Technology has made applying to jobs easier, there are endless ways to apply to positions ranging from online job-boards to resume blasting services. Hiring managers now have access to candidates they may not have had in previous years. This tends to lead to an influx of candidates applying to positions. It can be hard to sort through the hundreds of applications that come in response to a job. There are new sourcing software options to help with the overload of data, but they can often be expensive. According to RecruiterBox , here are 5 easy ways you can narrow your candidate pool without breaking the bank.
- Write a clear job description
Job descriptions are the most efficient way to identify which candidates are qualified and which are not. Be clear about the skill set you’re trying to attract including; education, technical or software requirements and previous experience expectations. Be sure to bullet your job descriptions, you want to make job descriptions easy to read while still highlighting the skills required for the role.
- Include additional questions to an online application
Go further than just a job description, include questions that will help you identify whether the candidate is qualified for the position. Additional questions will deter candidates who aren’t serious about the role and eliminate those who aren’t a good fit. It provides further information on how qualified a candidate is or allow candidates an opportunity to give information that might not be displayed on their resume.
- Phone screen prior to in-person interviews
It’s always a best practice to phone screen someone prior to an in-person interview. Even a 5-10-minute phone conversation allows you to get a feel for the person. You can get a sense of someone’s phone presence, communication skills & can ask a few qualifying questions. This way, if it’s not a fit you know within 10 minutes, rather than wasting both your time and the candidates time.
- Ask about salary requirements early on
Salary can make or break a candidate. You want to establish salary expectations early on. This includes gaining an understanding of what a candidate expects or needs for benefits as well. Even if the salary is a match, benefit packages can make or break a hire.
- Use candidate evaluation exercises
Not every stage of your hiring process may be perfect. Maybe you read this article and now have too many requirements on your job descriptions and too many additional questions on your online applications. If your interview process becomes tedious you may end up losing completely qualified candidates just because the process of applying takes too long. Make sure you ask for feedback from candidates, so you can be sure that you have an effective hiring and interview process.
Finding the right candidate for a new position is essential to business operating at their full capacity. It is imperative that each hiring process caters to the needs of the company. Apply these tips to yours to maximize the chances of finding the right candidates off the bat.