You wouldn’t apply to a job without updating your resume, defining your target salary, or doing research on your future employer.  Good candidates are prepared for their interviews, yet many employers are lacking in their own preparation for the hiring process.  

The expectation that candidates are solely responsible the success of their application is outdated and ignores the staffing challenges that organizations are facing.  Companies must be prepared with an approved hiring process; from job description to negotiation before a job is ever viewed by applicants. Piecing together a process along the way fails to recognize the time and talent scarcity in today’s hiring market.

Technology talent is being bombarded with offers to interview and impressive compensation packages.  If you’ve been able to get the attention of an engineer, the clock is ticking.

Create a step-by-step hiring process that is well-defined at every stage. Everyone plays a critical role in moving the candidate forward. Define how many rounds of interviews are appropriate, designate interviewers’ roles to avoid redundancy, and delegate key decision makers who will make the hiring call.  If senior management needs to be involved in the final approval, confirm (and re-confirm) their availability. Calculate how long your process will take – is it days? Is it weeks?

We associate the hiring process with time spent in interviews. However, every step demands the candidate’s time as well as the time of your hiring team, HR, and executive team. Be upfront about background check policies and timelines, vaccine requirements, remote work policies, or technical tests.

Confirm the offer letter delivery process, how compensation negotiations will be handled (and by whom) and establish a budget within which you are allowed to operate. If your interview process isn’t tightened up, efficient, and approved, you will find candidates taking other interviews or offers as you fumble through next steps.

Once your process is established, quantify the time that each step will take. Consider creating a mock schedule to iron out any potential delays. Can you flatten and tighten the process by a few days? A week? Every additional day that your process goes on without actionable progress is an opening for another company’s job.

Not sure how to define or tighten up your process? Get expert advice from our team. We can walk you through the potential bottlenecks and roadblocks. If hiring in 2022 is your goal, make sure you have time on your side.