When trying to fill vacancies, there are a lot of tips out there to get it done faster, more efficiently, and for less money. But what are some of the recruiting behaviors that could sabotage your hard work? Let’s take a look at some recruiting behaviors to avoid!
Here are some recruiting “don’ts”:
- Don’t use too few sources for candidates. Instead, branch out and use multiple sources to find candidates. Doing so will not only broaden your candidate pool but it could also help you to find a more diverse set of applicants.
- Don’t ignore the employment brand. Even if the recruiting team is not actively involved in the organization’s social media and online presence, the recruiting team needs to work with the rest of the organization to influence how the company is publicly presented. The way candidates perceive the organization will make an impact on the quality of candidates that will apply for any given role.
- Don’t ignore applicants who aren’t a perfect fit. Finding that elusive blend of experience and personality that is an absolutely perfect match for the organization is a laudable goal. But it’s also one that may not be achievable. Remember to pay attention to what skills can be trained, and don’t dismiss someone too quickly if they could become the ideal employee in time or with training.
- Don’t ignore red flags. It can be tempting to ignore that inner voice that says when a candidate is not well-suited for the role—especially if you’ve been searching a long time, haven’t found anyone any better, and this candidate meets some of the requirements. But if there are issues that could be problematic that you’re tempted to overlook, don’t. It’s far tougher and potentially costlier to have to let a bad hire go than it is to wait just a little longer for someone who meets your criteria. It can be tough to balance this point with the last, but that’s what must be done—so strike a balance.
- Don’t ignore future potential. Even if the individual is not a fit for the current role, he or she may be an ideal candidate in the future—but not if first discouraged by the complete lack of acknowledgement by the organization after applying. If the recruiter makes a point to ensure that all applicants are, at a minimum, acknowledged, the applicant is less likely to feel like his or her résumé fell into a black hole. Even if the applicant is told he or she is not progressing with the hiring process for this role, the applicant is less likely to feel the organization doesn’t care and more likely to apply for a future role that is a better fit.
- Don’t stop communicating. Just like the item above, this point also is important in every step along the way. Don’t stop communicating with a candidate just because he or she is not progressing in the hiring process. Don’t stop communicating just because you’ve run into some setbacks that will delay your decision. When a recruiter or hiring manager just disappears, it communicates to the candidate that their time isn’t valuable—which could make him or her less keen to progress with the company.
- Don’t make job postings all about the company needs without thought for the candidate needs. While it is, of course, important to ensure that the job post explains the job requirements, it’s also important that it gives the potential applicant an understanding of what benefits there will be in working for your organization. Candidates need to know what’s in it for them.
We’re just getting started! In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll continue this list and bring you even more “don’ts” of bad recruiting behavior.