, where your employees identify social media communities that are relevant to your company. Then, have them find candidates who align with your culture. Even if you’re not looking to hire candidates now, engage them as passive candidates to build a talent pipeline. They will feel valued and eager to join your team when you start hiring during the first quarter.
5. Your employer brand isn’t authentic
Every careers page lists benefits and shares photos of the workplace, but this isn’t enough. Candidates are looking for the realness behind this online presence.
Simply put, investing in employer branding brings in better talent. In fact, a 2015 report from Brandon Hall Group found that organizations that invest in employer branding are three times more likely to make a quality hire.
Use employee testimonials to share stories about the day-to-day, and add profiles that feature their personal interests, as well. This shows that you see employees as real people, not just assets.
Also, engage with your community. For example, address negative Glassdoor reviews publicly to demonstrate your commitment to always improving your workplace culture.
Growth recruiting is where these warning signs will become even more apparent, but at that point it’s too late. Address these problems now so hiring for rapid growth is easy.
What aspects of your hiring process are you addressing before you recruit new hires to fuel company growth?