The problem with recruitment processes is that both sides don’t have enough time to discover each other. This leads to ineffective actions that distort decisions. Good candidates are not hired or they lose interest. HR specialists use outdated tools to estimate candidates’ value. How can we make things better?
Here are the top five mistakes that I believe can be easily avoided.
What you shouldn’t do when looking for a new hire?
1. The whole process is often too long
There are many good candidates out there, as well as many underqualified. Plus, skills are not everything – companies are also looking for a cultural match and here is where soft skills are gold. As an effect, the recruitment process becomes long because firms want to be sure that new recruits are really well matched in all those fields, and won’t leave after a month or two.
Here’s the catch, though. It’s way better to wait a month or two for a solid talent with a notice period than waste a similar amount of time deciding on candidates with comparable skillset. Time is money, the market never sleeps. If you can’t decide on a person bringing you value, how can you decide on a strategy, marketing or sales?
2. Tests are often totally inadequate
I have applied for various companies enough times to know how this works. You get a test, and the company decides if your knowledge and skills match the expected level of excellence. If firms are so keen on testing, why can’t they improve the tests?
Very often, there are numerous questions or tasks for candidates to do during the recruitment process. In many cases, both. The problem is, that the tests themselves are too dissociated from the position they try to fill in. They are also too complicated, too long, and unpaid. If you want people to answer a few questions or solve a simple task, that’s totally fine. If you present a challenge that requires a few hours to solve – that’s called work and it should be compensated (I’m still not a fan of the approach, though). If you expect people to solve a real problem, that’s ridiculous.
HR specialists make the same mistake many times over. “How would you improve our website? Point out 10 weak points and show us how would you solve them”. Another one: “Here is a campaign we did last week. It underperformed. How would you fix it”? Or my favorite: “Design an entire campaign from top to bottom and pay attention to details”. Please remember, that a recruitment process is not about free labor. These examples are tailored to get as much value from a talented person as possible, not to discover who this person is and what skill can one bring to the table.
It’s still not over yet. I have personally observed a process where a well-established company with clients from all over the world, brought a big gun as a head of marketing. She was extremely competent and capable. The issue? Candidates were given a test in the form of a .zip file. Inside there were a few documents that showed the company’s mission, vision, values, current challenges, and the 15 pages long text file. Half of this document was wasted on instructions on how to do the task. Another half was the task itself.
Summarizing: multiple files, the main document had 15 pages of text, and the estimated time needed to complete an assignment is two unpaid workdays. Am I the only one who sees there’s something wrong with this picture?
And the best part: one candidate dared to inform the company the test was nothing else but extortion of her time and she would not participate. The company said: “This is how we do things around here”. How to improve the process? Ask people questions! Get to know them! Ask them, what they think about the problem, what they would do, and how they would behave in a certain scenario. Skills can be verified with a simple CV verification and a short test. Please remember that talents are not participating in the recruitment process to serve your current needs and fix problems that have already occurred. They are not even there to display their skillsets. Today, where many people have very similar education, knowledge, and talents, companies hire based on attitude and ability to act without much supervision. It’s about a combination of knowledge, skills, and character. Bosses hire people who can’t question their status. Leaders hire people from whom they can learn.
3. Prepare for the interview. Don’t waste your own time and candidates’ time
So, what questions could you ask? Some specialists still go with “Where can you see yourself in five years?”. If a person can answer that question, you should immediately make him or her a CEO.
Why? Because today’s world is constantly changing and even the best strategies require serious adjustments on the way. Plus, this question is not designed to test anything valuable. It can highlight one’s ambition but it’s not helpful whatsoever. Try to focus on talents’ natural abilities. What is their way of thinking? How would they prepare to solve a problem? Conversation can reveal much more about a person than a mere test.
Fot. Edmond Dantès z Pexels4. The one-fits-all solution doesn’t exist
If we’re thinking about questions and situation scenarios rather than formal, classic tests, we need to accept that there is no golden rule. Tests are still designed like school quizzes. They have a key and if you can’t mold yourself to fit in the hole, too bad for you. Nope, that’s not the way to go.
With scenarios, multiple ways of getting out of a sticky situation can be proven effective. Talents are talents for a reason. They think differently. They have different backgrounds, experiences, track records, and even work-related mental scars. They can surprise you with different approaches. If you can convince people to participate in the recruitment process, you already have at least a decent pool of qualified people. They are all worthy to join. You are not picking the best one. You are picking the one that can fit best.
And sometimes the one with the ability to push over the table. Revolution is not good for everybody, but questioning the status quo is. If there’s a group of candidates with a very similar skill set and your organization is struggling to redefine itself, pick a person that can inspire others. No matter the position.
5. Human Resources is about people… and business alike
Yesterday the position was called Human Resources Specialist. Today it’s HR Business Partner – not without reason. The HR department has become an important part of a machine that generates revenue and builds the company’s image. It’s not only about hiring people. It’s about making the team stronger, more diverse, more creative, and more resilient.
The market, competition, and even talents require a new approach. An integrated vision spreads throughout the entire organization. HR, being one of the cogs, is responsible to generate revenue the same way the marketing and sales departments. This new HRs role is impossible to fulfill with obsolete methods and mindset.
Ghost in the machine
There are many good candidates out there, as well as many underqualified. Plus, skills are not everything – companies are also looking for a cultural match and here is where soft skills are gold. As an effect, the recruitment process becomes long because firms want to be sure that new recruits are really well matched in all those fields, and won’t leave after a month or two.
[ENG] The author is a branding, marketing, company scaling, process optimizing, and content expert. He creates and develops brands, builds an image, and marketing communication. He believes in a holistic approach to sales, marketing, public relations, human resources, and employer branding. By relying on Customer-centric Selling, Design Thinking, and Created Shared Value (CSV), he helps companies increase revenue and build an attractive image for both customers, business partners, and employees. He published a few books, first at 22 years old. Learn more by visiting www.scislak.com.www.scislak.com
[PL] Autor zajmuje się brandingiem, marketingiem, skalowaniem firm, optymalizacją procesów i contentem. Tworzy i rozwija marki, buduje wizerunek i komunikację. Podchodzi holistycznie do sprzedaży, marketingu, public relations, human resources i employer branding. W pracy opiera się na Customer-centric Selling i Design Thinking. Ekspert ekonomii wartości, mającej realne przełożenie na zyski firmy, jej wizerunek oraz relacje z partnerami i pracownikami. Autor kilku książek, pierwszą napisał na zamówienie jeszcze na studiach. Na co dzień pisze na blogu www.scislak.com