Check out our interview with Sharlyn on WorkHuman Radio in the link above.
The Washington Post article “2018’s challenge: Too many jobs, not enough workers” sums up what many organizations are feeling right now – not enough qualified candidates. Competition for talent is fierce and, as such, organizations are looking for new ways to step up their game.
But finding and hiring the best talent doesn’t have to involve complex algorithms and fancy marketing campaigns. In fact, organizations that want to impress applicants and candidates these days should consider taking a bit of an ‘old school’ approach and add some ‘human’ into the hiring process. Here are five ways it can be done.
Talk up employee success stories. Use your career portal, applicant tracking system, and social media marketing to share employee testimonials. You can include quotes from employees as well as short video vignettes about what it’s like to work at your organization.
Plan interview logistics. As you’re starting to set up interviews with employees, think about the best place to conduct them. The goal of an interview is to have a good conversation about the company, the job opening, and a candidate’s qualifications. Make the interview location comfortable to encourage a good discussion.
Adopt a ‘no surprises’ approach. At some point in the process, there has to be a conversation about salary, benefits, and perks. No one wants to be surprised. HR and hiring managers should talk about when to start discussing these issues with candidates so they can ensure everyone is on the same page.
Add pre-boarding. Once the candidate accepts your job offer, start finding ways to welcome them to the organization. A welcome video from the CEO, notes from co-workers, and the introduction to a buddy can make a new hire’s first day and week an easier experience.
None of these activities are expensive or time-consuming. They are focused on the candidate and new hire. As recruiting continues to be a challenge, organizations will be looking for ways to stand out in a crowded job market. The best way to do it is by focusing on the candidate and bringing some human into the process.
P.S. If you’re looking for more activities and strategies to humanize your recruiting process, I hope you’ll check out my new book, “The Recruiter’s Handbook: A Complete Guide for Sourcing, Selecting, and Engaging the Best Talent.” It includes tips and strategies from more than 50 talent acquisition professionals on how to win the war for talent.
Sharlyn Lauby is author of HR Bartender blog and president at ITM Group, Inc.
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