Hiring the right people is always a critical component to the success of any organization. To determine if a candidate is the right person for the position, companies have recruitment and selection procedures in place to identify the best person for the role. In today’s talent driven market, it is essential that companies have a strong recruitment strategy in place and are prepared to commit resources to execute accordingly.
Having partnered with a diverse group of organizations on A LOT of search assignments over our 45 years in the recruitment business, we at Kitchener Executive Consultants are fortunate to have observed what factors can affect the success of a search for the right candidate. Below we have pulled together the top 5 factors we have identified that can impact a successful search assignment and hire.
1. Hiring Process Roadmap
When a hiring need is identified within an organization, a clear and structured roadmap is needed for the hiring process. Before the search assignment begins, know who will be involved at each stage in the process and what those stages will be. Planning the hiring process will help establish and maintain candidate interest and ensure the decision making and offer stages run as smooth as possible.
2. Determining the Hiring Target
Determining the Hiring Target will provide the framework for identifying candidates. Establishing the budget is a critical component that is needed to attract the talent your company needs or wants. Especially in today’s hot market, a realistic target needs to be identified to ensure it is enough to offer the talent level you want to attract. Any budgetary constraints need to be discussed internally early in the process to avoid any disappointment at the offer stage.
3. Communication and Feedback
When we engage in a search assignment with a client, it is a partnership to support the hiring needs of the company. A lack of communication or commitment from a client significantly hinders the search and hiring process. Feedback from the hiring team is critical throughout the hiring process from resume submission to post-interview thoughts. If these updates are not being discussed in a timely manner, there is a risk of missing the targeted skill set required for the role. Companies can also lose out on top talent who have moved on because a lack of feedback is often seen as a lack of interest. A client’s infrequent communication is often translated as a client who is not committed, and this regularly affects the speed of a project (more on this later) as well as the overall outcome.
4. Transparency with Candidates
Similar to communicating throughout the process and providing feedback, companies need to provide transparency to Candidates. Be honest about the company, the role, and the challenges a new hire will be walking into. During the hiring process you should be selling the opportunity to a candidate just as a candidate is selling their background to the company.
5. Timing and Speed
Lastly, the most important factor to any search project is Time or Speed of the process. In this Candidate driven market, candidates will not wait, particularly if they have multiple offers to consider. Too much time between stages in the hiring process can deter candidates from the company, resulting in the candidate becoming disinterested in the opportunity. If a search assignment is time sensitive or time critical, then the speed of the process should reflect that.
We understand that there are numerous other elements that can impact a recruiting project, however taking the above factors into consideration will help the effectiveness of the process. These are steps that can be consciously changed within the recruitment process and/or partnership that can set up a successful hire within the organization.
The team at Kitchener Executive Consultants are your hiring experts and are here to help you find the best fit for your company. Trust us to navigate challenging markets and support your business growth.
