In the age of the internet, hiring can be an overwhelming process. Once a job is posted, there are often hundreds of resumes to sort through, and it is time consuming to find the best candidates. How does a hiring manager go through the process efficiently, particularly if that person is not a full-time recruiter? Here are some tips for making the entire experience a smoother one.
Write a Specific Job Posting
Regardless of the role, it is always helpful to be very specific in a job posting. This can save you time in the long run by helping candidates weed themselves out. For example, if a role requires previous management experience, you could say “only candidates with previous experience managing at least five employees will be considered.” Job seekers tend to apply to jobs they believe they could do, rather than those they are qualified to do.
Sort Through Resumes
It can be tempting to start looking at resumes as they trickle in, but it’s not an efficient way to compare candidates. Set aside time in your day to review them all together. Immediately discard those who do not have the required experience or education. Ideally, you can compare the remaining resumes to find the five strongest candidates. From there, it’s best to conduct a phone interview with each one.
Vet the Candidates
Conduct interviews in person, and make sure to let the candidate do the majority of the talking. This will give you an insight into the person’s work history, communication style and personality. Once you have a strong candidate, make sure to do all required background checks. For example, in the financial industry, you want to find a company that can offer credit check services for employers.
Hiring can be an overwhelming process, but staying organized can help eliminate the hassles. A hiring manager should be specified in the job posting, intentional in resume sorting, and careful in checking background information. If those steps are followed, you will end up with a strong candidate and an impressive employee.