How to Improve Your Hiring

and Recruitment Process

Hiring new talent is an inevitable part of being a

business leader, and it’s more complicated than
simply reviewing resumes and conducting
interviews. Recruiting mistakes, like a poorly crafted
job description or lack of communication about
applications, can deter a qualified candidate from
seeking employment with you. However, with the
right hiring and onboarding process in place, you
will soon be able to recruit and hire the best
candidates.

What is a hiring process?

A hiring process is a step-by-step method to find, recruit and
hire new employees. A good hiring process will help you
attract and retain high-quality employees who match your
brand. The specific elements of a hiring process are unique to
each company, but there are general steps every business can
follow to attract and hire qualified candidates.

What steps are in the hiring process?

Although the specific steps in your hiring process should be
unique to your company (and sometimes even to the open
position you are hiring for), most hiring processes include 10
basic steps.
1. Write a job description that accurately reflects
your hiring needs.
A job description is one of the first interactions a job applicant
has with your organization. Make sure you are writing good
job descriptions that accurately reflect your brand and the role
you are hiring for.
For example, you want to be clear about the specific
responsibilities and requirements, and use some brand-
specific language that gives the job applicant a feel for your
company culture. Explain what you need from them and what
you can provide them in return.
A well-written job description will help weed out candidates
who aren’t the right fit, so it should leave you with a more
focused group of resumes to evaluate.

2. Advertise and recruit for the open position.

Once you have your job description, the next step is to
advertise it and recruit for the open position. Post it in
multiple locations such as your careers page, job boards, job
fairs and social media. Encourage your staff to reach out to
their networks for the position as well.
Zuraida Curtis, employment law editor at XpertHR, advises
businesses looking to create a good recruitment strategy to
follow these tips:
1. Analyze. Take a close look at your business needs
as well as your goals and objectives.
2. Identify. Know your long-term plans for expansion
or reduction in staff, critical roles in the business,
and any gaps that need to be filled. Be on the
 lookout for seasonal fluctuations in staffing
requirements.
3. Determine. Figure out the best recruitment method
for your business. Job searches via social media
are increasing, for example, so you could use this
method to target candidates with specific skill sets.
4. Secure. Provide a competitive salary and
opportunities for personal growth within your
business. In a Citation survey, 13% of employers
said salary is the most important factor in employee
retention.
5. Establish. Choose and implement a method to
measure results and test whether your strategy is
working. Establish a training budget to develop and
enhance your employees’ skills and knowledge.

3. Analyze candidate resumes, cover letters, and

applications.
As applications start flowing in, you’ll need to come up with a
process to review them. You can allocate one or more people
to review applications and narrow down your viable
candidates. You can also use some form of recruiting
software, like an applicant tracking system (ATS).
An ATS helps analyze candidates and searches for any flaws
in the hiring process. It filters candidates according to hiring
needs and makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to
view an applicant’s performance. The software can’t make
wise decisions about who to hire, but it simplifies relevant
keywords in a resume, aligning candidates with your
business’s needs and wants.
With automatic rankings, you can compare resumes against
your job description. The software then forwards the resumes
with the highest matches to the next stage. It’s also a powerful
solution to coordinate the candidate pipeline and ensure
quality candidates are not lost in the shuffle.

4. Conduct a phone interview for the initial screening.

After narrowing down your pool of job applicants, conduct a
phone screen interview with each of the top candidates. A
phone interview is a brief preliminary screening that takes
about 15 to 30 minutes. Keep phone screens as uniform as
possible. Ask a few basic “get to know you” questions, as
well as inquiries about their skills and experience and their
interest in the company and position. This interview should
give you a sense of who the person is and what soft skills they
possess. [Related: Illegal Job Interview Questions]
Tip
When conducting phone screenings, look out for
red flags such as negativity, unpreparedness, lack
of curiosity or poor cultural fit.

