Hiring new talent is a key function of Human Resources, so the time it takes to find a suitable candidate for an open position is an important performance parameter for the HR team. Keeping the time-to-hire short is important to control recruiting costs and keep the organization running smoothly. It also ensures that you can snap up talented candidates before your competition. And closing vacancies quickly does wonders for the company’s reputation in the job market. Here are five strategies that HR managers can use to bring down hiring time almost overnight.
1) Set Up a Structured Hiring Process
Define a candidate’s typical journey from application to start date. Next, chart it out and make it a visible process that the whole HR team can understand and follow. The idea is to create an error-proof hiring process that is repeatable for all candidates regardless of the position you’re trying to fill. Establishing a streamlined hiring process will help you save precious time because your team will be clear about the next step that needs to be taken at every stage. It also provides measurable and tangible results from screening processes so you can avoid bad hires.
2) Automate the Hiring Process
Many steps in the recruitment process—such as sourcing resumes, screening, and replying to applications—can be automated for better efficiency. A lot of companies are employing Applicant Tracking Systems that automate the process of receiving an application, screening the applicant, and sending a system-generated acknowledgment e-mail to the candidate, among other functions. You can drastically reduce your time-to-hire by using automation.
3) Build a Strong Talent Pipeline
Scouting for talent can be a time-consuming process, so experienced HR Managers keep a rich pool of talented candidates in the pipeline at all times. Keeping a bank of worthy candidates who can be initiated into the hiring process as soon as a position opens can greatly reduce the time and resources required to fill open positions with qualified candidates.
4) Source Candidates Intelligently
Even though you may be receiving a lot of applications for open positions, if the quality of the candidates is not up to your standards, you may end up wasting precious time sifting through piles of useless resumés. To make this process more efficient, HR managers must identify the sources that provide the best-suited candidates most often. Hiring based on personality can play an important role, where you’re more likely to find quality candidates long term. Likewise, if you have a source that is consistently providing unsuitable candidates, it should be eliminated.
5) Use a Data-Oriented Approach
Measuring your time-to-hire accurately can provide a lot of data-driven insights. Quantify the parameters like time taken to fill a role, time needed for candidates to move between the different stages of the recruitment process, industry standards for similar roles, etc. This will help you identify bottlenecks in the hiring process. Also, consider the benefits of hiring based on personality
Time-to-hire is a critical parameter that affects not just the HR team but the organization as a whole. If you focus on the five strategies above, you are sure to streamline the hiring process and quickly find highly qualified candidates for the open positions in your organization.
Guest Author Bio: Kelly Barcelos
Kelly Barcelos is a content-marketing manager for Jobsoid and specializes in HR. When Kelly is not building marketing campaigns, she is busy creating content to help people make better hires. She shares tips, industry insights, and innovations to help a wide audience in their hiring efforts. As a working mom of three, she knows the importance of time management and counts on her multitasking ability to get her through her to-do lists.
CMOE guest authors are carefully selected industry experts, researchers, writers, and editors with extensive experience and a deep passion for leadership development, human capital performance, and other specialty areas. Each guest author is uniquely selected for the topic or skills areas they are focused on. All posts are peer-reviewed by CMOE.
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