Steps to Prepare for the Next Wave of Hiring

As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to lift, states are re-opening and businesses are looking for employees. Whether you had to lay off staff, fired employees because you couldn’t operate, or need new talent, there’s about to be a massive wave of hiring.

Top talent that wouldn’t usually be available will be looking for work due to the unique circumstances we find ourselves in. You want to be able to identify them quickly and hire them before your competitors do.

Are you ready for the influx of applications? Do you know how you’ll handle reviewing and making hiring decisions quickly?

If not, you’ll probably miss out on top talent. Don’t make that mistake – take these steps to prepare for this unusual hiring environment.

Review Your Hiring Process Start to Finish

The first step is to know precisely what you’re starting with. What is your current hiring process like? Write down each step, along with how long each one takes. You might put 30 minutes next to one item, but 3-4 days next to another.

This may be a tough exercise if you don’t want to face the inefficiencies in the process, but it’s also enlightening. You may find issues you can address right away that save time and make things better.

Once you address the more straightforward improvements, it’s time to tackle some of the larger problems. Fortunately, there are software solutions that can make it easy to enhance your hiring and move toward finalizing new employees more quickly.

Boost Your Brand Profile to Attract Top Talent

Make sure you’re on the radar for those who are looking for a new position. How is your company’s social media presence, especially on LinkedIn? Are you taking time to promote your positions where your ideal candidates will see them?

You can also leverage your current employees’ social media networks. Ask them to share job openings your company has on Facebook, LinkedIn, and in-person with people they know. The people who are already doing great work for you are highly likely to know others who could do a great job as well.

Use a Pre-Interview Questionnaire to Pre-Qualify Applicants

Once you go through applications – whether using automation or a more manual process – you’ll have a shortlist of top candidates that you want to learn more about. What’s next?

Some companies use phone interviews to save time, but you can save even more by using a pre-interview questionnaire. Send them to your best candidates and they’ll provide information about career goals, preferences, and motivators. You can also learn about their previous experience and get more details about their skills.

A pre-interview questionnaire can be done on the applicant’s own time and doesn’t require you to synchronize your schedules. It helps you be quick to reply, which helps catch the attention of top talent. It’s almost like sending the first interview through email.

With this data, you can reduce your list to your very top prospects and set up final in-person interviews quickly and easily.

Check References Without Playing Phone Tag

One of the parts of the hiring that takes the longest is verifying references. You can’t afford to skip this step – after all, 58% of hiring managers have caught a lie on a resume. At the same time, you don’t want to delay the final decision and lose a top applicant.

The solution is simpler than you think – simply send an online reference check request to each person listed. The process takes less than one minute and allows the individual to answer on their own time, which also giving them space to respond more thoroughly than they might over the phone.

Even better, you can customize the questionnaire to cover every important aspect of the candidate’s experience. You no longer have to worry about a reference not having time on the phone or a hiring employee forgetting a question.

Getting references has never been easier, and your hiring decisions will be finalized more quickly than ever.

Build a Passive Database for the Future

You know that hoping the right candidate will see your job posting is like hoping to win the lottery. While it technically can happen, it’s better to take steps to increase your chances of finding the right person.

One little secret of HR is that great employees tend to know other great employees. However, they’re not always able or willing to reach out directly. That’s where a passive database comes in handy.

Look at your best hires and then review who they listed as references. Those people are likely to be equally high-quality. Why not contact them directly and ask them to apply? If you don’t have their contact information it can be challenging, but usually the reference form lists everything you need.

Even better, if you use our online reference requests, your database builds automatically. Everyone you’ve contacted is saved, making it easy to search by position or listed employer to find exactly what you need.

Are You Ready For a Post Covid-19 Hiring Rush?

COVID-19 has been devastating, but for HR departments the recovery could be a significant benefit. Top candidates who might not have looked for work normally may be laid off or let go for no fault of their own.

Whether you’re looking to rehire or to build up your staff, having the right tools is key.Contact us today to learn more!

Paulo Nunes – CTO

Hiringcue.com