Do any of these 5 pitfalls sound familiar? Need help optimising your recruitment process?
- Too many interview steps
- The recruitment process takes too long
- Hiring requirements are unclear
- Not selling to the candidates
- Onerous technical tests that put people off
Then book a call with us today. We’re here to help.
Hiring and retaining top IT talent in Ireland is a challenge. The country is home to a thriving tech sector, and there is a high demand for skilled IT workers. This means that companies need to be competitive in their recruitment practices to hire A-player talent.
One way to do this is to avoid “The 5 Most Common Recruitment Pitfalls”. Do any of the below look familiar? Fixing your recruitment process is a fast, cost-effective way to get better results.
Here are the five most common recruitment pitfalls and how to solve them:
1. Too many interview steps
A long and drawn-out interview process can put off top candidates. They may have other job offers on the table, and they may not be willing to invest a lot of time and effort in a process that seems to be endlessly dragging on.
Solution: Reduce the number of interview steps to a minimum. Aim for two or three interviews at most. If it is essential to do more, combine multiple steps together where possible.
2. The recruitment process takes too long to execute
A slow recruitment process can frustrate candidates, result in them losing interest, and lead them to accept other job offers. It can also negatively impact the candidate’s experience and perception of your company. Everyone loves a fast, well-organised process.
Solution: Set clear timelines for each stage of the recruitment process and stick to them. Give candidates prompt feedback and set their expectations on timelines correctly.
3. Hiring requirements are unclear
If your job descriptions are vague or unclear, it will be difficult to attract the right candidates, and you will attract the wrong candidates. It will also result in your recruitment team wasting time searching for the wrong profiles.
Solution: Create clear and concise job descriptions that accurately reflect the role. Clearly distinguish between essential and “nice to have” requirements. You may also want to include a section on the company culture and the benefits of working for your company.
4. Not selling to the candidates
The interview process is a two-way street. While you are interviewing the candidates, they are also interviewing you. It is important to sell the candidates on the job opportunity and your company. A-Player candidates have options – many companies want to hire them. If you can’t get them excited about the opportunity, they will not join your company.
Solution: Make it sound exciting! Spend time during the interview highlighting the benefits of working for your company and of the specific role. Be prepared to answer questions about the company culture, the team, and the career development opportunities.
5. Onerous technical tests that put people off
Technical tests can be a useful way to assess a candidate’s skills, but they can become a barrier to successfully building your team.
If they are too time-consuming or too onerous, you risk putting off qualified candidates. This is particularly common early in the process, especially if the technical test is your first step.
This may seem counterintuitive, but you are often ruling out the best-qualified candidates. A-Player candidates can afford to be selective – many companies want to hire them. They can choose to invest their time and energy in other interview processes, while you are left with candidates who are struggling to get hired elsewhere.
Solution: Make sure your technical tests are relevant to the role and are not too difficult. You may want to give candidates the option to complete the test at home or during the interview.