9 hiring hacks to elevate your recruiting strategy

Hiring is made easy with the following recruiter hacks. Use these to simplify existing procedures and attract better candidates to your open positions.

1. Automate your recruitment process with AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an increasingly vital part of business operations. And hiring is no exception. A growing number of companies have turned to AI to improve recruitment processes, often using the tool to help speed up screening versus reviewing hundreds of resumes manually.

AI programs can take your hiring criteria into account as they scan resumes, leaving you with a curated pile of potential hires. This saves time and allows hiring managers to conserve their attention for the most relevant applicants.

Other parts of the hiring process may also benefit from automation. For example, when you’re dealing with several candidates all at once, coordinating interview schedules can be quite time-consuming.

Reduce this back-and-forth with help from a calendar app that allows interviewees to book their own time slot based on your availability. Time-savers like these can give time back to leaving your hiring team so they canto focus on other tasks.

2. Consider using recruitment marketing

Recruitment marketing is a hiring strategy that uses marketing techniques to attract professionals to open positions.

This strategy essentially “sells” your company to industry professionals with relevant skills. It’s a proactive way to get ahead of the competition by building up the external perception of your brand so that individuals want to work for you. Marketing your company may also entice passive job seekers who need an extra push to make a career change.

Examine your hiring journey. Let’s say a candidate receives your request for an interview. As they begin to research your business, will they walk away with a positive impression? If the answer is yes, they may be more inclined to accept your request for a meeting.

When candidates have options, generating excitement around your company can give you an edge over the competition.

3. Use more videos in hiring

In this age, everyone is accustomed to consuming videos. Incorporating this tool into your hiring process can save time, attract more candidates and connect you with a wider pool of applicants. Here are a few easy ways you can include videos while hiring:

• Put a company video on the Careers page of your website to highlight the type of culture you have.
• Consider using one-way video interviews. This lets you quickly screen through applicants without having to schedule 1:1 time with every person.
• Allow candidates to choose a video interview so they don’t have to commute.
• Create a video for each position, highlighting the role and what it’ll entail. For example, if you’re hiring an accountant, the accounting team can introduce themselves in the video as future teammates.
• Conduct interviews over video chat to make meetings more accessible to long-distance applicants.

4. Launch referral bonuses

Access to better candidates might be hiding inside your office. For many companies, current team members are a reliable recruitment source.Happy employees are your biggest cheerleaders. And if they know someone who could be a good fit for an open position, they can do a lot of the work for you. By talking up your workplace and explaining the details of the role, their firsthand accounts of working at your organization can be powerful.

Offering referral bonuses can sweeten the deal. These incentives reward existing employees who refer successful candidates to your hiring crew. Referral bonuses are a win-win situation for everyone. Typically, your employees will only recommend candidates they know are good workers. Because the reference reflects on them, they’ll be mindful about who they recommend. This essentially means the candidate undergoes an initial screening before they’re introduced to you.

Additionally, your employees will likely appreciate the chance to earn a little bonus money. Rewarding them for such efforts can help them feel happier and more connected to the brand. And because creating a referral program takes minimal effort, you might see benefits sooner rather than later.

5. Get rid of unnecessary steps for candidates

If you haven’t updated your hiring process in a while, it might be time for a reassessment. As new strategies mix with old ones, tedious procedures can go unnoticed.

For example, consider an employer who asks applicants to upload a copy of their resume and then asks them to fill out a form detailing the same information. Upon closer review, this second step appears redundant.

Job seekers value their time. Eliminating unnecessary steps from your hiring process shows that you do too. With a streamlined procedure, candidates are more likely to see their application through to the end.

Try to sit down and pretend to be an applicant. Going through your entire hiring process, from application to interviews, can illuminate any steps worth removing. In the end, you may be left with happier and more eager candidates.

6. Take external employee reviews seriously

Job seekers may turn to external review sites before submitting their applications. These spaces give professionals a platform where they can share their workplace experiences. And surprisingly, they can greatly affect a company’s hiring prospects.

Taking a look at reviews of your company can be enlightening. They may offer valuable insight into the employee experience and might even prompt you to make some adjustments.

Responding to these reviews can show future candidates that you value feedback of all sorts. A thoughtful reply demonstrates empathy and a willingness to improve. Plus, it indicates that your company culture can be a positive force, even in the face of criticism.

7. Build up your brand

Curious candidates become sleuths when they’re interested in a company. To prepare for their prying eyes, it’s worthwhile to spend time cultivating your employer brand.

Good branding can show job seekers that your business is definitely a place they want to work. An established reputation as a balanced, supportive and positive employer can make you more attractive to experienced candidates.

Make the most of every medium to build your brand. A sleek website, active social media accounts and enthusiastic brand ambassadors can spread the word about your company. Showcase employee life, your organization’s values and the workplace culture to find new team members eager to be a part of it.

8. Collect data and feedback

A little bit of data can help you assess your recruitment strategies and find out where there’s room for growth.Consider sending out a survey asking for feedback from every candidate who goes through the hiring process. Their responses can help you pinpoint core hiring barriers. You might discover that your salary compensation is below market value or that candidates think the interview process needs to be shorter.Adjusting accordingly can prevent the same issues from popping up later.

Recruitment data can reveal some other valuable insights. For example, track which point of the hiring journey you have the biggest drop off of applicants. If it’s at the application stage, you might need to rework your application form. Alternatively, if you lose a lot of people after handing out a formal offer, it might indicate your salary offering is too low. This is all crucial information to collect, track and respond to so you can effectively optimize your hiring process.

9. Rally a hiring committee

Hiring committees take on the recruitment process as a seamless unit. Rather than designating the entire process to a single person, these groups take on the task as a team. From reviewing applications and interviewing candidates to choosing an applicant to fill the position, all members of the committee contribute to the effort.

Relying on a hiring committee means each new employee will undergo a multifaceted review before they’re offered a job. This can make evaluations more objective, while the variety of perspectives makes for a more comprehensive assessment. Plus, early access to a group can make the onboarding process easier for new hires.

FAQs about hiring hacks

How can I reduce bias in the recruitment process?

Unconscious bias might lead you to miss out on quality candidates. Taking steps to reduce it can strengthen your team and increase workplace diversity. Some bias-minimizing techniques include:

• Removing gender-coded language from job descriptions
• Standardizing your interview process
• Conducting initial screenings over the phone
• Administering skills tests
• Opting for panel interviews over one-on-one methods

How can an employee value proposition strengthen the recruitment process?

An employee value proposition, or EVP, is a statement of benefits that a company has to offer its employees. Specifically, it’s meant to set a business apart from the competition in the hopes that a candidate will be inclined to apply. Creating an EVP and communicating it early on can entice job seekers who share your company’s values. It also makes for a simple way to show experienced candidates why their skills are well-suited to your professional pursuits.

How can I measure the success of my recruiting strategies?

Hiring methods are best measured using key performance indicators, or KPIs. These are quantifiable metrics that fluctuate according to a strategy’s success. Evaluate the success of your hiring hacks by tracking these KPIs:

• The number of quality candidates per job post
• Offer acceptance rate
• Time to hire
• New hire turnover rate
• Application completion rate
• Candidate callback rate
• Retention rate

How can I create a positive candidate experience?

Wanting to make a good first impression with candidates is only natural. After all, they might become a permanent part of your team. To improve the candidate experience, be conscious of how user-friendly your hiring procedures are.

This means streamlining your application forms, communicating effectively with candidates and letting them know what to expect from the process in advance. With a little effort, your recruitment strategy can be comfortable for you and your potential hires.