3 Tools To Optimize Your Recruiting Process
Five years ago, it took an average of 13 days to hire someone. Now it takes an average of 23. Even if you’re a small organization only hiring for one position, that’s a long process. And if you’re hiring for multiple positions, you’re probably very eager to screen and hire great candidates more quickly. Here are a few tools to help you do just that:
Video Interview Screening
We know, it sounds uncomfortable and impersonal. But when we started growing more quickly (and needing to hire people more quickly) we found video interviewing tools like HireVue to be very convenient.
Consider this: every job receives an average of 250 applications. This can be as fantastic as it is overwhelming. On the one hand, you have plenty of applicants to choose from. On the other, you have a ton of applicants to screen. So you can either take a lot of time phone screening anyone who might be a fit. Or you can take a risk and weed out some contenders, so you don’t have to make as many calls. The risk you run is weeding out an excellent candidate who may not catch your eye on paper.
Video interviews give you the best of both worlds: you can do extra screening with less work. So, how do you get over the awkwardness? We created a fun video for our video interviewees to watch before they record their interview (check it out here). It reassures them that, yes, we know this is awkward. And, no, we aren’t judging your stage presence. It helps applicants relax and have a little fun with the interview. And it helps us get the information we need to move forward.
Applicant Tracking System
Alright, so you know how to screen hundreds of candidates. How do you keep them organized? An applicant tracking system (ATS) may help. Instead of receiving hundreds of resumes that clog up your inbox, all applications will be stored in an online portal. Many HR professionals use an ATS, and 94 percent say their hiring process has improved because of it.
An ATS will often be able to include multiple collaborators in the system. So if you have multiple hiring managers working with a position, they can all leave comments and ratings on candidates. This helps everyone get on the same page and communicate which candidates they like best.
You’ll also be more organized as the system organizes all applicant information. Resumes, cover letters, portfolios, hiring manager comments, and more are all kept in one location. Even emails can often be sent and stored right in the ATS.
When you’re more organized, you’re able to make better decisions more quickly. No more running around recording everyone’s thoughts about a candidate or sorting through emails in your inbox. An ATS will take care of that for you. You can learn more about the benefits of an ATS here.
Compensation Calculating Tools
You’ve found the perfect candidate. The hiring managers are singing your praises. The team hears whispers that they’ll likely be getting a new coworker soon. All you have left to do is get the offer letter signed, and a big factor in getting that done is offering the right compensation.
It’s pretty heartbreaking when you’ve done all the hard work to find the perfect candidate only to have them turn down your offer. How can you avoid this? First, don’t lowball. Pay the candidate what they’re worth. Nickel and diming them won’t be better for you in the long run. If the candidate accepts your offer, they’ll likely feel cheated (people know what they’re worth). This damages your employer brand and leaves you with a potentially bitter employee.
To ensure you aren’t lowballing, you need to know what the market rate is for the job you’re hiring for. Compensation calculating tools like PayScale can help you make educated decisions about compensation. PayScale has over 54 million salary profiles to help predict fair compensation for virtually any position.
Using accurate market research on compensation will give you confidence in your offer. You’ll have less room for back-and-forth negotiations which will save you time, and they’ll appreciate a fair assessment of their value.
Recruiting can be a very long process. It’s tough to know what to pay employees, difficult to keep them organized, and impossible to phone screen everyone. Using tools to optimize your process will help you find better candidates more quickly.
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