Top tips to keep candidates engaged and stop them from checking out early in your recruitment process

Stories about losing great potential hires to competitors or even other industries are everywhere these days as are the increasing trend of counter offers to get employees to stay. In an environment where the number of job vacancies exceeds the number of candidates who are actively looking, it seems companies need to up their game to keep their top future hires from checking out early in the hiring process.

The key is to strike the right balance between getting all the information you need to make the right hire without overwhelming and asking too much of candidates during the recruitment process.

Here are our top tips for a smooth and effective hiring process:

1.??????Plan – What does a good hire look like for your business?

DO - Set out an internal process that is clear about who you are looking for, including what soft skills potential hires need to be successful, how those skills be assessed, what hard skills will be required and how you will assess those as well as who needs to be involved and how many interviews will that entail and what the ideal timeline is.

DON’T - At Succession Partners we’ve seen that time and again that the lack of a structured plan from the outset often leads to an excess number of interviews which stifles the process. Additionally, some companies also request assignments to assess specific skill sets. Unless these assignments are reasonable, timely and relevant they may simply be off-putting and can lead candidates to give up on your company altogether.

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2.??????Inform

DO - Share as much of your plan with applicants as possible. Crucially, the number of interviews they can expect and how much time they should allocate for in person meetings. Remember this may require time off from their current work, commuting or organising childcare. Let them know if they need to set aside time to complete an assignment and at what stages they will hear back from you.

DON'T - Let them sit and wonder if they should have already heard back from you and when this whole process will be over. This may give off the impression that your company lacks organisation, communication, and care. It can cause unnecessary stress that may lead future hires to give up altogether or accept competing offers.

3.??????Seduce

DON’T - We’ve come across plenty of companies who once swore by the “make the recruitment process a challenge” method. In the current market however, making applicants jump through hoops with endless interviews, lengthy assignments and over-hyped expectations of what applicants should deliver is proving to be a fast route to losing top picks. ?

DO - Get applicants excited about the role and the company, especially if you’re taking up a lot of their time and energy. ?On that very first interview, don’t just go over the facts and figures. Tell the story of your company, service, or product. Seduce them with your mission and vision. Charm them with your company culture.

For more information on how Succession Partners can help you find your next new hire, contact Chris Paramore , Tim Beach or Emma Hastings .