5. Conduct final-round interviews.

Your phone interviews should narrow down your pool of
candidates. Conduct in-person interviews with the candidates
remaining (or video conferencing interviews, if recruiting
remotely). These interviews are more in-depth, helping you
select your top candidates. Have multiple people partake in
these interviews to get a broader picture of how well each
candidate will fit within the organization and role.
6. Have the job applicant perform applicable
assessments.
Depending on the role you are hiring for, you may want job
applicants to perform applicable assessments. For example, if
you are hiring for a copyediting position, you may have the
candidate perform an editing exercise. Someone hiring for a
sales position may have the candidate give a sample sales
pitch based on a specific product the company sells.
Assessments aren’t always necessary, but they test whether
the candidate can perform the responsibilities of the role. The
assessment can be performed before, during, or after the
formal interview.

7. Run a background check and check references.

Contacting references and running pre-employment
background checks is an important part of the hiring process,
often as one of the final steps. There are many great
background check companies that can help you run legally
compliant background checks.
The purpose of a background check is to ensure the candidate
is legally fit for the position; however, you should avoid
discriminating against candidates based on their results. For
example, refusing to hire a candidate with multiple traffic
violations would be valid for a truck driving position, but it’s
not relevant to a marketing position.

8. Make a hiring decision.

Use the knowledge you’ve gained about your job candidates
throughout the hiring process to make a final decision about
who to hire. Consult all parties who spoke with each
candidate to make a more informed decision. Consider
qualifications and cultural fit, but don’t make decisions based
on biases or discrimination.
“Try to avoid hiring on gut instinct,” Curtis told Business
News Daily. “Have a structured hiring process with an
effective interview process. Verify qualifications through the
interview process and complete background checks such as
references.”

9. Extend a job offer.

Extend a job offer to your top pick. Highly qualified
candidates are typically not on the market for long, so extend
the job offer quickly once you’ve decided who to hire. Include
information regarding salary and benefits, and be prepared for
some negotiation during this time.

10. Hire and onboard the new employee.

Your employee onboarding process can make a big difference
in how successful your new hire is within your organization.
First, send the necessary paperwork to the candidate for them
to sign. If you use recruiting software, it will likely have e-
signature capabilities, allowing new employees to accept an
offer and complete onboarding paperwork remotely.
Comprehensive programs take it one step further, automating
the entire onboarding process and providing your new hire
with all the training and materials they need. This will not
only set up the employee for success, but it can also improve
employee retention.
Key Takeaway
Most hiring processes include basic steps like
recruiting, interviewing, screening, hiring and
onboarding employees.

How to improve your hiring process

If you already have a hiring process in place, there is a good
chance it can be enhanced to better serve your business needs.
Here are 13 tips to improve your hiring process.

1. Build a strong employer brand.

More than 75% of professionals are passive candidates who
aren’t currently looking for a job but are open to new
opportunities. Building a strong employer brand not
only reduces employee turnover by 28%, it also attracts these
passive candidates to your company over others.
A Glassdoor survey found that 69% of respondents are likely
to apply for a job if the employer actively manages its brand
by responding to reviews, updating the company’s profile, and
sharing updates on the company’s culture and work
environment.
When you focus on building a well-known employer brand,
you won’t have to do as much active recruiting. You’ll be a
highly sought-after organization, teeming with applicants.

2. Answer candidate FAQs.

Another excellent recruitment strategy is to create a page or
section on your website that addresses questions candidates
often ask. Many candidates may be reluctant to apply for jobs
because they still need answers to certain questions before
they apply. You can either take specific questions new
candidates have asked you or ask your present employees
what questions they had before they were hired. This will help
you create a page that covers the concerns candidates may
have, saving you and your candidates time while also making
applicants aware of what the job entails.

3. Move as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Officevibe reported that the best candidates are off the market
in 10 days. Act quickly, especially when you know you’re
interested in a specific applicant. Even if you haven’t made a
decision yet, follow up with the candidate often, discussing
further details of the position to ensure you’re on their radar.
Respond to any questions or concerns right away to keep them
updated throughout the process.

