Ways to Speed up the Hiring Process

Finding the right people to join your organization and the perfect candidate for a specific role, can be challenging and take time. In most cases, when you are looking for people to fill positions, it is because there is a need and you want to resolve it as soon as possible. The competition is high for skilled candidates and top-performers can come and go in the blink of an eye. Your hiring process’s efficiency may determine whether you get your choice of the top people. A long delayed hiring process also takes time and costs money that could be better spent elsewhere throughout your organization. We are going to review ways to speed up the hiring process to help you fill vacancies with the right candidates quickly and efficiently.  

Ways to Speed up the Hiring Process

Let’s review some steps you can take to speed up the hiring process and ensure you find the people that you need, for the positions you need to fill, when you need them.

  1. Define the Ideal Candidate: Before you begin drafting up job descriptions and hosting interviews, your organization should have a clear understanding of the ideal candidate you are looking for. A well-thought-out candidate profile is the foundation for all subsequent steps in the hiring process. Ensure your requirements are clear, outline everything from skills, competencies and experience, to personality traits, work style and cultural fit. By understanding what the “right” candidate looks like, it will be easier to identify them right away and help you to avoid spending time on candidates who are not suited for the role or your organization.
  2. Create Clear Job Descriptions: The purpose of a job description isn’t just to tell people about the job you have available; its purpose is to attract the right candidates and set expectations about the position and your organization. Writing clear job descriptions will help to highlight what you are seeking and who you are looking for to fill a role, and will help candidates that are fit and interested for the position to find the posting. Be sure to include things like: core skills needed, what the person will spend most of their time doing, how success will be measured for the position, and what type and how much of experience a person needs to be a fit for the role. A clear and precise job description does the screening for you so your funnel of candidates is narrowed down right from the start.
  3. Create a Timeline and Hiring Process: Timing is important not only for your organization to fill a role, but also for candidates. According to a 2016 Talent Board research report, 17% of all candidates who reported having a negative experience with an organization’s recruiting process, withdrew their applications because the process took too long. Ensure that you set the hiring process up for success and don’t take unneeded steps to prolong the experience. Requiring several rounds of interviews or having to manage the schedules of multiple interviewers can be sticking points that can cause significant delays. Be flexible with times and location, utilize phone/video interviews, and conduct panel interviews to optimize this part of the process.
  4. Make the Most of the Interview: To speed up the hiring process, try to complete all interviews in the same time period, if possible. People don’t like to have to keep coming back and blocking more time off their schedules to interview again and again. Make the most of the time you have with the candidates. Don’t involve too many people in the interviewing process, as people will disagree and that can add time to the hiring process. Stick with effective questions that are related to the position and organization and have a structure. Use the same questions and structure for all candidates to keep everything on an even playing field and make your hiring decision easier.
  5. Be Decisive: If the first candidate you interview happens to be the “right” person, stop interviewing others. If you delay to hire the person that you knew was meant for the role, you may lose them because they could take another opportunity while they are waiting to hear from you. It’s a good idea to be ready to offer your ideal candidate a position right away. Don’t feel obligated to interview others and don’t let curiosity lead you to losing the perfect person for the role. Moving quickly will help you secure your ideal candidate and will allow other job seekers to move on and find a role that is better suited for them.

Are you Looking for the Right Candidate?

There are ways to speed up the hiring process and Mackinnon & Partners can help. Mackinnon & Partners is the place for your search to find professional technical staff. Our purpose is to connect the right candidate with the right job in a variety of industries and offer an unmatched level of knowledge and expertise in every interaction with our clients.

With vast experience in energy recruitment, we have adapted to the complex, ever-changing modern marketplace by expanding into emerging renewables and technology recruitment, vendor management, and other workforce solutions around the globe. With a comprehensive understanding of each client’s needs, we deliver necessary staffing resources on time and on budget.

Contact us today to learn more and to start your search for the ideal candidates today.

Jack Miller

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