How to hire faster: 8 helpful tips

The traditional hiring process usually includes the following steps:

1. Writing a job description

2. Placing job advertisements

3. Screening applications

4. Interviewing candidates

5. Administering pre-employment tests

6. Extending an offer

7. Completing background and/or reference checks

8. Onboarding the new employee

However, you could run into roadblocks at any stage in the process. For example, if you need input from the hiring manager before publishing a job ad, you may have to wait until the manager has time to meet with you.

Fortunately, you can make the hiring process faster and potentially more efficient by leveraging tools and delegating tasks to remove obstacles.

1. Incorporate AI into your hiring process

AI tools are becoming more advanced and feature-rich every day. Their ability to write emails and create job descriptions based on your instructions make them a solid addition to your hiring toolbox. AI can’t interview candidates or administer pre-employment tests (yet), but it can handle some of the repetitive tasks involved in hiring and free you up to handle other critical tasks.

For example, Indeed has an AI tool to reduce the time it takes to write job descriptions. Indeed’s AI Generator helps you describe each job in detail, making it easier to find the right hire in a reasonable amount of time.

AI tools can also help with the following tasks:

• Creating detailed job descriptions

• Screening applications

• Crafting emails to communicate with candidates

2. Partner with third-party recruiters

If you have a small HR team, you may not have enough staff members to screen applications, schedule interviews or complete background checks in a timely manner. This lengthens the hiring process and can make it more challenging for your company to achieve its goals.

One way to solve this problem is to partner with third-party recruiting professionals. For example, if you work for a healthcare organization, you may want to work with a physician recruiting agency instead of hiring an in-house physician recruiter. Third-party recruiters aren’t part of your headcount, so you don’t have to worry about providing full-time compensation and benefits.

3. Update your hiring process

It’s always a good idea to periodically review your hiring process and look for areas to improve. Not only is an optimized process key to reaching qualified candidates, it’s also a good way to speed up the hiring process

As an example, assume that your current hiring process includes one interview and one skills assessment. After one year of collecting data, you realize that 18% of your new hires part ways with the company within six months. This could be a signal that you need to reevaluate your strategy.

However you decide to update your process, ensure that every step brings you closer to an ideal candidate while saving time and resources.

4. Set up an employee referral program

Before conducting interviews, you need a pool of applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job. Setting up an employee referral program makes it easier to identify potential applicants and make sure they’re aware of your job opening. Instead of waiting for people to see your ad and reach out to a recruiter, you can ask employees to share the job description with their friends, family members and professional contacts.

One of the main benefits of employee referral programs is that you have an opportunity to connect with passive candidates. These are people who meet your requirements but aren’t necessarily looking for a job. Referral programs reduce the time it takes to find the right hire, speeding up the hiring process and making it easier to achieve your goals.

Related: The One Question to Get More Out of Employee Referrals

5. Create accurate job descriptions

If you’ve been hiring for any length of time, you’ve probably had at least one strong candidate back out because the information provided during the interview stage didn’t match what you listed in the job description. For example, if you ask for three years of experience and then an interviewer says the job requires seven years of experience, some candidates may withdraw their applications.

If your top candidate withdraws, you may have to start the process all over again, increasing the time it takes to make a quality hire. To prevent this from happening, make sure the job description reflects reality.

Related: Dos and Don’ts for Writing Inclusive Job Descriptions

6. Use templates to communicate with applicants

One of the benefits of learning how to hire employees quickly is that you become adept at identifying high-quality candidates. For example, writing an email from scratch every time you want to communicate with an applicant isn’t a good use of your time. It may take three or four minutes, but multiply that by the number of applications you receive each week, and it’s easy to see why it’s not practical.

To maintain open lines of communication without getting bogged down in emails and phone calls, use as many templates as possible. You can use a template to thank someone for applying, schedule a screening call, set up interviews or ask questions about an applicant’s experience.

7. Post accurate salary ranges

Some states now require employers to include salary ranges in their advertisements. Even if your state doesn’t require it, you should strongly consider including a salary range in every ad. If you do, make sure that range is accurate. Potential employees use the information to determine if your company might be a good fit for their needs.

Providing candidates with an accurate salary range just might be one of the easiest steps to take when learning how to hire faster.

8. Streamline your interview process

Interviews can be time-consuming, especially if you require multiple interview sessions before proceeding to the next stage of the hiring process. If you want to make hires faster, it’s worth reviewing your current process to determine if you can adjust it. For example, if you currently require three interviews, maybe you can reduce it to two without a difference in the quality of your hires.

Another option is to have candidates complete pre-employment testing the same day they complete their interviews. This can be a lot more efficient than scheduling multiple sessions on different days, which may increase the time it takes to find the right person for the role.