There must be an unwritten rule somewhere—when a hiring executive is absolutely swamped with other priorities, a job opens up that must be filled immediately, or a new position is created in a rush. To avoid these all-too-common time traps, here are some hints for making your company’s hiring process more efficient:
- Learn to respond to perceived needs more quickly. Most hiring decision- makers take from 6 to 9 months from the time they identify a potential need to the time they actually open up a position to fill that need. It’s a better strategy to be proactive—when you first identify the need, start getting the word out to your network that a new position will be coming up. Get the wheels turning earlier to avoid the panic stage, which often results in making a bad hiring decision.
- Build a network of prospective job candidates. Surely there are people in your realm of influence now that might be perfect fits for future positions. It’s just that, at the moment, those top-tier candidates may be working somewhere else. It can take some time to build the rapport that you’ll need to get them to consider working for your company. Begin nurturing these relationships well before the need arises.
- Streamline your hiring process. Some companies have complex hiring cycles that are impacted by EEOC regulations and other requirements. It is important that you have a system in place that follows the rules but minimizes your effort. If you are the CEO of the company, for instance, your job is to make the final hiring decision—not to place the job advertisements and sift through hundreds of resumes. Delegate and prioritize within your system for best results.
- Have quality benchmarks in place for candidates. Script out a list of traits and skills you will require job candidates to have before you hire, over and above the standard job description. The decision to add a key player in your organization is extremely important to the success of your company and ultimately, to the quality of your life.