Breaking Bad Hiring Habits in 2021

Hiring is not an easy task, and there is so much pressure on recruiters to find great talent amidst an increasingly challenging hiring landscape, so it can be easy for recruiters to fall into bad habits. Luckily, the hiring process offers an opportunity to improve and learn from each new hire constantly. Breaking bad hiring habits can be tricky, but addressing them may lead to a stronger hiring process over time.

Taking Too Long

Slow hiring processes are bad hiring habits. This may be doing more harm than good, as this can create a poor candidate experience and have your clients losing out on the best candidates.  A drawn-out hiring decision may very well have top talent look elsewhere in this competitive job market.

It is worthwhile to thoroughly analyze what makes the hiring process so lengthy and come up with methods to shorten it. One way to do this is by incorporating technology platforms that help to streamline the process. Predictive assessments can also be done to provide quick objective insights to bolster decisions.

Ignoring Candidate Experience

Candidate experience should never be ignored. We are in a candidate’s market, as candidates have more options now, especially those who have high-demand skills. It is imperative to be fully communicative with candidates throughout the entire recruitment cycle. If a recruiter takes too long to follow up, they risk losing them to another job offer.

Weighting one Factor Above Others

Each hiring decision factor makes a difference. Your clients must evaluate each candidate in a holistic way and avoid weighing one factor above all others so decisions are not biased, such as putting too much time in the interview and only hiring people based on personality. The decision should not be limited by only focusing on a single hiring factor and missing out on major factors that could be speaking volumes about other candidates.

Not Calling References

It is worth the time and effort to call candidates’ references. This can provide so much information about a candidate that would otherwise go unheard. At the very least, calling references can help solidify a decision to hire someone and negative references can prevent recruiters from making a decision they would regret.

Not Questioning your Intuition

Intuition can play a powerful role in deciding on a hire. However, recruiters should always take the time to question those feelings to make sure they aren’t coming from a biased place. If a certain candidate is favored on a personal level, and intuition says to hire them, but their references and assessment scores are not the best, it is worth investigating this so a decision can be more deliberate. This will ultimtely allow the recruiter to get closer to hiring the person who is truly the best fit for the job.

Making False Promises

If there are not enough applicants coming through, there are plenty of ways to boost this and modify sourcing tactics to attract great candidates. However, all too often, recruiters try to do this by making false promises. By luring candidates in with dishonesty about the nature of the position, this will ultimately waste precious hiring time when they inevitably drop out of the hiring process. Plus, if an individual is hired based on empty promises, this will likely decrease employee retention and increase the cost of turnover. Why risk going back to square one to find someone to fill that same position? The goal is to find the candidate who is the best “fit” for the job; so manipulation must stay out of the picture for a better long-term result.

About World Wide Specialty Programs

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