by Maggie Chisum
The recruiting game is hard right now. There are so many talented people, and the timeframe to snag them is short. So, how can you be best poised to obtain your favorite candidate? For starters, you’ve got to condense your interview process.
I know, I know. You want to do multiple technical interviews, and you really want each person on your team to get to know them, and making a choice without having everyone’s stamp of approval is terrifying.
However, with the market the way that it is, you can’t really afford to waste those weeks dragging a candidate through video call after video call. In our experience, candidates who are actively interviewing are receiving 1-2 offers/week (if not more!) The process is changing, so you have to be willing to pull the trigger. How can you be ready to commit so quickly?
- Make sure you have clearly outlined what this role will look like beforehand.
- Indicate 3-4 of the most important skills/attributes for someone to fill this role. Think of this as dating – you need to have some ‘must haves’ and ‘deal breakers’ before starting this process.
- Set a clear budget. (We recommend doing market research before doing this, in order to be the most competitive – you aren’t going to secure any good candidates by offering under market value.)
- Research your candidates before the interview! If you need to check references, ask for them on the front-end, and have all of your ‘ducks in a row’ prior to that initial interview in order to avoid wasting time on the back-end.
- Trust your gut. You know who seems like a good fit for your company, culture, and goals.
The market is crazy, and it feels like great candidates are few and far between, but they are out there. (And if you are having trouble finding the right ones, I know a reaaaaalllly great company who might be able to help.)