I hate recruiting, and I’ll bet you do too. It’s a huge time suck, too many unqualified people apply, you can’t learn enough about the candidate before you invest in them, interviews are excruciating-;you get the picture.
Here’s my I Used to Hate Recruiting and Don’t Now five-step recruiting process. Use it when recruiting roles up to Director level… above that you’ll need a recruiter.
Here we go:
1. Write a detailed job description. Be sure to include: Situation, Tasks, Actions, Results + who will and won’t fit in the role (no whiners, yes self-starters) + compensation + what you want the candidate to do next (send their resume with a cover letter stating why they’re the best person for the job).
2. Circulate to friends and colleagues. (Hopefully you’ll find the new hire here and save tons of time.)
3. If you can’t get a personal referral, set up two free email accounts (such as GreatJob@gmail.com and GreatJobFinalist@gmail.com), and reference the first email address in your ad (which is the job description). Post the ad on your favorite job site.
4. The candidates will go through a rigorous self-screening process-;I’ll cover this in a minute.
5. Then you’ll go through your preferred process (TopGrading, etc.)-;which I’ll cover in a minute.
Here’s the self-screening process for candidates:
1. Set up an auto reply on email address #1 (example: GreatJob@gmail.com). It should say something like: “Thanks so much for your interest in our (open position name) position. Please answer the following pre-interview questions and send your answers to GreatJobFinalist@gmail.com.” Then list your questions. If your auto reply can’t accommodate much text, send candidates to a web page to download the questions/fill in a form.
2. Set up an auto reply on email address #2 (example: GreatJobFinalist@gmail.com). It should say something like: “Thanks so much for completing the pre-interview questions for our (open position name) position. We will be in touch with you (if you meet our qualifications/within 3 business days, etc.).”
3. In the posted ad (aka job description) you’ll have the applicant send their resume with a letter stating what value they bring to the company and why you should hire them. They will send this to email address #1 (GreatJob@gmail.com). Anyone who doesn’t follow the directions is eliminated, which is often greater than 50 percent of applicants-;who are resume spammers anyway. This just saved you hours of your precious time.
4. Next, the applicant will receive the auto reply message from email address #1, which will provide them with the pre-interview questions. They’ll then send their answers to email address #2. This screens out about another 50 percent because only a committed applicant will bother to answer the questions. This just saved you hours more.
5. The only email address you need to check is email address #2. Only applicants who went through the self-screening process are considered. This will reduce a 40-plus hour process down to 5 hours or so, making your HR team jubilant, and you guessed it, saving you even more precious time.
6. Those who answer the questions thoroughly and in a compelling way will get a phone call with you where you’ll step through the Topgrading (or your preferred) screening process.
7. Those who make it through the call will get a physical interview, where you’ll complete the Topgrading (or your preferred) process.
8. If that goes well, check references (see our sample reference checking questions).
9. If that goes well, hire them or put them on a 30-, 60- or 90-day trial with an initial compensation package.
10. Once the trial period ends you’ll know where their strengths truly lie and adjust their role, get them more training, possibly adjust their comp.
Here’s what you need and where to get it: click here to get to my Resources page. See the Ultimate Recruiting Kit near the top? Click to download it.
As soon as your ecstatic HR team stops dancing on their desks they can get started.