By Adam Ochstein, founder and CEO of StratEx
We are in a candidate-driven market, but few companies are adjusting their hiring processes to attract them. In fact, The Wall Street Journal recently reported that employers are taking nearly twice as long to extend offers compared to a few years ago.
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When hiring managers take too long to make a hiring decision, they are more likely to lose out on top talent. Instead, they can do these six things to make quality hiring decisions quickly and lessen the gap between the time an interview happens to the offer.
Know the difference between must-have’s and wants.
Oftentimes, it’s easy for hiring managers to confuse the skills a candidate must have with what they want them to have. To avoid this, before looking at any résumé, hiring managers should list out what the candidate needs in order to do the job. Do they need a certain degree, or a specific soft skill, like emotional intelligence? This isn’t a list of “nice-to-haves,” which are things the candidate doesn’t necessarily need but would be a perk if they did. Having a predetermined list will help hiring managers know exactly what they’re looking for from the start.
Be consistent.
Once hiring managers have a list made, stick to it. Also, they should find a system that works for them and adhere to that, as well. Whether it’s looking at résumés online, or printing out a stack of them, or blocking out an hour daily to read through them, be consistent.