Why did you go to all the trouble of charting your hiring approach? You reviewed and carefully planned everything from the job description to the hiring process. We all can think of people who sailed through their application and interview, only to falter after taking the job. They required extra supervision and explanation to do what another candidate may have been able to handle with ease. As a result, managers spent their time dealing with problems and complications rather than marveling at the new employee’s innovative work.
That's why you improved your hiring process. And that's why you should continue to work on it. With careful planning, you can use the recruitment process to bolster your company, not just fill a position. Go by the seat of your pants, and you may end up with someone you need to terminate.
If a new employee doesn't measure up, you may have to restart the expensive, time-consuming hiring process. And in today's tough business climate, you can't be assured that you will get approval to fill a position the next time.
After you hire each new employee, assess the process and look for ways to improve it.
Checklist for Assessing Your Hiring Process
- Look constructively at your recorded data on the candidates. How satisfied are you with your final candidates? How do they compare with the candidates you have gotten in the past for this job or similar ones?
- Sometimes second-place candidates become your next recruit because your finalist fails or leaves or because another job opens up. Did your system build a bench for future hires?
- Was the job description accurate?
- What recruiting and advertising services were worth your investment, and which would you improve?
- What was missing in the hiring process that you would add?
- How well did your print ad work?
- An effective ad attracts the candidates you want and screens out the ones you don't. How successful were your ads? Did the ad copy include a call to action? Did the copy describe what job seekers would find rewarding in the position as well as what skills are necessary?
- Were you satisfied with the site you used for your online ad? Did its system of managing applicants fit your needs? Were you able to discuss your ad with someone at the site?
- If the job is normally hard to fill, did you run your ads long enough to get attention? Did you use any enhancements to give your ads greater visibility?
- If your company is not well-known, did you use a featured ad to raise its profile?
- Did you learn from your advertising source how many views your ad drew? How many job seekers clicked on your ad to apply? How many e-mailed the ad to friends?
- Did you use a search firm? If so, what information can it share about the process? What feedback did it get from candidates presented to you?
- Did the salary and benefits package draw the quality of candidates you needed?
- What feedback can your new hire give you on the interviewing, hiring and orientation process?
Next week: An update on Poynter Career Center.
