The current employment market is dominated by talented job seekers. Top-notch candidates are in high demand. Organizations that can swiftly identify and recruit them will prosper in the face of an impending labor crisis. Although you cannot control the number of applicants, you can indeed control something very important—time. Time to carefully evaluate candidates and expedite the hiring process.

An effective way to do this is by enhancing your interview protocol. Time squandered during the interview phase could result in missing a potential star employee, someone who could exponentially add to your organization’s growth. Here are six crucial steps to optimize your interviewing process:

  1. Update the job description post-departure: When an employee leaves, they take their unique skills with them, often causing the role to evolve. Ensure the job description accurately portrays the company’s current needs and not what was required before the former employee’s departure.
  2. Share the job description with everyone involved: Ensuring everyone is on the same wavelength avoids confusion. Rectify any issues with the job description before initiating the recruitment drive. Miscommunication can potentially derail the entire process.
  3. Use phone interviews for preliminary screening: Avoid wasting valuable time in face-to-face interviews with candidates who could have been eliminated during phone screening. Schedule these phone interviews during early morning, lunch breaks, or early evening to prevent disrupting work schedules.
  4. Merge interview process steps: Have candidates complete an online application or email them the application to fill out before the interview. If assessments are required, invite candidates to arrive early instead of scheduling a separate session.
  5. Highlight the importance of an efficient process: With multiple job offers in hand, candidates will not wait long for your process to conclude. Set a specific date for when the position needs to be filled and plan accordingly. Be precise and not vague in your deadlines.
  6. Shift towards results or ability-based job descriptions: Instead of demanding a certain number of years of experience, focus more on what the candidate accomplished during their tenure. Their achievements speak louder than the duration of their experience.

Remember the age-old adage, “He who hesitates, loses”. In the current employment market, hesitating could lead to losing the best candidates. Another industry saying rings true, “Things that drag, get dirty.”

It may seem challenging to bring the recruitment process to a speedy conclusion, but with the steps mentioned above, you’ll find yourself well-positioned to recruit the talent your company needs to soar to greater heights.

About the Author

Rick Pascual is the Practice Director for ruminant health and nutrition at Continental Search, a leading recruiting team in the animal sciences. He is a NAPS Certified Personnel Consultant and leads all the research and recruiting for dairy and beef. Rick mostly recruits sales, technical and management professionals for feed manufacturers, feed additive suppliers, and animal pharma. 

For the latest job opportunities, you may connect with Rick on LinkedIn or email him at rick@continentalsearch.com.