If I had planted a tree by my house every time a hiring manager complained that they had hired less qualified candidates after spending so much time and effort in the process, I’d be living in a forest right now.
The best candidates stay available for ten days at most. 60% candidates don’t complete time-taking application processes. And, more than 75% professionals who fit your idea of the perfect candidate are passive, i.e. not actively looking for a job right now.
What does that tell you?
Here’s what it should tell you- If the right talent wants a job, you are not the only one ready to offer it. So, when you are concerned with hiring just because there’s a need, you’ll always lose the best talent out there to some other recruiter.
Reactive Recruiting Is No Longer Worth a Recruiter’s Time
Reactive recruiting has been in use for so long. An employee resigns. You need someone for the job. You spread the word around. Candidates show up. You pick the best among them.
Simple, sure! But efficient? Not quite!
Reactive recruiting is immediate. There’s a pressing need for a candidate. The market may or may not have the talent you’re looking for. Plus, you have a timeframe to follow.
The result- a chaotic scramble. You have minimal control. You spend more time and energy than needed. And often, you have to settle for people who don’t align with the long-term expectations of their teams.
Stop with the ‘Hire as Needed’ Mindset, Get into the ‘Always Recruiting’ Mode
Good talent is hard to locate. You lose money for every second when a position is vacant. So, if you want to secure top talent, waking up the moment you need it is a poor idea.
Just consider how easy things would be if you could look up the talent you need from a list of candidates, all vetted, checked thoroughly, and ready to employ.
That’s the advantage of effective recruiting over reactive recruiting.
How Can You Effectively Recruit Even if You Aren’t Hiring Anyone?
Recruitment is an ongoing effort. It involves building networks, cultivating relationships, and keeping tabs on every operator in your market.
- Know What You Need
Figure out your current and prospective future staffing needs. Get a clear understanding of your business in the present. Anticipate who you may need tomorrow. Thus, when that need arises, you’ll be ready.
- Develop Your Talent Bench
If you aren’t hiring, you may see no point in interviewing candidates. Quite right! The aim is to select the people you’d want in a team, proactively.
Build an employee referral program. Involve your employees in finding good talent as well. Reward them accordingly. Search professional candidate pools on social media.
Speak to all likely candidates, active or passive. Look around for people you may like on your team. Hold conversations over coffee, just to gauge how comfortable you may or may not feel while hiring this person.
- Have a Process, Always
A captivating personality may bias your decision. It’s better to form an opinion metrics you can rely on, like talent interviews, previous work history, workplace behaviour, etc.
Build a process to filter the top talent, check their references, and list them on a priority basis. Now, if an unexpected vacancy presents itself, your hiring process will not only be quicker and more efficient but mostly sorted.
Just remember, effective recruitment never stops. And it doesn’t end at hiring either. Talent development & retention are an active part of recruitment. It’s hard work, but in return, it offers you control over talent acquisition.