Two weeks notice. Since the 1940s and 50s, two weeks has been the standard amount of time an employee should give their employer to hire a replacement. Meant to be a transition or hand-off period, those two weeks are supposed to ease the transition from one employee to the next. While it is not required, it is a common courtesy and is common practice.
Is it really feasible to find the right candidate in just two weeks, though? For some positions, it is possible. However, leadership positions and those requiring niche skills can take much longer to fill. Hiring for these key positions may take months rather than weeks, leaving you with a gaping hole in your organization.
While following proven recruiting practices to find the best candidate is vital, strategic changes to the process can decrease hiring time without undermining the quality of hire.
1. Evaluate Your Process
Identifying ways to reduce the time to hire for positions in your organization, begins with taking an in-depth look at your recruiting process. As you evaluate each step, ask the following questions:
- What does this step accomplish?
- How much time does it add to the recruiting process?
- Do applicants remove themselves when they reach this step because it is slow or frustrating?
- Are there any bottlenecks in the hiring process?
- Where do we gain the most useful information?
Return on investment is key when it comes to recruiting efficiently and effectively. Determine which steps give you the biggest return on your time investment. If a step is not particularly informative or takes too long, consider whether you can remove it altogether or if there is a more efficient way to gain the same insight.
2. Choose to Automate
Part of the goal in recruiting is to determine whether your company is a good fit for the candidate and vice versa. In recruiting, face-to-face interaction is essential. However, not every step needs human involvement. Consider what routine tasks you can automate. Some common tasks that lend themselves to automation include:
- Scheduling appointments and interviews
- Skills testing
- Resume screening
- Background checks
- Onboarding tasks
Automating these tasks ensures they are completed in a timely manner and frees up time for more important tasks, such as interviews.
3. Improve Job Descriptions
There is an art to crafting a job description that encourages experienced individuals to apply without discouraging up-and-coming talent. A well-written job description helps you get the right applications on your desk and saves you time weeding through the resumes of under and overqualified individuals.
What does a well-written description include?
Detail (But not too much). A laundry list of the experience, skills, and educational requirements you would like to see will inevitably discourage some candidates from applying. If this is a position you would consider giving to a rising star in the industry, don’t make your list of requirements too exclusive.
Start with the basics. What is non-negotiable? These are the core skills you need each candidate to have. For example, if you are hiring a developer, they need to know your company’s primary programming language. You can quickly weed out applicants that do not meet this bar.
Additional information about the position’s daily tasks and the qualities of a successful candidate are also helpful to candidates in determining whether or not to apply.
4. Refine Interviews
While they are a vital part of recruiting, interviews are also a common exit point for candidates. Poorly executed interviews can leave candidates unsure about the job, the company, or both. They can also fail to yield key pieces of information vital to making a good hiring decision.
An interview is your chance to learn as much as you can about a candidate. Getting the right answers begins with asking the right questions. Icebreaker questions are a fine way to begin an interview and may put applicants at ease. However, even these questions should yield helpful information. Rather than asking about a favorite food or if they have pets, ask how they like to spend their free time, who they admire, or what their favorite book is.
As you move through the interview, focus questions on the job description. Do they have the skills you listed as must-haves? Do they have behavioral qualities that are important for an individual to be successful in that role?
Comparing the responses and qualifications of each candidate is easiest if you follow a standardized script. Ask each person the same questions. Giving each candidate the same experience improves your ability to determine who is the best fit and helps remove unconscious bias from the equation.
As soon as the interview is over, consult with the other interviewers. Make notes of thoughts, impressions, and opinions about the candidate. Over time, your memory of the interview may fade or become tainted. It is best to record everyone’s thoughts while they are fresh.
5. Create a Talent Pool
You had one opening that you filled with one new hire. What about the runners-up? You may not have anything to offer them now, but keeping track of skilled individuals can come in handy the next time you hire.
Recruiting firms leverage their extensive pool of vetted applicants to accelerate the time to hire for their clients. While it is not practical for every company to invest the time it takes to build a large talent pool, a small pool of talented individuals can serve your organization well. When you do need to find a candidate outside your contacts, a recruiting firm can be an invaluable resource to help you find candidates quickly.
Refining the Process
The best hiring practices are not always defined on the first attempt. Determining what works best for your company and your industry may require you to make several adjustments. Often making small changes to your recruitment process can have a significant impact on the time it takes to find leading candidates and fill open positions quickly.
If you need help filling key vacancies quickly, consider partnering with a professional placement firm like PrincePerelson. Our recruiters have decades of experience hiring for companies like yours and our extensive pool of qualified candidates can help us find skilled individuals in less time.
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Infographic
Filling a position within two weeks is achievable for some roles, but leadership and specialized positions often require more time. With a strategic approach, you can accelerate hiring without compromising quality. Find out in this infographic the best hiring hacks for faster, high-quality hires.
