Joshua Siler is CEO of HiringThinga modern hiring PaaS that enables seamless recruiting with integrated applicant tracking.
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Recruitment has always been challenging and organizations often use recruiting software to automate, streamline and amplify their strategy. Gartner research shows that 90% of organizations invest in HR technology to solve people-driven challenges. In 2021, HR technology spending grew 57%, with a strong focus on recruitment and retention.
As of April 2022, 47% of organizations have positions they can’t fill, and 93% of HR professionals say they have “few or no qualified candidates.” While I certainly sympathize, I challenge these professionals to see if rethinking their approach can help. How do they define qualified? Must a candidate have the required three to five years of experience? Shouldn’t a candidate with an unorthodox background who is highly adaptable, innovative and has a growth mindset also be considered qualified?
Hiring software can transform your hiring, but it can’t work miracles
As the CEO of a company that develops recruiting software, I’m often asked about best practices that will drive applicant throughput. I always say to remember that while software can change recruiting, people set the parameters used to screen and sort candidates. People determine how many steps the interview process takes. People create a corporate culture.
Hiring technology may change the way you hire, but it needs a solid foundation. Investing in recruiting software without re-evaluating your recruiting strategy is out of the question. By questioning how you’ve done things and rethinking how you’ll do things in the future, smart organizations can work with hiring technology to evolve how they find talent and increase their application flow.
Below, I answer 10 questions to help you re-evaluate your recruiting strategy before you consider investing in the hiring technology that can help you take your business to the next level.
Ten questions to ask when re-evaluating your recruiting strategy
1. Do you have a strong employer brand?
Employer branding is your reputation as a workplace. According to Glassdoor, 75% of active job seekers are likely to apply for positions with an organization with strong employer branding. You can start building an employer brand by approaching recruiting with the mindset of a marketer. Who is your ideal applicant, what appeals to them and what channels and resources can you use to show that appeal?
2. What parameters do you use to screen candidates?
The Harvard Business Review found that nearly half of the organizations they surveyed chose to have their recruiting tech screened for candidates with labor shortages of six months or more, helping working mothers, immigrants, carers, military spouses, and anyone taking a break for a variety of jobs. very valid reasons. This is not the way to build a diverse and quality workforce.
Do you have college education requirements for positions that don’t require a degree? Is it necessary for your rollers to “be able to carry up to 25 pounds?” Evaluate your candidate’s requirements and decide if what you’ve set up is essential or arbitrary.
3. Is your language inclusive?
Is the language you use inclusive or exclusive? If candidates don’t feel welcome, they move on quickly. Inclusive phrasebooks can be found here and here.
4. Do you apply salary transparency?
Findings from Gallup show that money is the number one motivator in deciding whether or not someone will apply, with 64% of employees citing salary as “a critical factor in taking on a new job”. In the past, candidates were discouraged from asking for pay until they accepted an offer, but things have changed. Companies that don’t work on salary transparency risk missing out on qualified candidates.
5. How many steps does your recruitment process consist of?
According to SHRM, research shows that 92% of people stop completing a job application when they encounter obstacles in the online process. The old thinking was that applicants who jump through hoops would knock out those who didn’t want the job, but today’s applicants have more choices than ever. Remember that an application represents what it is like to work for your organization. People want to be able to do their work properly and efficiently. They don’t want to jump through hoops.
6. Do you do culture adjustments or culture additions?
Culture-fit interviews had a moment. They may have been well-intentioned, but kept companies homogeneous, which today’s job seekers don’t want. Instead of using a culture fit to see if a candidate is a good fit for your organization, reformulate the culture fit as a culture addition. How can a candidate strengthen your organization?
7. Do you use a strengths-based approach to interviews?
Strength-based interviews focus on what candidates can do, not their shortcomings. For example, instead of focusing on a gap in a candidate’s resume, ask them to list their top five soft skills and explain how they will make a great addition to your team.
8. How much do you rely on networking?
At my company, we rely heavily on referrals. I believe that good people know good people. However, relying too much on networking can limit the kind of employees you hire. People often network with individuals in similar roles from similar backgrounds, which can result in a very homogeneous referral cycle. Make sure you reach beyond the network of people who are similar to the people they know.
9. How important is diversity to your organization?
According to Glassdoor findings, 76% of job seekers want to work for an organization that values diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI). Yet data shows that 76% of organizations have no DEI goals. If your organization doesn’t have meaningful DEI goals, it’s time to invest some resources to remedy this oversight.
10. Are you an organization in which the employees are central?
Job seekers have never had so much choice as they do now. Are you the kind of organization people want to work for? Do you pay employees what you should? Do you have tangible benefits? Learning and development initiatives? Do you offer the remote or hybrid work options that today’s job seekers crave? What about flexible scheduling? If you’re not a great place to work, no tech will keep employees with you longer than they want to.
Once you’ve properly re-evaluated your current recruiting process, you can begin to consider investing in recruiting technology.
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