Hiring Better and Faster: How to Streamline Your Recruitment Processes

With more vacancies in the market than ever before, candidates are very much in the driver’s seat. So if you don’t snap up top talent straight away, someone else will.

One of the most effective ways to win the war for talent is by streamlining your recruitment processes. But don’t think this means you have to abandon your hiring standards. Here’s how you can secure qualified candidates before your competitors have a chance to step in…

Be sure of what you want

The second you post the job advert, the race is on. Start by making sure the description details precisely what you’re looking for in a new hire, like knowledge, skills, qualifications, and previous experience.

You should also include how your recruitment processes work, so applicants know exactly what to expect. Will there be one interview or several? Will they need to complete a task? Be clear with your timelines and stick to them. Here at Cast UK, we use project plans to facilitate this, supporting you at every stage.

Use video interviewing

Previously, remote interviewing was unpopular with both clients and candidates – but it’s now widely accepted as the norm, and candidates can actually be much more engaged. They’re no longer required to travel up and down the country to meet hiring managers. Now, they just open up their laptop and log on to Zoom.

From an internal perspective, video interviews are much easier to record and keep on file for stakeholders to watch in their own time. Plus, by shifting away from having all decision-makers present, the candidate needn’t feel overwhelmed by a large interview panel.

Predict the counter offer

Where there’s a job offer, there’s often a counter offer, which is something we wrote a dedicated blog on. Get ahead of the game by advising the candidate that their current employer may offer them more money. If it turns out they’re only looking for a higher salary offer so they can negotiate more pay from their current employer, there’s no need to spend valuable time completing the recruitment process with them.

Employers may also use other persuasive benefits like hybrid working and personal development resources. What can you offer candidates instead? By taking the time to get to know how they prefer to work and where they’d like to progress, you’re demonstrating a sincere interest in the applicant. This is also an opportunity to promote your EVP – the candidate can then think seriously about what they want from their next career move.

Know the basics for cutting down the time to hire

Let’s not forget the basics behind swift and efficient recruitment processes. The job description should provide an introduction that gives people a sense of your values and why they should work for you; indicate the level of the position, and highlight any additional benefits. It should also include a salary which is representative of the duties and responsibilities of the position.

We recommend organising two-phase interviews in advance to screen candidates more effectively. Book the initial interviews first, then, once you’ve had a chance to vet everyone, you can narrow down your selection for the second phase. Make sure the relevant people are available for each stage too.

Finally – don’t go to the effort of refining your recruitment processes only to present your candidate with a low-ball offer. There’s a difference between leaving room for negotiation and undervaluing an applicant’s skills or experience.

Ready to refine your recruitment processes?

By making all of these measures an integral part of your hiring approach, you’ll avoid an unnecessarily drawn-out process, and keep candidates engaged at every stage. And the more precise your recruitment processes are, the more qualified your candidates will be.

To further enhance your competitive edge, we’ve compiled a guide: 7 Ways to Win the War for Talent covering everything from expediting the hiring pace to perfecting the post-recruitment process.