If job candidates could give recruitment advice to companies based on their prior experiences, most of them would say: speed up hiring process! And Olinio’s team experience in talent acquisition solutions confirms this. Lengthy and complex job application processes put off most candidates.
Of course, you must not hurry and hire an unfit candidate. But making applicants go through too many hooks is also detrimental to your hiring strategy. The best ones will eventually give up or will receive an offer from another company while you are sending them yet another test or interview invitation.
The First Hurdle: Complex Initial Application
On average, a candidate is willing to spend around 40 minutes filling in a job application form. However, they will stop and abandon the application if they have to spend more than 53 minutes – the psychological threshold they deem as too long. As recruitment specialists, we know how important candidate engagement is for a successful recruiting project. And we have to admit that statistical data are impressive: most candidates would sacrifice a quarter of an hour to apply for a job. Imagine that they are applying for several positions during the respective day, while also working at their current job or taking care of various chores. So, they are making the effort. As a potential employer, you must also make the effort to create a quick and effective initial application process.The Second Hurdle: Old-School Interviewing Techniques
In the era of online communication, video interviews are the norm. Yet, some companies insist on scheduling all the interviews – starting with the initial one – at their offices. Instead of focusing on ways to speed up hiring process, they are putting candidates through the inconvenience of travelling to find out that the job is not what they expected or they do not have all the necessary skills. An in-person interview is warranted when the candidate has passed the initial screening and testing process. Both you, the employer, and the candidate have the essential facts, and it’s a matter of getting to know the candidate better and assessing their soft skills.The Third Hurdle: Too Many Interviews
How many interviews are too many? This depends on the job role you are recruiting for. You will need more diligence in hiring a regional sales manager than a junior sales associate. However, you need to apply recruitment best practices for both application processes. Knowing what to ask and how to test candidates helps you find the best fit in a shorter time. This helps improve candidate experience and increases your chance of keeping top talents interested until you make the final choice.Helpful Tips to Eliminate These Hurdles
So, how can you streamline your application processes and avoid losing valuable candidates along the way? Here is Olinio’s approach in all our recruitment projects:1. We Combine Human Talent with Top Tech
AI tools and other modern technologies help us streamline the application process and improve candidate experience. However, we do not allow technology to work on its own. Our talented team of recruiters is at the helm of the entire process.2. We Use Specialised Testing Techniques
Knowing what to look for in candidates is essential. You can put them through several interviews, and still miss a critical aspect if you don’t know what to ask. Our team developed an effective testing system, which allows us to evaluate the candidates’ hard and soft skills.3. We Understand Your Hiring Needs to Select the Best Candidates
Last but not least, we bring clarity and speed up hiring process by having a complete understanding of the job role you are recruiting for. We take the time to learn about:- The necessary experience and skills
- The usual job duties involved
- The work schedule
- The benefits package.