If you own a business with employees, you will surely undergo a varying degree of employee turnover. Once an employee departs, the hiring process begins! Some employers feel like they interview hundreds of candidates before one actually fills the position. What are some ways to simplify the overwhelming interview process?
When the hiring process exhausts valuable resources like staff and funding, it is time to simplify the process! Travelers Insurance published an informative article “How to Attract the Right Job Candidates” to help give insight as to how some companies lessen the stress of the hiring process. This blog will summarize the recommended hiring process that will benefit the employer, employee, and company budget (for more detail, read the full article published by Travelers).
Create a Written Process
The hiring process can become worrisome to both the employer and employees. As the company advertises the position and attempts to attract applicants, the applications will come flooding in. However, the ease of internet applications and quantity of eager applicants creates a dilemma where many applicants are not qualified, over qualified, or not even truly interested in the position. Instead of reacting desperately to staffing needs and posting a job listing in every possible realm, it is important to have a written, step by step hiring process that will organize time and energy to attract only the most qualified applicants and reduce wasted time and energy on dead-end interviews.
Is Manpower is Needed?
Creating a hiring process is a long-term time saver that every employer should invest into his company. A written process is the first step in easing the worried minds of employees and attracting prospective candidates. Although it will be customized to fit unique corporate needs, the process might begin with a review of the current staffing needs to determine if a new hire is appropriate. Once that decision has been made, the process can move to phase two. Phase two begins the search for that new employee!
Flooded Market Advertising
There are many approaches to find a qualified employee. The most common method to attract an employee is to flood the job market with your advertisement. The goal of this method is to attract anyone who may be interested in a position and later determine whether they are qualified for it or not. This process often involves the use of online hiring databases, newspaper columns, bulletin boards, and other public forums such as LinkedIn or Facebook. After receiving an overwhelming number of responses, the employer must weed through the masses to find the few applicants that are truly qualified and able to perform the job. This process is very time consuming but greatly increases the chances of having at least one qualified applicant apply.
Narrow List Advertising
A second method to finding an applicant involves a more picky approach. Although the initial time investment is more than the flooded market method, the return is often much greater. Although it may seem odd, the goal of this process is to limit the number of responses! One may think this approach is crazy and counterproductive, however, by only targeting the very specific type of applicant that one would hire, they narrow the playing field and eliminate the need for excessive time and energy to divide the qualified and the not. This method is slowly gaining popularity as common job websites allow applicants to apply for any job with the simple click of a button! The applicants don’t even need to read the description before submitting an application. This narrowed process makes an applicant work a little bit harder to apply, but ensures the employer that those who are applying truly want to be considered for the job.
How to Narrow the List
One way to improve the quality of applicants is to be more specific about the job description and requirements. When possible, specify the location, travel expectations, time commitment, goals, tasks, and special equipment that are necessary to succeed in the position. If certifications, licenses, or other education is required or recommended, be sure to tell the applicant ahead of time, unless the company will provide the training and licensing. A detailed job posting will deter many applicants who aren’t qualified.
Another way to narrow down applicants is to specify the physical requirements, hazardous materials, climate exposures, and equipment associated with the position. An applicant may shy away from a job that is labor intensive, performed outdoors, in a car, or in constricted spaces. Specifying environmental restrictions, along with the actual labor requirements, will help applicants to consider a job advertisement more thoughtfully before applying.
The Benefits
Identifying job requirements will help prospective employees to identify job related risks and determine whether they could be an appropriate fit for a position. Once the job listing has been posted and qualified candidates have applied, the interviewing and hiring process can continue without so much unnecessary sorting and interviewing! The initial investment in creating a hiring process will pay off over many years as staffing needs change and the company evolves.
Resource:
“How to Attract the Right Job Candidates.” The Travelers Indemnity Company. Web. 12 Apr. 2016. <https://www.travelers.com/resources/workplace-safety/how-to-attract-the-right-job-candidates.aspx>.