If you uncover a strong candidate for an open role, odds are your competitors have their eyes on that person, as well. Skilled technical and engineering talent is in high demand and throughout the hiring process, candidates are evaluating you, just as you are evaluating them. They will compare their experience with potential employers, and they will be drawn to the companies that treat them well, respect their time and provide clarity and transparency. If you’re losing candidates to other offers, it might be time to examine your hiring process.
The Name of the Game Is Respect
Top candidates likely have one thing in common: they are currently employed. That means they must take time away from their jobs to participate in interviews. It is not uncommon for hiring managers to leave candidates waiting long after the start of the interview time, or to ask them to come back in for several call-backs because a member of the management team couldn’t make time for an interview.
Blowing off candidates is never a good idea. Nothing says, “we don’t value you” like rescheduling interviews or forcing them to take extra time away from work. The same holds true for slow communications. Acknowledge receipt of documents in a timely fashion and call when you say you will. Failing to respond sends the message you aren’t really interested in what the candidate has to offer.
Competitive Salary and Benefits Packages Matter
Even if you move through the interview process in a timely fashion and commit to responsiveness, you’ll always lose top talent if you can’t or don’t offer competitive salary and benefits packages. Top talent will know the market and their value. While salary isn’t everything, they won’t want to accept a lowball offer. You don’t have to offer the top salaries in every bracket, but you must be competitive if you want candidates to seriously entertain your offers.
A Poor Hiring Process Has a Ripple Effect
Every employer should understand that candidates will rate their experience with potential employers on sites like Glassdoor. Job seekers consult these websites to get a feel for what they can expect during the hiring process, and bad reviews can negatively impact your ability to recruit.
A poor hiring process also impacts turnover. If you can’t attract great people, your open positions will go unfilled, putting additional strain on your existing team. If employees are constantly forced to take on more work because the company can’t recruit efficiently and effectively, you will lose the talent you have, creating a vicious cycle that can be difficult to correct.
Do You Need to Overhaul Your Hiring Process?
Identifying problems in your hiring process and taking steps to correct them can be a long and arduous process. Meanwhile, critical positions still go unfilled. If you are looking for a fast and effective way to develop better processes, Selectek can help. Contact us today to learn more about our track record and to discover how we can help you achieve your recruiting goals.