Over the years of working in recruitment, I’ve seen many different hiring managers – from those who are new to the role and responsibly preparing to take on a new team member, to those who show little interest, read CVs sluggishly and can’t find the time to meet. As a recruiter, the challenge is not only to find talent in a hot market, but also to develop hiring managers. Often, the success of a recruitment exercise depends on the cooperation between the recruiter and the hiring manager.
To help find a new team member as quickly as possible and to make the process as smooth as possible, here are some tips for hiring managers:
- explain the need to the recruiter as fully as possible. What you take for granted as a professional in the field is far from obvious to a recruiter. For example, the position requires a certain certificate or certification and this is regulated by law. Tell the recruiter about the typical working day of the person you are looking for, what tasks are involved in the daily routine, whether they are planned in advance or are carried out on an as-needed basis in the here and now;
- if you know from experience that the work in your company has very specific nuances that are not available elsewhere in the market, be sure to mention this to the recruiter;
- think carefully about whether you have included the necessary skills/competences/qualifications in the list of requirements for the candidate, or what would be good for the candidate to have? What competences will potential candidates be able to easily acquire in the workplace? By only highlighting the most basic requirements and being flexible about the others, you will open the door to a much wider range of potential candidates;
- take time to prepare for interviews with candidates, read through the CV several times, make a note of the points you liked and the points you would like to clarify. If you are less experienced in recruitment, or perhaps doing it for the first time, do not hesitate to ask your recruitment partner for help;
- present the candidates with unembellished information, try to present the reality as it is. Although recruitment is partly a sales process, you should not overdo it and promise things that your new colleague will not find when they start. This will not serve your company’s image as an employer and will contribute to low candidate satisfaction with the selection process and, in the worst case scenario, will also affect rapid turnover during the adaptation period;
- when assessing a candidate’s suitability for a position, look not only at technical qualifications and competences, but also at how likely the candidate is to fit in with the rest of the team. Invite a member of the team to participate in one of the selection phases, or organise a brief introduction between the candidate and the team. Colleagues will feel involved in the process and may notice some nuances that you did not;
- avoid the similarity effect. When we see someone who looks like ourselves, or who looks a lot like another colleague with a good performance record, we are unconsciously inclined to conclude that the candidate is better suited to the position than others. Stop and think about whether you rate a candidate highly because of their qualifications, skills and cultural compatibility, or simply because you have a liking for them?
I hope these tips help you to better prepare for the recruitment process and I wish you a successful recruitment. If you have any questions about your recruitment process, contact me!
I also invite you to check out Augam’s recruitment services on this page: https://augam.fr/en/recruitment/
With best wishes for growth,
Dovilė