As the hiring market and landscape change, our hiring processes and ideology needs to change with it. Over the last two years, in particular, following up with applicants and staying engaged has become one of the most simple and least expensive ways to improve your odds of landing your next ideal employee. By looking at your hiring process from the applicant’s point of view, you can provide them with an experience that sets you apart from the other employers. Remember, your job isn’t the only one they’ve applied to and they are comparing you to other employers.
Our team stresses the importance of being competitive, offering appropriate compensation for the role in your market, and looking into flexible work options when it comes to attracting talent. But what about when you do have a competitive ad and receive some candidates? They still have to interview you. When we sit down with a prospective employee, it is truly a two-way street; the candidate is interviewing us just as we are interviewing them. This has never been more true than now in this world of low unemployment and remote work opportunities.
So how do we make the best impression possible on the candidate we want to interview? I will share a few tips that I use to staff our IdealTraits service team.
First, when you get a candidate with the resume and assessment results you are looking for, call them. Emails and texts are great, but I call each candidate that I will interview for a role on our service team as soon as possible after they apply. This personal touch can buy you time with your interview process as the candidate is vetting other offers and can help them imagine themselves in your office. Put yourself in their shoes: you, the owner of the business they applied to work for, called them personally to invite them to an interview. Most companies don’t show this kind of interest, which will help you stand out.
Once the interview is scheduled, I invite a current member of the service team to join. My team is 100% remote, so this takes place via a Zoom meeting. I will host the beginning of the interview with the candidate alone and ask them my questions. Then, I will bring on “their future teammate” and encourage them to ask that teammate questions of their own. A teammate that will speak freely in front of their leader is a sign of great culture to a prospective employee.
Post-interview, I stay continuously engaged, even if I have more folks to interview. It can be a bit more work, but having a bench of warm candidates when making a final decision is a great spot to be in, particularly in the current hiring market. If I spoke to a candidate that’s in the running, I will call them within 2 days of the interview to offer a position or let them know they are in the running. If I need more time to choose, I will email each remaining prospect every 2-to 3 days to let them know we are still interviewing, and always invite them to call me directly with any questions.
Making a few simple changes to your hiring process can increase your odds of getting in front of that right candidate. If you see a resume and think it’s a good fit, others are looking at it too. Act fast and often, to attract your next ideal hire.