Dear Barb:
How do we get our clients to hire faster? They take their sweet old time and often my candidates lose interest. They don’t realize top talent is getting harder to find and seem to be waiting for the perfect candidate before they make their decision. Too often they delay me for weeks and then don’t extend an offer to my candidate. They need to realize they have to shorten the interview process. This problem seems to be getting worse since the first of the year.
Jake M., Minneapolis, MN
Dear Jake:
Clients often shorten the interview process when you send in a rock star. They combine interviews and do all they can to attract this person to their company. If the interview process is delayed, chances are they are not in love with your candidates and are still interviewing. They don’t tell you that your candidate is “out” because they are the best they’ve seen so far. You can solve this issue by doing the following:
- Obtain interview times when you write your job order to ensure send-outs
- Identify what problem exists as a result of this position being open
- Obtain a specific date to hire vs. ASAP, Yesterday or Immediately
- Have the name of an alternate person who can confirm interviews
- Know what is missing in the candidates interviewed to date
- Confirm there are no internal candidates being considered
- Send a copy of your job order to everyone involved in the hiring process so you know everyone is on the same page
- Ask if there are companies they respect and would love to attract talent from
- Share written expectations with clients so they understand the WIIFM (What’s In If For Me) of feedback and communicating with you
- Back fill anyone eliminated from the interview process – so you have 2-3 candidates in the final interview process
Rather than focus on what your client needs to change, figure out what changes you can make to provide the top talent your client will hire. It is true that time kills deals which is why it’s important to send the best candidates in the market vs. the best candidates in your database!
Barbara J. Bruno, CPC, CTS
Would you like to Ask Barb a question? Email her at support@staffingandrecruiting.com. Each month in The Fordyce Letter print edition, Barbara Bruno answers questions from individuals in the Recruiting Profession. We will bring you some of these Q&A responses from Barb each week on FordyceLetter.com.