What’s Wrong with Your Hiring Strategy?

Today, companies are facing an array of hiring challenges. Along with a tight labor market, skill gaps are surprisingly pervasive in many industries. As a result, competing for the best and brightest is extremely challenging, as a slew of employers are all focused on the same types of candidates.

However, tough conditions aren’t the only reason many companies aren’t meeting their hiring goals. Instead, the tools they’re using are potentially holding them back. Often, these solutions boast about improving results through greater efficiency and harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for smarter hiring. The issue is that it isn’t clear whether these approaches actually deliver better results.

Since that’s the case, companies need to take a close look at their hiring strategies to identify potential shortcomings.

Here Are Some Areas That Are Worth Examining

Tools for Automated Resume and Application Screening

Many of the tools that companies rely on for automated resume and application screening – including those that rely on AI as part of the scoring model – are often far more problematic than hiring managers realize. Often, these solutions rely on highly specific keywords to determine whether candidates are a match.

The problem is that most of these automated screening systems can’t effectively determine whether other phrases within the resume or application mean the same thing as one of the provided keywords. As a result, these solutions often screen out qualified applicants well before the associated resumes or applications are seen by a hiring manager. Ultimately, that means missing out on talent, leading to lackluster recruitment results.

Companies need to reconsider their reliance on automated screeners or at least adapt how they’re used. One option is to supply more keywords to ensure that common alternatives and acronyms are included. However, ensuring that resumes that don’t score highly are still accessible to hiring managers is also potentially worthwhile, especially if none of the highest-scoring ones seems like a strong match.

Reliance on Outside Candidates When Filling Openings

Currently, many companies rely heavily on outside candidates when filling openings, or they at least don’t prioritize internal candidates. However, existing employees are a talent pool worth taping. Often, they’re already aware of organizational norms, which can shorten learning curves. Plus, this creates opportunities for advancement, which boosts engagement and retention.

Instead of listing an opening on a broad job board and assuming that’s enough, create an internal career page for existing employees. Additionally, reach out to your workforce directly when opportunities are available, and encourage managers to discuss higher-level roles that align with their teams’ skills with their employees. Requesting recommendations from supervisors is also worth exploring, as that can also help you identify existing employees who can move up and start supporting your company’s success quickly.

Partner with the Right Recruitment Firm

Many companies default to big-name staffing agencies when they need talent, assuming they’ll deliver sound results. However, selecting a recruitment firm that has a reputation for going above and beyond is often a better choice.

At Hamilton-Ryker, our goal is to find right-fit candidates quickly and efficiently. We meet with every job seeker to assess their capabilities, relying on personal conversations over automated screeners to determine fit. Additionally, we proactively cultivate a talent pool of active and passive job seekers, as well as use modern, communication-focused strategies to keep candidates engaged.

Ultimately, our approach to candidate sourcing and hiring creates a better experience for all, leading to better results. If you’d like to learn more about how our team can assist you with accessing top talent, Hamilton-Ryker wants to hear from you. Contact us today.