Four Ways to Avoid Hiring Bottlenecks
Guest post by Kyle Lagunas
A business is a well-oiled machine, relying on the seamless execution of a number of processes to drive it forward. Disruptions and delays (bottlenecks) will occur unless you keep these processes in ship shape. In the hiring process, bottlenecks are more than just an inconvenience. They can damage company culture and tarnish your brand – making it more difficult to attract and hire top talent. Smoothing out bumps in the road before they turn into more serious issues is essential to the ongoing success of your recruiting and hiring efforts.
That said, here are four leading causes of bottlenecks in the hiring process – and ways to avoid each one:
Living in the Dark Ages. Without the proper technology, the sheer volume of applications a single online job posting attracts can be nearly impossible to manage. As such, many organizations experience delays at the onset recruiting–which is frustrating for candidates and hiring managers alike. Accepting resumes and screening for experience and qualifications are a part of the process, but applicants perceive that nothing is happening until an interview takes place.
Online application and screening tools help companies maintain momentum by reducing time spent in this initial stage. If you don’t have an applicant tracking system, you need to get one. The first step toward minimizing bottlenecks in hiring is automating the most menial aspects of hiring so you can focus on engagement.
Communication breakdown. Breakdowns in communication–both internally and with applicants–make you look bad to candidates, not to mention the increased time to hire for new employees. Dragging candidates along and changing the rules of engagement from one manager to the next will hurt your ability to hire anyone at all.
Get proactive and minimize the chance for breakdowns by establishing expectations and define your process upfront with all parties involved (including candidates). Hiring and recruiting is largely a collaborative effort, and establishing ground rules for everyone involved will help reduce bottlenecks from interview to hire.
Lack of planning. When you lack a formalized process with a vision and end goal, getting from one stage to the next can be painful. A number of businesses’ primary concern is to quickly fill positions as they open. They use ad hoc processes to hire an adequate candidate rather than the right candidate.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to completely overhaul your process to create a cohesive hiring plan that’s aligned with corporate strategy. Start by asking what growth your leadership has on their horizon for the next quarter, six months, or year–and then plan accordingly. “If you start with a plan,” says George Bradt, managing director at PrimeGenesis, “then the variations of the plan are fewer and further between. Ad hoc hiring is going to happen, but there’s at least a unified plan to start with.”
Sequential hiring style. You post the same ad you used last time, find three candidates to interview, and hope one of them has what you’re looking for. If not, you go back to square one–you post the ad, find three candidates, and the cycle repeats. But relying on the same old iterated process to meet myriad staffing needs is more than shortsighted, it’s inefficient.
The greatest value lies in having a working process. By designing a hiring process that works in tandem with talent management and supports your business strategy, your recruiting efforts will be much easier to manage. You don’t have to read every book ever written on hiring strategies, but you do need a uniform process that meets your organization’s culture, values and needs.
Best Practices are the Cure for Hiccups
Strategic staffing requires the cooperation and shared effort of multiple parties, and as with any business process, hiccups and delays in hiring will happen. With a sound process in place that keeps stakeholders informed and engaged, however, bottlenecks will be fewer and further between. By incorporating the best practices that make the most sense to your organization–and by leveraging solid technology–you’ll be better prepared to deal with any other flaws that emerge.
About the Author: Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst at Software Advice—a company that reviews online hr software. He blogs about technology, trends, and best practices in human resources and recruiting.