The recruiting process has been called “the most important strategic planning your company needs,” but most companies often overlook it or don’t take it seriously enough.
More often than not, a company’s greatest asset, liability, and opportunity for growth are its employees, so it’s important to establish a recruiting process that allows you to hire the right people every time.
1. Don’t focus on the Questions, focus on the Interview.
Too often, interviewers focus on the newsworthy questions that they think will help them understand everything they need to know about the candidate. However, there are no specific questions that will instantly give them insight into the candidate.
Instead, recruiters should focus on the interview process as a whole. Spend your time getting to know the candidate better by learning about their skills and gaining insight into their experience and personality. Asking questions related to your industry and the candidate’s skill set will be much more effective than a couple of weird questions.
2. Test the candidate’s skills
Unfortunately, some candidates lie on their resumes, so it is important that hiring managers check references and contact previous employers to evaluate the candidate’s stated skills and work experience.
For some hiring managers, looking at a candidate’s portfolio is enough to prove their skills. However, many companies test a candidate’s skills in the form of a test, written, oral or otherwise. A job evaluation test does not have to be difficult, but it should be challenging enough for the candidate to demonstrate their skill level.
3. Involve other relevant employees
One person should not handle the entire talent acquisition process on their own. Recruiters should involve other qualified employees throughout the interview process to get an accurate understanding of the skills a potential candidate can bring to the company and how their personality will fit with the rest of the team.
This should be the candidate’s future manager, department head, or even a team member who will work closely with them on a daily basis. Involving a recruiting expert in the hiring process can also be effective. These consultants can manage virtually the entire recruiting process, from candidate sourcing to interviews, streamlining the hiring process for internal HR teams.