Why The Hiring Process Takes So Long and Tips To Deal
By SOLTECH
If you’re a hiring manager, you may notice you’re spending far more time searching for talent than you ever have before. It’s not just you. The hiring process is lengthening – we’ve noticed it, too.
We’ve put together a list of reasons why it’s taking longer to go from interview to first day on the job, and ways to deal with these challenges.
Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate in the US is low (4.7%), and it’s only getting lower. Although this is great for the US economy, it makes hiring qualified talent more difficult. Because of that, there are fewer folks seeking jobs, creating a smaller candidate pool.
Tip: One effective way to increase the size of your talent pool that is often overlooked, is turning to previous applicants. Although someone may not have been a perfect fit for a past role, doesn’t mean they won’t fit one in the future.
Intense Screening
Your typical interview is in a question and answer format, but there seems to be a steep increase in the way employers are practicing other screening methods. And, each additional step is going to add a significant amount of time to the hiring process.
Job candidates say background checks, skills tests, drug tests, and culture/personality tests are all on the rise.
Tip: Creating a checklist for each position you’re looking to fill will allow you to closely follow a realistic timeline and avoid any last-minute screening that may threaten to prolong the process. Which positions do you plan to skill test? What about background checks? Start these processes as soon as you know your candidate is going to move forward through the pipeline.
Company Size
It’s true – size matters. And, when it comes to hiring, the size of your company has a direct impact on the length of your hiring process. The larger the business, the more “red tape” there is to cut through. Simply put, more management creates layers of extra review and approvals before the green light is given on a new employee.
Tip: If you’re at a mid to large sized company and you’re looking to cut your hiring time down significantly, streamlining your review and approval process is key. Invite anyone who gets a say-so in the hiring of a new employee to the interview, and sit down as a group to discuss everyone’s feelings on each candidate. This way, everyone stays informed, and when it comes time to extend the offer, no one will be asking for additional screening time.
Hiring Process
The best way to avoid a lengthy hiring process is to be proactive. Start thinking about your future hiring needs now. It’s not advisable to wait to start the hiring process until there is an immediate need to fill a position. Try to build and maintain a talent pipeline that consists of candidates who could be a good fit for positions that open up in the future. Continue to collect resumes and keep in touch with job seekers who you liked but did not hire. Being proactive now can help you to shorten your hiring cycle next time around.
At SOLTECH, we’ve been helping people like you grow their business by finding excellent technical talent, for nearly 20 years. If you’re ready to streamline your hiring process, we want to talk to you! Give us a call at 404.601.6000 or say hello at hello@soltech.net.
