Find out what HR needs to do to make the relationship a success
Outsourcing recruiting can offer an overloaded HR department some much-needed relief; it doesn’t mean, though, that hiring managers can completely bow out of the process.
External recruiters may agree to handle much of the heavy lifting involved in sourcing and screening candidates — but to increase the likelihood searches will be effective, hiring managers have to be included.
They need, for example, to provide detailed information to ensure recruiters understand the nuances of the company’s culture and long-term operational plans.
The way hiring managers convey essential job requirements to recruiters is also crucial — and can result in the company gaining exposure to the most ideal professionals or only seeing jobseekers who aren’t right for a role.
If your organization is currently outsourcing recruiting responsibilities — or may in the future — the following steps can help you position external recruiters to track down the best possible candidates:
Research position requirements
Recruiters said in a 2016 Indeed survey that identifying HR staff members who were qualified to uncover top industry talent was the most challenging aspect of hiring for tech roles; which indicates some recruiters have likely been struggling to obtain a vivid picture of what qualifications candidates need to fill vacant positions in the industry.
The problem isn’t limited just to the tech sector; 61 percent of hiring managers said they have a low to moderate understanding of the jobs they’re recruiting for, according to a survey conducted by the iCIMS Hire Expectations Institute. To prepare to be able to accurately inform recruiters, familiarize yourself with the proficiencies that are needed to excel in roles your company is looking to create or fill; the general career stages professionals in the industry have commonly reached by the time they possess key skills — and any additional experience that could be beneficial.
Collaborate with recruiters to define search perimeters
More than three-quarters of the companies that iCIMS’ research found have the best hiring manager/recruiter relationships and also fill open positions faster than the average time period personally discuss job requirements with their recruiter, either in person or on the phone. Sixty-seven percent of organizations prepare screening and/or interview questions with their recruiter.
Respond within a reasonable time frame
More than half of professional recruiters feel hiring managers cause the biggest hiring process bottlenecks by slowing down the pace, according to a survey conducted by Jobvite. Qualification hurdles seem to particularly be an issue: 43 percent of recruiters say hiring managers take too long to review resumes.
Be open to change
External recruiters can provide a fresh perspective — including, potentially, advice on how to improve candidate experience. A quarter of recruiters, for example, say they’ve witnessed candidates being forced to sit through interviews that lasted for four hours or more. If your recruiter is receiving negative feedback from candidates about interview length or another aspect of the process, it may be time to reconsider the format you’ve been using.
Set realistic hiring-related goals
Although external recruiters may be able to dedicate more time to candidate searches than your department can, they won’t necessarily produce a magical outcome. To avoid unnecessary tension, base hiring time targets off past recruiting experiences, not what you hope could ideally happen. More than half of recruiters (54 percent) say hiring managers expect them to place candidates in hard-to-fill positions more quickly than is possible, according to iCIMS.
If, instead of outsourcing recruiting, your organization is planning on executing all aspects of the hiring process in-house, it’s still a good idea to clearly define all necessary job requirements and educate team members about what each position involves.
For more tips on making the hiring process successful, our blogs on in-person recruiting events, clever techniques companies are using to recruit candidates, three signs a candidate is ready for a leadership role and how to use big data analytics in recruitment can provide some additional help.