Hobson Associates

But We’ve Always Done It This Way!

ChangeThe most dangerous phrase in the language is,’We’ve always done it this way’.”
~Grace Hopper

How does your company’s hiring process measure up in today’s employer market? If you are not innovating and moving forward, you risk getting left behind and losing top talent, (a.k.a., money!)

How does your company’s hiring process measure up in today’s employer market? If you are not innovating and moving forward, you risk getting left behind and losing top talent, (a.k.a., money!) Of course it is important to build on your past successes and not just change for the sake of change. But in many cases, if you don’t change, your competitors and customers certainly will.

Here are some elements of your hiring process you should take a good look at:  

  • Slow to make an offer. Delay in action allows ideal candidates more time to look for other opportunities. Your company may want to reevaluate your process if you can’t seem to snag candidates fast enough, or are getting your offers turned down.

  • Time is $$$. Candidates will not be happy if they took time away from their current job to go through a lengthy interview process- only to be provided with a less than satisfying offer. Candidates have many options, so offers are becoming more competitive. This may not just apply to salary, but also to “soft” benefits like insurance, vacation time, maternal/paternal leave, and other work/life benefits.

  • The ‘Candidate Experience’. Candidates will likely favor and recommend a company with a faster, simpler and more engaging recruiting process. This can be a great way to sell the potential hire on your company brand. More transparency and open communication can help to reassure the candidate that they haven’t been forgotten.

  • Long-term growth. Candidates are also valuing advancement opportunities within an organization, rather than just compensation packages. Companies should be aware of how to sell not only their brand and job positions, but also long-term growth opportunities.

  • Relying on just HR / Internal Recruiters. External vs. internal hiring? “It is a useless debate in the 21st century because you have to do both,” says Harvard Business School professor Boris Groysberg. Relying on an external recruiting agency that has a database of qualified candidates at their fingertips might be a good option, especially if you need someone fast. They will have the back work already done—a pile of resumes, candidates with strong skills, established contacts. Recruiting agencies are also skilled at identifying great candidates who, had their resumes just been passed along to an in-house recruiting team, might have fallen through the cracks.

So remember--you must understand WHY you are doing something that way, and ask yourself if you really should continue it that way. Should you tweak the process and make it slightly better? These are questions that therecruiters at Hobson ask our clients…. and will continue to do.

~Beth