Recruiting Tips: Take Control of the Search

These five recruiting tips will help you stay in control of a complex and variable-filled process.

In recruiting, over-communication is typical (and critical) because there are so many moving parts — multiple searches, interview processes, internal stakeholders, candidates, hiring managers, and the list goes on.

Recruiters are juggling multiple searches while simultaneously juggling those individuals who need to be kept abreast of the process and progress of each search. Our job is to keep the process moving smoothly for internal stakeholders, while providing a high candidate experience. Our goal is to find the best talent for each position.

As a recruiter, you may sometimes feel you don’t have a hold on the search. Maybe the hiring manager has taken the reigns; maybe you are struggling to get timely feedback. Here are a few recruiting tips to keep things moving:

Secure Buy-In

At the initial stage of the search, create a recruiting strategy and have everyone involved review, agree, and sign off on it. This will allow all parties to see and agree on the ideal timeline and necessary deliverables in each stage of the process. It is always helpful to have a documented strategy to refer back to should things not go as planned.

Be Direct with Internal Stakeholders

You have a strategy and everyone agrees. Now what?  Set up-front guidelines and expectations of what you will need from the hiring manager and those involved in the interview process. Secure hiring managers’ availability to interview and a timeline for expected feedback. If the job is a priority, it is important for all parties to buy-in to the sense of urgency.

Keep the Ball in your Court (as much as possible)

In recruiting, this is difficult because there are a variety of decision makers involved. Take change of the simple things to make your life easier. For instance, send out specific interview times to candidates — “Are you available to interview Thursday at 2:00pm or Friday at 10:30am?” — as opposed to general requests — “what is your availability for Thursday or Friday this week?” It eliminates much of the back-and-forth that goes along with scheduling.

Internally, set up a scheduled weekly call with the hiring manager. Having this on the schedule allows you to go through all of the questions that may arise each week, discuss any candidates and feedback, and the overall progress of the search. It is also a great time for recruiters to let hiring managers know what they have been seeing in the market and let the hiring manager decide on whether there is flexibility on certain search requirements.

Be Direct and Open with Candidates

Once a candidate is in process, give him or her a timeline in terms of both feedback and next steps. This will help to avoid the weekly check-in email that pops up in your inbox. If the search has slowed down or something else has taken priority, don’t leave candidates hanging. Send a quick note to let them know that they are still in process and you will be in touch once things pick up.

Move Quickly

For top talent, the market is always competitive. If you know you have a candidate who could possibly be “the one” then set things in motion. Ask for references and start putting a potential package together. This does not mean that you should stop interviewing other candidates in process or stop engaging new candidates. Always be ready for things to change, because clearly in recruiting that’s what often happens. Positions get put on hold, internal stakeholders have demanding schedules, priorities change. The important thing is to do what you can to keep things moving, and be sure to keep everyone involved in the know.

Tagged in

hiring process recruiting recruitment