For 15 years I have been telling my career transition clients that the recruiting process at most companies is stupid and broken. It is possibly the truest and most valuable thing I tell them. As a candidate, if you’re expecting the process to be smooth or to make sense, you will likely be disappointed. 

That said, good companies (like yours!) would like to hire good candidates. In order to do that, you need to seem like an employer that is worth working for and one who seems, more or less, to have their act together. 

A recent post of mine on LinkedIn opened Pandora’s Box regarding what job seekers are frustrated about. There were many of the same things I have been hearing for years, but the volume was turned up to 11. People are pissed. And understandably so. 

Here are some of the things you might want to do when hiring:

Create a concise and accurate job description

I have read thousands of job descriptions at this point. This is one of the most important parts of the recruiting process and so many companies do this wrong. Often, new job descriptions are cobbled together from previous job descriptions, and may not be current. Or, a junior person or someone who was unfamiliar with the job function may have created the job description with limited input and oversight. Critical required skills or industry experience may not be included, which makes candidates crazy. 

Some companies try to cover all the bases and create a four-page job description that no person could do as one job. Also, no single person would have all the skills required to do everything listed. This makes candidates nuts because they have no idea how to decide if they are a fit or not. 

Ditto for the cryptic job description that gives no detail.

For a new role, the company may be off base with what it is looking for and I find the candidate may have a better idea of what is really needed in that role. It’s a case of the company not knowing what they don’t know, which is also very frustrating for candidates. 

Consider your cover letter requirement

Are cover letters needed or helpful? Should you ask candidates to write one? I can tell you that they hate doing it, but cover letters can help employers gain insights into how a candidate thinks and why they feel they are a good fit. I think employers should only ask for cover letters if someone is going to read them.

From the candidate’s side, writing a strong cover letter can help you make your case if you don’t have exactly what the company is looking for but have some transferable skills. They also work well if you need to call attention to something you have done earlier in your career. 

Communicate with applicants who are not moving forward

Nobody likes getting rejection letters, but if someone took the time to send in an application, you should at least acknowledge that and tell them they will not be moving forward. 

Communicate with a successful candidates about their progression and timeline 

If a candidate is in the interview cycle, keep them posted on their progress. Follow up even if you are scrambling to get on several people’s calendars, or if the hiring manager is on vacation. Interviewing is really stressful and you will build good will with a candidate by communicating regularly throughout the process. 

Respect the candidate’s time

Everyone is busy. Give the candidate enough notice and a few options for interviews. They will get a good impression about how your company treats people. A little respect goes a long way.

Limit the scope of a presentation

For certain positions at higher levels, it is usual and appropriate to have the candidate do a presentation on some topic. As the potential employer, you will see how this person thinks and gain insights into how they might fit in the role. 

Please limit the scope of these presentations so candidates don’t feel like you are getting free consulting. It shouldn’t take the candidate more than a few hours to put the presentation together. I have seen many companies take advantage of this. 

The interviewing process is one where both sides get to know each other. As an employer, you will want to make the best impression you can by being professional and respectful throughout the process. 

Photo by Resume Genius on Unsplash