Featured in The Washington Post: How Hiring Managers Can Get Positions Filled Fast
This is an excerpt of Hilary Sutton’s recent article on The Washington Post’s Career Blog. Read the full article here.
5 Ways Hiring Managers Can Get Positions Filled Fast
It’s no secret that the economy has fully recovered from the Great Recession. Unemployment is at record lows. The outlook for recent graduates is rosier than it has been in twelve years. And yet, full employment is not a win for everyone, namely, hiring managers who can’t seem to catch a break.
According to research from McKinley Marketing Partners, 44 percent of hiring managers report that they have trouble finding qualified candidates. In today’s market there are more open positions than there are talented professionals to fill them. Hiring managers who are already understaffed not only have to cover for their missing team members, they also have the unenviable task of filling roles in a candidate’s job market.
So how do you find the talent you need when you’re short on time? There’s no magical formula. But there are five practical tactics you can employ today to expedite your hiring process, find the people you need, and get back to doing the work you love.
5 Ways Hiring Managers Can Get Positions Filled Fast
- Create a clear and thorough job description. You don’t want to waste time by creating and publishing inaccurate job postings that attract the wrong candidates. Jobs often morph as the priorities of the company and the needs of the department shift. If you have a job description drafted from the last time the position was vacant, update it to reflect any changes that have occurred. Copying and pasting an old, inaccurate job description slows your hiring process as it will take longer for your hiring team to find the candidates you actually need.
- Become an expert on how your company fills positions. The protocol for hiring varies from company to company. So get friendly with HR. Ask questions. Learn if you have the personnel budget to offer a new team member a permanent position with benefits or if you need to hire a contractor through procurement. Clarity around the hiring process at your organization will help you get the position filled with the right person faster. Get this information ahead of time. Learning as you encounter red tape and roadblocks will slow down the process.
