Hiring: The More Human Way

As a technology recruiter, I have found that many of my clients rely so heavily on screening and assessment tools that they are doing themselves something of a disservice. You see, as great as modern hiring tools are, do you ever stop and wonder if they are taking the humanity out of the hiring process, causing you to lose out on great untapped talent?

Although there are the obvious boxes to be checked relative to training, aptitude, and skills for any position—there are some things you can do to instantly improve your interview process and hire kick-ass talent...the more human way:

1. STOP using software to screen resumes and/or correspond with applicants and candidates. Successful hiring managers will always review resumes by hand rather than relying on keyword-searching algorithms. To me, this is the easiest and simplest change to make. It is always worthwhile to spend time and personalize communications with candidates. Continuing to depend on technology will add more challenges and complexity to an already candidate-centric market.
2. STOP mandating candidates complete pre-interview assessments. In my experience, adding these into the interview process will not screen quality candidates in, but rather screen them out. Candidates can easily manipulate and choose answers they feel the hiring manager is looking for. I strongly believe that exams do not measure a candidate’s ability to learn or how intelligent he or she is. I always strongly advise clients to have a conversation with a candidate rather than pass judgment based on how they filled out an assessment.
3. TELL a story, using emotion versus just data. As a past Hobson blog post states, be sure to include personal stories.  Why did you join or start the company? How was your team instrumental in the growth? Where do you see it going? The better you are at making an emotional connection with your candidate, the easier you'll find it to close the “sale”.
4. Hire more based on POTENTIAL rather than experience. Past performance doesn't guarantee future success. Any client of mine will attest to this fact. A hiring manager who hires purely off experience is not doing himself/herself any favors and will surely bypass several excellent hires because simply put: technology is teachable, a person’s potential and hunger to succeed is not.

So dare to be different and add a more human touch to your hiring process – I bet you anything you will create more opportunities to harness untapped talent, while giving the underdogs a chance to really prove their value.