4. Write better job descriptions.

Many companies write job descriptions with lists of
responsibilities and requirements, but a study found that this
can alienate qualified employees, The Wall Street Journal
reported.
In the study, U.S. and Canadian researchers rewrote 56 job
ads to emphasize two different approaches: the Needs-
Supplies approach, which focuses on what the company can
do for the candidate, and the Demands-Abilities approach,
which focuses on what the company expects from the
candidate. Of the 991 responses, applicants who responded to
Needs-Supplies job listings were rated higher than those who
responded to the Demands-Abilities ads.
Focus on what your company can do for potential employees,
and you’ll attract candidates who better fit your needs.
5. Embrace digital trends and social media.
Most people want to work for companies that keep up with
the latest tech trends. Part of embracing the digital age means
using public social media profiles for candidate research. Like
most employers, you’ll probably conduct a standard pre-
employment background check on applicants, but the
candidate’s social media profiles can offer more details about
the individual as a person and an employee, for better or for
worse.
While it’s legally risky to allow a candidate’s social media
activity to factor into your hiring decisions, as that can result
in unconscious bias or discrimination, it can give you a better
picture of a job applicant you’re interested in hiring.
Tip
Before turning to social media, learn about the best
background check services.

6. Leverage social media for recruiting.

Social recruiting is a great strategy to ensure you’re reaching
the right audience and attracting talent to your brand and
culture, said Kayla Vatalaro, global head of Asana’s impact
growth and social impact, and formerly its global head of
talent acquisition.
“We believe in the power of the employee voice to tell the
Asana story, and our employees have a significant influence
on social media,” Vatalaro said. “Every week across our
social channels, our employer brand team shares an Asana
Women Wednesday post, featuring the great work of one of
the women from our global team.”
Vatalaro said this form of employee advocacy has increased
traffic to the company’s careers page and become a crucial
part of its recruitment and talent management strategy.
You can also rely on your employees’ extensive personal and
professional connections, via social media as well as friends
and acquaintances, as a potentially golden opportunity to
recruit talented workers.

7. Utilize employee referrals.

One of the best ways to hire quality candidates is through
referrals from current employees or people in your network.
Referrals are a good way to screen potential candidates before
interviewing them. If your trusted employee recommends a
previous colleague or a friend whose work experience they
know well, it gives you a level of security knowing this new
applicant can do good work. When hiring a stranger, there is
less certainty about a candidate’s work ethic and potential fit
on the team.
While you shouldn’t give referrals preferential treatment, a
recommendation from someone already on staff or in your
network is an added benefit for that applicant. Ensure that the
candidate’s qualifications make them an ideal fit for the job,
and use the referral as insurance that you’re making the right
hiring decision.
One way to solicit referrals from current employees is to
implement a referral bonus program. If an employee refers an
applicant and that applicant eventually gets hired, the
employee who referred the new hire can receive some sort of
monetary compensation. Even if the bonus is only a few
hundred dollars, it makes employees more willing to
recommend people they know are quality candidates. The cost
tends to pay off, as data suggests that referral hires can save
companies $3,000 in fees that would otherwise be spent on
recruiters and job postings.
Did You Know?
An employee referral program can improve
employee retention in the long run.

8. Optimize for mobile.

A mobile-friendly hiring process is one of the best ways to
draw in candidates. According to SmartRecruiters, close to
90% of job seekers use a mobile device when looking for a
new job opportunity. That number has risen exponentially
over the past few years.
To that end, your app or website should allow candidates to
accept offers, hold live video interviews, complete referral
tasks, and self-schedule interviews. For retention purposes,
you can also build in functions for new employees: an
interactive employee handbook, benefits registration, access
to PTO balances and more.

9. Fit the personality to the job.

Although the right skill set may seem like the most important
factor in whether a candidate is a good fit, the truth is that
skills can be acquired, but personalities cannot.
During the selection process, consider how a candidate’s
personality traits align with the daily job tasks. For instance, a
trait such as empathy would be much more important for a
nurse or a social worker than it would be for a tax attorney or
a computer programmer.
“What kind of person you hire depends on [the] culture of
organization and the kind of job,” said Dr. Maynard Brusman,
a San Francisco-based psychologist and founding principal of
consulting firm Working Resources. “A great person with all
kinds of skills may be a good fit for one and a poor fit for
another, simply based on their personality type.”

