Turkeys Should Be Roasted, Not Hired

HR’s Recipe for Hiring Success in 2020

By Tammy Henry

HR and everyone else involved in hiring may be diligent. Unfortunately, bad applicants can still squeeze through holes in the hiring process. 2020 poses special challenges to companies looking for the best talent to fill open positions.

How can you avoid the pitfalls that 2020 brings and hire the best, most qualified people for the job? Here’s a complete recipe for a productive, successful hiring program.

First, gather your ingredients:

Accurate job descriptions. If the ad doesn’t accurately depict the job, you’re not going to get the best candidates for it. Honestly audit the job’s tasks and responsibilities and lay them out thoroughly. In addition, include the personality type and skill set that would have the most success in the position.

A pre-planned process. You don’t throw a cake in the oven and bake it until you remember it again! Why would you do that with your hiring process? Set up a timeline for advertising, interviewing, and deciding who to hire and stick with it if possible.

Helpful technology. A key ingredient some companies overlook is technology. Automated calendars, mobile-friendly applications, Applicant Tracking Software (ATS), and text-reminders can be used to communicate with applicants effectively and reduce the time to hire.

Knowledgeable team members. Those involved in the hiring process must follow the rules and practices you set. Otherwise, you could end up dealing with unfair hiring practices that could get you sued. Train each person involved in hiring on your expectations and keep the process at the top of their minds with consistent follow up. Everyone should know and understand exactly what they should be doing at every stage.

A heaping helping of compliance. This is an invaluable ingredient and, if you lack it, the oversight can ruin the entire thing. Stay abreast of rules and regulations and train everyone involved in the hiring process. You should also be able to ask your vendors for help with this important step.

Mix. These ingredients help you secure your next one, which is…

A pool of rare talent. Unemployment is low so competition among companies is fierce for those highly-qualified A-players. Your recruiting process will determine how large and relevant the resumes and applications you receive end up being. Keep in mind that your competitors are probably interviewing the same batch of would-be employees, so the way you correspond and treat them during the interviewing process is going to impact whether you end up with them or they end up working for the competition.

Top it off with…

A solid candidate experience. Every job seeker expects to be treated considerately. Wasting someone’s time is negatively viewed by the interviewee and can harm your employer brand. Interviewers showing up late, taking calls or answering texts during the interviews, and not getting back to applicants promptly are all actions that show a lack of respect. If another company is wooing them, how your company treats the person versus how the competition treats them can be the deciding factor in which position they accept.

Tempting offers. The current hiring climate doesn’t bode well for organizations offering the bottom dollar. Chances are good your top candidates are talking to other companies who might be extending a better package. If you find a top-notch candidate, be ready to pay at or above market value. Also make them aware of every benefit working for your company offers. Flexible work schedules, ample PTO, strong medical and health benefits, and other non-traditional benefits may be the icing on the cake for the applicant you want to hire.

Thorough background checks. Even though you want to move swiftly so you land your first choice to fill the position, you still need to screen every would-be employee. Making an offer that hinges on the person’s background check is a smart best practice and allows you to make the offer without waiting. Your background screening partner is also crucial to the process. Use a reputable company that can show you documented turn times on the screening products you use. That way, you’re not stuck in limbo waiting days longer than necessary for information to be returned to you.

Finally, peek at your creation periodically. Leaving your hiring process as-is without review can create an outdated, ineffective policy that, over time, can hurt your organization. HR professionals should review and re-vamp the policy consistently to keep up with the ever-changing laws and EEOC guidance regarding hiring.

This recipe is sure to help you snag the A-players you need to reach your company’s goals and achieve your initiatives in 2020. By sticking with it, you’ll create a powerful hiring process that outshines your competition.