Hiring processes have lengthened over time. Many businesses have expanded their requirements to include more than a simple interview. Some have introduced group interviews, candidate presentations, multiple interview rounds, skills testing, and various skills or personality tests. As of 2015, the length of the average interview process was estimated at over 22 days.
If you think your lengthy hiring processes may be costing you, you could be right. With unemployment generally falling and the current candidate market, you can’t afford to wait, and here’s why.
The Best Candidates Don’t Wait Around
While shifts to a more thorough process may seem to make sense from a business perspective, these longer wait times can mean missing out on your ideal candidate. Those with the most talent likely have multiple opportunities in the works, and being late to the game, or dragging your proverbial feet, can mean that candidate won’t be there when the decision has finally been made.
You May Have to Offer Higher Pay
If the candidate is still there, it may cost you more to get them onboard if they are currently considering other offers. This can result in a bidding war, putting the candidate in the best negotiating position, and forcing two, potential rival, businesses to have to up the ante to keep the candidate interested.
Lengthy Hiring Processes Cost More Money
Not only do lengthy hiring processes require more time and energy, and could result in a bidding war, there are other costs in play as well. The longer the position remains vacant, the longer your business is operating without a person in a key position. If the position is in sales, then the effects may be very easy to see. For other positions, other staff members are having to work harder, or shift their priorities, to make up for the work that would traditionally be completed by another employee. If remaining employees are pushed too hard for too long, there may be damaging effects to morale and overall performance.
How to Speed Up Your Hiring Process
You do not have to sacrifice quality in order to speed up your hiring process. Begin by creating clear job requirements for the official posting. Focus on those requirements which are more concrete in nature, such as specific software experience, to help quickly remove any candidates who will not make the cut. Contact any other stakeholders in the business in advance to set aside interview times and dates before candidates are even reviewed. Avoid scheduling unnecessary interviews with candidates you know will not be suitable in order to fulfill some imaginary minimum.
Once you identify the ideal candidate, contact references and perform any background information quickly. If it is permitted, inform your prime candidate that they are currently on top and that certain formalities are the only items pending. Get a contract or formal offer ready, so it can be presented as soon as all required checks are complete.
Consider Outside Support
If your hiring process is still too lengthy, consider working with a staffing firm to help speed up your process, such as the professional at Advance Staffing Solutions. Not only can they perform prescreening duties on potential candidates, they can also speak with references and run other checks before referring the candidate to the position. This means, as soon as the right candidate comes along, you can make an offer immediately.
Contact Advance Staffing Solutions today and get your hiring process moving through the candidate market!
