Finding quality candidates isn’t easy. If it was, the hiring process would be short and candidates would be hired within hours.
That’s rarely the case. Most of the time, companies are dealing with a month-long endeavor that can span the year. By the time “the one” has been found, the potential hire has already moved on to another opportunity or decided to stick their job out.
The Great Resignation has made this even more complicated; it can be argued that the standards for hiring have gone up since the beginning of the pandemic. Americans quit jobs at a record pace in 2021, and more (predicted to be about 23%) plan to quit their jobs this year.
There isn’t a secret formula to finding talent, but there is an art and science to recruiting that enables firms (and hiring managers) to find the best. If you’re relentless in your search efforts and you still can’t find quality candidates, it’s a telltale sign that you’re being nitpicky when candidates are the ones with the power.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be particular about who you onboard. You absolutely should! You don’t want to bring a person in who is going to immediately drop the ball and reak havoc. However, adopting highly selective standards shouldn’t mean cutting off everyone. Before you jump to conclusions, make sure you check your boxes to guarantee your candidate struggles aren’t due to a faulty hiring process.
☑ You’re offering a realistic salary
In many cases, you get what you pay for. It’s rare that you’re going to be able to convince someone to accept a salary cut because…. your company has monthly happy hours? The company pays for lunch once a month? You host a nice yearly holiday party? Good luck.
You can’t get someone with a decade of managerial experience while offering the salary of an entry-level employee. The candidates are a direct reflection of the listed salary. You can go ahead and shoot your shot, but recognize that it’s unlikely to go anywhere until you meet the national average, if not higher. As the saying goes… “if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”.
☑ You haven’t been searching long
The longer you take, the pricier it gets. Once you start moving candidates through the pipeline, dragging your feet through the mud with force the top performers to leave. If it takes 4 months to decide on a hire, something isn’t right. Job seekers DO notice when you post the same job listing over and over. They’ll wonder: Why hasn’t the role been filled yet? Are people always quitting the company? Does no one want to work in that position?
To expedite the process, it makes sense to use multiple mediums to advertise. It makes even more sense to hire a recruitment firm to do the heavy lifting for you. Similar to real-life relationships, no one is interested in pursuing someone that is putting minimal effort into the pursuit. Excitement should be expressed on both ends. Not just from the candidate.
On the flip side, if you’re concerned about not finding candidates after a week, you likely just need to give it more time.
☑ The job description matches the job
Accurate job descriptions will capture the right candidates. Even if the job isn’t appealing, it is never a good idea to embellish the truth. This is an unethical practice that is alarmingly common on job boards. While not all jobs are going to be the most appealing- the truth becomes is going to be pretty obvious on their first day. Why waste your time on a quick turnover when you could have spent your time scouting for the right person?
**It’s also a good idea to include the salary range.
☑ You have open communication with the recruiter
You had a couple of phone calls with the recruiter. You detailed the job title, description, salary- everything has been discussed! Now you just have to sit back and wait for the candidates to roll in.
Except you didn’t provide the parameters of the role. It’s not that the candidates are bad, but they’re not exactly what you had in mind.
Sometimes you may not know what you want until they’re right in front of you, but it certainly helps. If you want a particular type of person for the role, let the recruiter know!
Companies that invest in hiring the right people have maximized returns. At JDI, we’re a passionate team with the mission of delivering top talent that ignites your organizational growth. Looking for quality candidates? Learn more here.