It’s no secret that the talent market is highly competitive. Candidates are in high demand and it is becoming increasingly difficult to reel them in for new opportunities. Candidates are being flooded with options and opportunities. An efficient hiring process and good interviewing experiences can help a companies stand out in the mind of candidates. Avoid these hiring mistakes to increase the chances of securing top talent.
Mistake #1: Not painting a clear picture of the role
Going into finding talent for a role, the hiring team should have a pretty good idea of what they would need from a candidate to be successful. This will include not only the qualifications of the candidates but also what responsibilities this role will have once hired. It is not uncommon for roles to evolve or shift around as hiring managers start to speak to candidates. As animal health recruiters, we see this happen all the time. Be transparent when discussing the role to accurately paint the picture of what it will look like to work in this role and with the company. The candidates should leave interviews with an understanding of what the responsibilities are, what it might be like to become a part of the team, and what their future could potentially look like should they move further with the opportunity.
Mistake #2: Moving too fast or too slow
We say it all the time in the recruiting business, time kills deals. This can work both ways. Sometimes, hiring managers interview a candidate, get excited, skip a few steps in the interview process and move to the offer stage. While this works out sometimes, those interview steps are still essential for both the hiring team and the candidate to decide if this is the right fit. On the other hand, moving too slow will cause companies to lose out on talent. If a candidate is truly good, it is likely that they have other opportunities that they are aware of or maybe even interviewing for. It is important not to move too slowly through the interview process in this market. Engaging candidates regularly through the interview process will help keep them interested if there are several steps. Don’t lose out on the right candidate for the role by giving too much time and allowing other opportunities to swoop them up.
Mistake #3: Passing on candidates based only on their resume
Candidates are more than what they show on paper. A candidate’s resume or LinkedIn profile will not show every detail of their career. Only a conversation will allow true discovery if a candidate will be a fit or not. Of course, there will be resumes that will obviously not be a fit. However, if there are any question marks left open or some relevant experience, go ahead and set up the conversation. Often hiring managers will pass if they do not see specific keywords or written out experience on the resume. Yet, as recruiters, we have discovered that candidates may not think about adding those items because they are not regularly viewing resumes like we are on the hiring front. A conversation could uncover details that you may be looking for.
When candidates are being flooded with opportunities, it is more important now than ever to avoid simple hiring mistakes. Candidates should be interviewing the companies just as much as they are being interviewed for the opportunity. Ensuring that the process is transparent with clear details on the role and moving at a respectable pace will leave candidates with a positive experience. Engage and set up a quick conversation with candidates. Don’t miss out on talent that could have the skill your team needs.
Are you looking for top talent in the Specialty Chemical, Plastics, or Animal Health industry?
Contact us to discuss how we can bring top leadership talent to your team. Boaz Partners is a premier executive search firm focused on the direct recruitment of executives and professionals for the specialty chemicals and plastics space. We are your partner, and our focus is on custom recruiting solutions.