- Start With Your Website
- Review Your Job Ad
- Build a Talent Pipeline By Sourcing Your Candidates
- Enhance Your Candidate Experience With an Applicant Tracking Software
The hiring process is not an easy task. Not only is it time-consuming, but companies sometimes invest a lot of money during this process. This is why it needs to have structure. There is no perfect way to find the most qualified candidate to fill a position within your company; luckily, there are some tips and tricks that will help you streamline that process, make your job easier and more efficient, and even save you money in the long run!
START WITH YOUR WEBSITE
When applicants are looking for jobs, they usually tend to research the company before applying. Make sure that your website is mobile friendly. Nowadays, searching for jobs has become an easy task that people can do literally anytime and anywhere. Companies such as ZipRecruiter, Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor all have mobile apps that allow people to search for and apply for jobs on the go. Because of this, you need to make sure that your website is optimized for mobile use. Not only that, you should also make sure that your website is attractive and that it showcases your company culture. Speaking of company culture, did you know that 49% of companies with great cultures get a greater number of qualified candidates? How is your company culture? Are employees happy to be working at your company? Are they engaged and productive? It is a good idea to take a look at your company culture and measure employee engagement annually to see how things are going. Now that you are sure that your website looks good and is mobile friendly, it’s time to look at that job posting!
REVIEW YOUR JOB AD
This is the first interaction potential candidates will have with your brand. Remember, first impressions matter. Effective job descriptions are engaging, descriptive, and to the point.
- Job Title: When writing a job title, make sure that it states exactly what the position is. Using vague words such as “rockstar”, “genius”, “ninja” and so on, does not tell the applicant what the job role is. If you are hiring a Marketing Specialist, make sure you name the job post as such. Another example of a bad job posting title is including the phrase “great opportunity for recent graduates!”. This is proven to be a clickbait tactic and you will end up with hundreds of useless applications.
- Job Role: When listing job duties, make sure you are specific about what the potential hire will be doing. In other words, help candidates visualize what a typical day at work would be like. Include specific projects they will work on, the software they will be using on a daily basis, and other tasks such as monitoring social media accounts or measuring ROI, etc. Before posting the job ad, be sure that you and the potential manager are on the same page to avoid confusion later on.
- Company Culture: This is where you promote your company. Why should people apply for a position at your company? What makes your company stand out from the others? This is an opportunity to brag and sell your brand. Mention all the perks that come with working there such as free snacks, unlimited PTO, nap pods, health insurance, or whatever else your company offers to employees.
BUILD A TALENT PIPELINE BY SOURCING YOUR CANDIDATES
A good way to source your candidates is by looking back at your past applicants. Thanks to technology, it is easier than ever to take a look back at people who have applied to your company in the past without having to go to that dark storage closet in your office and search for paper files and old resumes. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help employers save time and paper and they help them stay organized. An ATS makes it easy for employers to keep tabs on the hiring process and communicate with applicants directly. Because all the information is stored in the cloud, you can access that information at any time. An ATS allows you to have records of all applicants and pull reports with filters such as applicants, reviewed, candidates and rejected. This makes it easy to source all your applicants and have all their information stored in one place that is easy to find.
Another way to source your candidates is by tapping into your employees’ networks. If one of your top employees recommends somebody for the position, chances are that potential hire would be a good fit since the alternative would reflect poorly on the person who recommended them. Consider starting an employee referral program where your existing employee will get a bonus after so many months of their referred employee staying with the company and performing well. Another option for utilizing employee networks is to send employees to networking events such as trade shows or career fairs. Having them gather some brief info and impressions of the people they come across is an excellent way to add to your pool of candidates.
By sourcing candidates and having a talent pipeline before posting the job ad online, you have enough time to engage with prospects, making the hiring process a little bit faster.
ENHANCE YOUR CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE WITH AN APPLICANT TRACKING SOFTWARE
Not only are applicant tracking systems helpful for employers, they can also streamline and enhance your applicants’ experience. Every interaction with candidates shapes their impression of your company, so you need to be sure to communicate with them and offer them a positive candidate experience. Candidates want to be updated throughout their hiring process to see where they stand. This is where an applicant tracking software comes in to play. An ATS usually has built-in templates that can help facilitate your communication with all of your applicants. Be sure to send an automated email to all applicants, not just the ones you wish to interview. It is a good practice to send rejection emails to candidates who are not qualified for the position because, again, it creates a positive candidate experience for all involved.
An applicant tracking software offers you some great insights into your hiring process overall. Through this platform you’ll see the following information in concise, easy-to-read reports:
- Average Days to Hire: Keep track of the average time that elapses from posting date to hire date over the last 12 months for each job opening. This will help you determine if your process, from start to finish, is too slow and needs to be refined in order to speed up productivity.
- Turnover Rate: Being able to assess your turnover rate will allow you to monitor how many employees are leaving over a set period of time. Your ATS will provide a percentage that you can track over each month so you’ll always know if your retention program is effective or whether you need to focus on keeping your current employees happy enough not to leave.
- Rejection Reasons: You’ll have a selection of categories to filter your rejected applicants into, such as Under Qualified, Insufficient Experience, etc. By looking for trends in this data, you’ll be able to clarify in your job descriptions what the requirements are set for the position, thus limiting the number of unnecessary applications you (or your ATS) need to sift through.
Improving your company’s hiring process is an ongoing process that takes time and planning. Hopefully, these four tips will help add structure and streamline your hiring process! If you are interested in seeing how an Applicant Tracking System can benefit your company, request a free and personalized demo now!
