3 Strategies to Transform Your Recruitment Success in 2018

As we near the end of 2017, the talent shortage shows no sign of abating. Unemployment remains stubbornly low and the availability of key skills continues to jeopardise HR’s ability to source qualified candidates.

Implement these strategies within your business to streamline and transform your hiring process in 2018:-

1. Align hiring decisions with your recruitment data

One in five hiring managers decide on the suitability of a candidate within five minutes of meeting them, dismissing all data gathered during initial screening. 40% decide within the first 15 minutes. Just one third of interviewers delay their decision until all interviews have been carried out.

This is an example of ‘confirmation bias’, a firm, pre-existing belief in our minds for which we seek out evidence to support. In recruitment, a hiring manager may prefer candidates from similar social or educational backgrounds, for example. Applicants who meet those unconscious preferences are more likely to be recruited, perpetuating the problems in a broken hiring process as potential talent is eliminated from your pipeline.

To overcome this issue:-

Introduce the use of anonymised CVs as standard in your hiring process. One of the simplest ways to achieve this is by removing screening filters relating to factors including gender, race, education and candidate name in your applicant tracking software. In addition:-

• Aim for gender neutral language in your job posts.
• Integrate extensive pre-hire screening tests, including asynchronous video interviews and psychometric tests to enhance objectivity.
• Align your decision on candidate selection with the data available in your recruitment software to reduce the risk of a bad hire. A 2015 study carried out by the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded that employees selected by algorithms remained in their jobs 15% longer than those selected by recruitment professionals.

To further place this in context, the CIPD reported in October that only a third of HR managers are confident they are not prejudiced during their recruitment process. Nearly half admitted that their candidate selection is affected by inherent bias.

Your recruitment data either reinforces or challenges your choice of candidate. Any challenge must be seriously considered by HR.

2.R eview your approach to background screening

The tendency for employers to substitute background checks with a cursory review of social media profiles has resulted in concerns over recruitment being treated like a ‘tick-box exercise’. It is a practice which HR needs to review before the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is introduced on 25 May 2018.

As part of GDPR, employers must:-

• Provide clear details to both employees and candidates on how their personal data will be processed.
• Comply with the new requirements related to record keeping.

Early indications suggest that hiring teams who review the social media profiles of applicants (or their employees) must have a viable justification for this approach in order to avoid breaking the law. An estimated one fifth of employers have rejected candidates as a result of their online activity.

Automating basic elements of reference checks, including DBS and mandatory credit agency checks through your recruitment software frees up HR’s time to focus on a more robust approach to background screening.

3. Provide candidate feedback as standard

Graduate careers app Debut launched its Fight For Feedback campaign in the summer in response to a report which suggested that four out of five candidates receive no post-interview feedback from HR. The campaign aims to make it a legal requirement for employers to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Providing post interview feedback enhances your employer brand, which is directly linked to the quality of candidates exploring your job posts. Disgruntled job seekers are quick to vocalise their frustration on social media.

Debut recommends the following:-

• Limit your time in preparing and delivering feedback to 15 minutes per candidate.
• Deliver that feedback within three workings days - providing you have a formal acceptance from your chosen candidate. If that acceptance is not immediately forthcoming, maintaining contact with your back-up candidate is essential.

Unsuccessful 'close match' candidates can be transferred (with their permission) into your talent pool to be considered as prospects for future job openings.

HR technology which automates time consuming repetitive tasks can free up the time required to compile this information, while providing essential data for constructive feedback.

Keep in mind too that feedback should be reciprocal. Hiring managers are often unaware of issues within the candidate experience as they don’t request feedback from the candidates themselves. A formal request for feedback can be integrated within your recruitment software. The resulting insights could prove vital to your ability to attract talent with the skills your business needs in 2018.

Orginal article from https://recruitmentbuzz.co.uk/3-strategies-transform-recruitment-success-2018/