Recruiting: What Works and What Doesn’t

The success of a recruiting strategy might seem easy to measure — find the right talent that a company needs, and then just sit back and watch both hire and company succeed — but how you get there is not always so clear. Without the right plan of action, the hiring process can drag on forever, or, worse, you could end up hiring the wrong person for the job.

As a recruiter I’ve benefited from the wisdom and advice of experts in the field (and learned a few things the hard way). Here are ten helpful tips I’ve learned for successful recruiting, plus a few practices to avoid. These lessons apply whether you’re a professional recruiter or an internal hiring manager looking to fill a role. That said, if you are looking to hire someone for your own company, or especially for your own department, I encourage you to consider them carefully. After all, you’ll be working closely with the person you end up hiring.   

1. Assume that everyone you interview you will want to hire.
   The reason you decided to interview that person in the first place was — hopefully — to hire them. Have the right mindset heading into an interview. Even if the candidate is a long shot, you may be surprised by what an interview reveals.  
2. Momentum is everything.
   Act quickly and talk often to the person you want to hire. Don’t leave them in the dark or they may accept another offer instead of waiting. Out of sight is out of mind!
3. Resumes are only an interview tool.
   They’ve never actually done the job. A resume is only there to help you get to know the candidate, and the interview is your opportunity to get past the resume and learn about the person behind it.
4. Hire people you actually like.
   You’re going to be working with them and communicating with them every day, so choose someone you can get along with. If you don’t like them as a person, you’ll lose your motivation to manage them accordingly.
5. Know WHY you want to hire someone.
   Don’t fill headcount just for the sake of desk occupancy. Figure out what the need is that you are trying to fill, then determine what skills that person needs to do the job. Try not to do it the other way around, or you risk hiring someone with skills you don’t need, and without skills you do.   
6. The job description is not a skill set. The job requires certain skills.
   You’re not trying to build up a repository of skills to keep in a vacuum. What you need are people with skills to apply in service of your company’s goals. Look for people that have those skills. Everything else is just nice to have.
7. Sell them the job and let them know why you work there.
   It’s called “recruiting” for a reason. Recruit them. Don’t forget – they’re also interviewing you. Help influence them in explaining that this is the place they want to work. If you’re waiting for someone that is “perfect,” get used to having open roles for a long time. Chances are that out of the candidates who’ve applied or who you’ve discovered through your network, there’s someone who can fill your needs, and maybe even thrive. Don’t lose the whole haystack trying to find the needle in it.
8. Nobody’s perfect. If you’re waiting for someone that is “perfect,” get used to having open roles for a long time. Chances are that out of the candidates who’ve applied or who you’ve discovered through your network, there’s someone who can fill your needs, and maybe even thrive. Don’t lose the whole haystack trying to find the needle in it.
9. There are many paths to success.
   There’s something to be said for people that come from “the school of hard knocks.” Don’t turn your nose up at someone because they didn’t go to an Ivy League. Street smarts can go a long way.
10. Network.
    It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Sooner or later, you’ll be happy you know that person.

At Averity, we know how complex the recruiting process can be for employers. It’s one thing to know what you’re looking for, and another to find it. Our Human Platform helps companies connect with the right employees. It’s an easy-to-use platform that gives accurate, accredited information about actual candidates on the market, beyond buzzwords and acronyms, giving you not just  their backgrounds but what they actually want to do. Simply choose who you like, request an interview, and an Averity Talent Advocate will take care of the rest.

At the end of the day, no two job openings, and no two candidates, are exactly alike, so you’ll need to rely on your own judgment when making the final decision on who to hire. Keep these points in mind and it may help you avoid some of the most common hiring mistakes. Trust your instincts, but always be prepared. Happy hiring!