Some recruiters use procedures so common they’re practically second nature, but that doesn’t mean they’re good. Maybe it’s in the way that you write a job ad, or the erroneous idea that you can know a candidate by skimming a resume. Going with your gut has about a 50 / 50 shot of working.
Parts of your job are what they are because that’s how they’ve always been done. But as a recruiter, you already know that you want more than the status quo from your candidates. Take a good look at your processes and decide whether the status quo is enough for you.
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Here are 6 common habits that HR professionals should stop right now:
#1: Asking for What’s Not Really Required
The old joke about requiring a bachelor’s degree for a part-time fast food job has its roots in reality. Demanding an unnecessary level of education for a job that doesn’t truly require it isn’t just bad form. It’s illegal, as College Recruiter president, Steven Rothberg, tells Fast Company. And it harms you as much as it does potential candidates.
Be realistic and fair, and you won’t be overrun with unqualified candidates. You’ll have a better and more diverse group.
#2: Writing Subpar Job Ads
Do you use the same job ad template over and over again? That’s probably a bad idea. A job ad it a sales pitch, and sales pitches need persuasive writing skills.
ERE Media says you need a great opening paragraph, and the ad should let candidates know what’s in it for them. It shouldn’t look like a fill-in-the-blanks form. And once it’s done, always let someone else read it. Typos don’t reflect well on your company.
#3: Complaining About Poor (or Not Enough) Candidates
With unemployment down, it’s a job candidate’s market. So you’re not getting a flurry of response to job ads? Now isn’t the time to complain about the lack of qualified people or the lack of respondents at all.
If your current plan isn’t working, it’s time to shake things up. Start sourcing through social media and rewrite your job ads. If you need different results, try a different approach.
#4: Forgetting the “Human” in Human Capital
“Human Capital” is one of those corporate-speak, buzzword expressions that sounds clever but doesn’t really mean anything. Not only that, Alan Collins for Success in HR says it’s woefully dehumanizing.
With the upswing in Big Data in the recruiting process, it’s easy to forget that the data represents a person. The candidates that you hire might be brimming with data, but they’re people; not products of algorithms.
#5: Assuming All Candidates Want the Same Things
Think every candidate has her eyes fixed on a higher rung on the ladder? Think again. Collins says that’s another mistake that recruiters often make. Some people equate a higher position with overloaded hours and too many headaches. And many of them might prefer to curate their own path to success, some of which probably has nothing to do with your company.
Focusing too much on upward mobility might turn some candidates off. Not only that, hiring an uber qualified person with the idea that they want growth could leave you and your company shortchanged. Everyone is different.
#6: Believing Experience and Qualifications are the Same
Just as you shouldn’t require qualifications that the job doesn’t, so should you reevaluate what qualifications mean to your company. A person with a bachelor’s degree might have all the right experience, but that does not mean he’s right for the job.
Five years in a certain field doesn’t mean he was ever good at it. That’s where your candidate evaluation skills come in handy. Someone who looks less impressive in writing might just be phenomenal once you get past the bullet points.
Recruiters expect more from job candidates, and that’s a fair thing to ask. But if candidates could tell recruiters what works and what doesn’t, you might be surprised.
It’s not about what you believe should work or sticking with the status quo. It’s about striving to find better methods and processes that get the results that you need.
Arguably, one of the most important aspects of recruiting is the job posting. How can you develop your job ads to attract more quality and less quantity?