The employment landscape has changed and in this candidate-led market, employers have the back foot. With so many options out there for talented job hunters, what can you do to ensure that you hire the people you need to fulfil your organisation’s 2022 goals?
The interview process is an area where many employers are struggling. Doing what has always been done won’t get you the same results anymore so if your interviews need an overhaul, follow these tips to get back on track.
In a market where talented tech professionals are being constantly headhunted, it makes no sense to have a long and drawn out interview process. Consider whether you really need a multi-stage interview process drawn out over several weeks. Can the interviews be combined? Can you ensure that all of the relevant stakeholders are present at the first interview to avoid candidates having to repeat themselves? Can you pre-screen with an informal phone conversation? The quicker the interview process is, the less likely that those candidates will be snapped up by someone else.
Your interviews need to be as much about selling your organisation to the candidate as they are about the candidate proving themselves to you. Ensure that you give lots of information about why your organisation is a fantastic place to work – and don’t just wait until the candidate asks. Remember to include things such as professional development opportunities, employee benefits and anything else that sets you apart from the competition.
For many tech roles, technical tests are a valuable part of assessing skills during the interview process. However, if these are too time-consuming they can be extremely off putting. Several things to consider are – can the technical skills be assessed during the interview, cutting the need for a separate test? If a test is needed, can it be pared back to the essential skills? How can the time a test takes be reduced?
The time taken to get back to a candidate after an interview is just as important as the interview itself. If you have other interviews lined up so can’t give them an outcome straight away, send them an email after the interview to thank them for their time and let them know when they can expect an outcome. Once you have done that, make sure you get back to them in the timeframe you stipulated – even if they haven’t got the job. This gives them a positive impression of your organisation, which they may well pass on to other tech professionals they know.
Any communication should also be personalised, not from a no-reply email address, giving your candidates a point of contact for any questions they might have post-interview.
If you are struggling to find and hire the right candidates for your role, working with an experienced recruitment agency can help. Evolution Recruitment Solutions can help to find more relevant candidates, streamline your current processes, eliminate unnecessary steps and ultimately secure the best talent for your company. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us here.
