Optimal performance during this process reflects very positively on the organization, as this is where first and lasting impressions are made among all parties involved. Thus, structure, formality, and the positive alignment of all decision-makers are highly important factors for on-boarding the very best candidates. If this alignment is not present during the process, then clearly the candidate will sense this and might have hesitancy or doubts as to whether this is the “dream” career that he or she is seeking.
In Part 1 of this posting, I discussed how hiring managers who excel in attracting and landing top talent are always on the lookout for the ideal person who can step into one of their key roles regardless of whether there’s currently an opening.
These hiring leaders are always working on their shortlist and are continually updating it.
The second main point regarding hiring managers who land top talent is that they treat the hiring process as a high-priority project. They either take ownership of the project themselves or they delegate ownership to a proven leader on their team whom they know will commit to the process and deliver in a timely manner. This leader will thrive on the knowledge that he or she is being evaluated on the success of the hiring project.
It would be great to hear about readers’ experiences accepting a position with an organization partially due to their positive impressions during the interview process. On the flip side, has there ever been a position that initially seemed very attractive, but the interview process caused enough concern to keep someone from joining the organization?
A solid, well-planned hiring process is something that top managers employ to create the highest likelihood of actually hiring the people they’ve targeted and put on their shortlists. Much of the work in creating a solid process begins before the first interview takes place. It’s critical to have commitment among all parties regarding timelines, clearly defined qualifications and requirements for candidate background and skill level, and consensus on realistic expectations.
Like most projects that don’t have a plan in place, timelines get missed and details are overlooked. When it comes to hiring, a process that’s longer than it needs to be leads to good candidates being lost to more efficient competition or diminishing candidate interest. When small details are overlooked, good candidates are lost due to communication of inconsistent or incomplete information; the wrong people are hired because the right questions aren’t asked by those involved in the process.
Here’s a list of tasks that need to be completed during a successful hiring process:
- Identify a pool of viable candidates (this should be done before the position is available, Part 1) by utilizing a variety of resources.
- Educate potential candidates about the organization, department, and position’s responsibilities.
- Evaluate candidates on their skills and experience.
- Evaluate candidates on their personality and cultural fit.
- Evaluate candidates on their deliverability (this is the likelihood of accepting an offer should one be extended). This is an important yet often overlooked part of the hiring process that leads to significant lost time.
- Present selling points to the candidate on the opportunity.
- Execute a solid offer and acceptance.
- Create a smooth transition and on-boarding process for the candidate. (Just because the offer has been accepted doesn’t mean the process is over.)
Each of the bullet points above amounts to a science in and of itself! Stay tuned as we explore each of them in future posts.
You may also like: Are You Hiring Talent or Filling a Job Openging? Part I
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