10. Improve your interviews.

A study by Leadership IQ found that failures exhibited by
new employees may result from flawed interview processes.
In the study, 82% of the 5,000 managers surveyed reported
that the interviewers were too focused on other issues, too
pressed for time, or lacked the confidence in their
interviewing abilities to pay attention to red flags.
According to Leadership IQ CEO Mark Murphy, this is
because the job interview process focuses on making sure new
hires are technically competent, whereas other factors that are
just as important to employee success – like coachability,
emotional intelligence, temperament and motivation – are
often overlooked.
Interviewing the candidate
One way to improve the interview process is to double up on
interviewers. Multiple interviewers in the room at once can
have several benefits:
• It shortens the interview process.
• It lightens the load of hiring managers.
• It hands employers a better opportunity to give
candidates honest feedback.
Doug Camplejohn, CEO and founder of Airspeed, previously
advised hiring managers to have an open discussion about the
interview in front of the candidate as if they weren’t in the
room. It may seem strange, but he said candidates appreciated
the candor.
“It’s a much more honest process than saying your thank-yous
and then rejecting someone over email or through a recruiter,”
Camplejohn said. “Even candidates who we’ve passed on
have commented on how refreshing the process is and asked
to stay in touch.”
Letting the candidate interview you
Allow prospective employees to interview you as well.
Letting candidates ask questions gives you a chance to see
what’s important to them, Brusman said. It also lets them
determine whether they want to keep pursuing a job at your
company, or to decide that it’s not the right fit for them.
“Be open and honest about what it’s going to be like to work
for your company,” Brusman said. “You want to give a
realistic preview of the work environment.”

11. Offer quality employee benefits and perks.

A comprehensive selection of employee benefits and perks
can be a good way to attract a diverse and talented applicant
pool. In addition to competitive salaries and good company
culture, companies that offer work-life balance and
comprehensive health insurance packages appeal to a broad
range of candidates. There are plenty of traditional work
benefits that attract top talent, and there’s no shortage
of unusual and creative perk options either.
Flexible work offerings, like the ability to telecommute, have
become very popular with employees since the beginning of
the pandemic. According to FlexJobs, 58% of workers said
they want a fully remote job, 39% prefer a hybrid
arrangement, and only 3% want to return to fully in-person
work. Being flexible with schedules and offering remote work
not only appeals to today’s workforce, but it has also become
nearly essential to attract and retain employees.
Tip
Wondering which employee benefits you should
offer? Check out our guide on how to build a great
employee benefits package.
When you’re highlighting your benefits to prospective
employees, you can also highlight other features such as the
efforts your company goes to create a culture of diversity and
inclusion, and the opportunities for advancement that are
available to employees.

12. Use recruiting software.

Recruiting software is designed to automate the tedious parts
of recruiting, doing much more than you would be able to
handle manually. It can easily blast out multiple customized
job postings, send bulk rejection or welcome emails, and
automatically transition candidates to the next phase of the
recruiting process based on preset configurations. When
recruiting software tracks your candidates every step of the
way, you reach the best candidates and streamline the hiring
process. If you’re looking for a more robust option, most HR
software providers have options to help streamline recruiting.
Automation and tracking capabilities increase your hiring
efficiency, allowing recruiters to focus on what matters:
engaging with great candidates. This reduces recruiting time
and increases employee engagement and satisfaction. Some
recruiting software can handle multiple aspects of the
onboarding process for you. Recruiting software that provides
analytics gives you insight into how your hiring process is
performing and where you can improve.
13. Keep an eye on your reviews.
Potential employees often seek insider information about
companies they want to work for, and this includes salary
estimates, interview tips, and reviews from current and former
employees from sites such as Glassdoor. Studies show
that 86% of Glassdoor users read company reviews and
ratings before deciding to apply for a job. Top candidates may
not even apply in the first place if they don’t like what they
see: 50% of job seekers said they would not take a job with a
company that had a bad reputation, even for a pay increase.
Two actions that draw in candidates include being active on
review websites and posting accurate information. If you have
a lot of negative reviews from former employees, it may be
time to work on your company culture before you try to fill
any open positions. This can improve your employee retention
and lead to more positive reviews that will attract quality
employees.