Reduce Time to Hire without Compromising on Quality

On average, it can take companies up to 41 days to fill an open position and the average cost per hire is $4,425.

Reducing the time to hire–by any amount–is a critical goal for any business. For most organizations, though, it’s a difficult task. The balance between meeting your hiring needs and ensuring you’re bringing on top talent causes a lot of companies to sacrifice quality when hiring.

To keep your organization from making the same sacrifice, we included a few tips–so you can find the best candidates to suit your organization and do it as quickly as possible.

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Start with your employer brand

Your company's employer brand affects whether job seekers choose to work at your organization over others. It’s more than your logo and brand colors–it’s how people perceive your company based on your culture, mission and business objectives.

The image your company puts out matters to job seekers. Candidates today are passionate about working with brands that share their similar values. They want to align themselves with the best organizations–and businesses with great employer brands receive 50% more qualified applicants.

What image is your company putting out? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when job seekers think about your organization?

Everything you do reflects your company’s culture. So be transparent and clear about who you are and the causes you stand for.

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Assess your current process

Your process shouldn’t include long wait times and unnecessary steps. If it does, it can lead to an increased hiring cost and result in candidate drop-off. Using tools to collaborate and move candidates faster through the process will greatly increase your close rate and improve the candidate experience.
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Here are a few checkpoints to ensure your process is top-notch:

• Ensure your team is not asking the same questions throughout the hiring process. Asking the same questions will cause one of two things to happen: your candidates will get frustrated because of constantly repeating themselves or they’ll get good at answering your questions–and know exactly how to present the right answer.
  
  

• Shorten the process. At Screenloop, we have clients that utilize a 2 stage process. This allows them to manage the quality of their hires and keep retention rates high.
  
  

• Reduce time delays between stages. Sometimes, this comes down to a lack of interviewer availability. Ensure you have enough team members trained on hiring and a pipeline of new hiring managers in the wings.

Use targeted job postings to attract the best candidates

For many candidates, the job posting they see is their first introduction to your company. Make it clear and concise–displaying your brand image and also laying out the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Creating a detailed job posting is your first step at weeding out the good candidates from ones who aren’t the right fit for your company. Go further than a simple description that outlines the details of the job. Use your job posting to give candidates a glimpse of what it’s like to work for your company.

Before you write it out, think of all the information potential candidates need to know about your organization. Then add in a few extra details to help sway job seekers (like information regarding perks or incentives you’re offering).

Next, outline the duties of the position. Make this section clear so candidates know exactly what your organization expects from them. Leave no room for misunderstanding. Clear job postings not only help recruiters, but they also benefit job seekers–helping them spot the positions they’re the best qualified for right away.

Check candidate skills by aligning interviews with job requirements

After you evaluate all the candidates, schedule interviews with the ones who show the most promise. Determine in advance how many interviews you need to conduct–and who from your organization needs to be present during the interview.

Ask candidates open-ended questions to help determine what kind of employees they were in previous positions–and to give you insight into how they will respond under pressure.

To start, ask both behavioral and situational questions to get a glimpse into how they react to stressful situations. Here are a few examples:

• Tell me about a time when you had trouble on the job.

• Talk about any instance when you made a mistake and how you rectified the situation.

• Give an example of a time when you solved a problem on the job.

The answers to these questions will reveal if the candidates have what it takes to succeed with your company. They also help your organization eliminate bias and ensure fairness in the hiring process.

By asking the same set of questions to every candidate you’re considering, you'll find it much easier to evaluate them side by side. Other questions you want to ask will vary depending on your industry, but here are some general interview questions:

1. Do you have any specific job skills or experience that may be beneficial to us?

2. How would you describe yourself and what makes you stand out from other applicants?

3. What is your availability/schedule like? (note: if they can't make an interview, they probably won't show up for the job)

4. Is there anything else we should know about you as a candidate?

It's important to understand that job seekers are assessing your organization for fit just as much as you’re assessing them. They want to understand your expectations so they can add value to your organization. Be open and honest with them, willing to answer any questions they have.

Improve your entire candidate experience

So, what can you do to reduce the time to hire without sacrificing quality? The answer is simple—by considering your employer brand and the image you’re putting out, creating detailed job postings, interviewing the best candidates, and onboarding your new hires efficiently.

We’ve put together a handy guide that will walk you through each of these steps in detail. Download it now and get started on hiring the best talent for your business.

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