Hire Better by Communicating with Your Team in the Hiring Process

When you think of the hiring process, who first comes to mind? The boss? The new hire? Human resources? All of these people should be involved, but don’t forget to keep the team up-to-date when conducting interviews.

The hiring process can be exhausting for the candidates and your team. Remember: your company’s image is tied to the hiring process, so be sure to make it as simple and organized as possible.

Start by letting your co-workers know when there will be on-site interviews and that you will be giving potential candidates tours of the facility. Speaking of tours, it’s good practice to give one to every prospective new hire, even if you don’t think you’ll hire them. It’s an appreciative touch that can go a long way, especially if this candidate could be a fit for another role with the company down the road.

Next, be sure that your hiring process isn’t clunky, long, or frustrating. Hiring processes are made to be much more difficult than they have to be all too often, and difficult hiring processes  are a turn off for everyone who is involved – especially the candidates. Your team needs a concrete plan, so be sure to block off a half or full day for interviews for all team members who need to sit in on the interview. Blocking off time in advance for your hiring or interviewing team will avoid schedule conflicts and your team will thank you for making the process easier on them. Be sure to help your team prepare by giving them a printed copy of each candidate’s resume so they can use  their time in the interview efficiently and ask informed questions.

Try to keep the number of interviews per candidate low: two or three interviews is acceptable for non-executive candidates, and three to four interviews is a good range for executives. Candidate fatigue during the interview process is a real problem; fatigued candidates are not likely to recommend your company to friends or colleagues, and may even remove themselves from consideration for the position. Plus, imagine how many hours you’d spend interviewing several candidates repeatedly. Interview smarter  ̶  resume research and phone screenings help you show respect for others’ time.

In the end, it’s all about respecting everyone in the process and streamlining your hiring process for efficiency and effectiveness. The interview process can be a lengthy one for some companies, but if you stay on top of the plan and communicate with all involved, it doesn’t have to be.