Recruiting In a Tough Labor Market: 4 Advantages to Using Hiring Teams
One of the fundamental principles of recruiting is that it’s a two-way decision. The candidate is selecting the company as much as the company is selecting the job seeker. And that selection process is getting more complex every day. Today’s candidates are doing their homework when it comes to the organizations they consider.
Part of that homework includes looking for information and recommendations from friends and colleagues. Which is why it’s no surprise that the most common source of hire remains employee referrals. However, technology is playing a huge role as well. Websites like Glassdoor, Indeed, and other social media platforms are popular places for candidates to research what’s being said about a company. According to Pew Research, almost 80 percent of Americans who have looked for work used online resources in their job search.
If job seekers are using multiple sources to make a decision about the company, then maybe organizations should consider the same thing. Collaborative hiring is the idea that the company would have multiple people involved in the hiring process, in addition to HR and the hiring manager. This “team” would include the other individuals – both inside and outside of their department – that the candidate would interact with most often.
4 Reasons to Consider Using Hiring Teams in Recruiting
Before we talk about the advantages of using collaborative hiring, let’s address the most common roadblock. Time could make organizations reluctant to use collaborative hiring methods.
Collaborative hiring takes time. More people are involved in the process so there are more schedules to coordinate and more interviews. And this could be a legitimate obstacle for companies. It could also be a huge benefit.
It’s hard to admit, but sometimes organizations hire too quickly. And sometimes candidates accept job offers too quickly. While a longer hiring process has its downsides, it can be presented to candidates as a benefit. “We take a long time to hire because this is an important decision. We want to get it right. And we want whoever gets hired to feel the same way.”
In addition to using time to the company’s advantage, here are four other reasons that using a collaborative hiring approach can help you hire the best talent.
- The candidate gets a realistic job preview. Let’s face it, sometimes the recruiter and the hiring manager can sugarcoat the job. Or leave something out. It’s not to trick a candidate. Recruiters and hiring manager don’t always do the job they’re hiring for, so their impression of the work can be different. By including other people in the process, the candidate can get the “inside scoop” about the work.
- Because more people are involved in the process, there’s more buy-into the candidate’s success. Occasionally, the company will hire someone that colleagues will not support. Behind the scenes peers will say, “If we would have interviewed Leonard, we could have told the company he wasn’t a good fit.” Giving co-workers a chance to meet the candidate puts them in a position where they should support the final hiring decision.
- The candidate has a larger informal network when they start. Every organization has unwritten rules. New hires don’t want to ask their boss or HR about these things. New hires need to have a network of people that they can ask “off the record” questions about policies or company culture. Some organizations are addressing this via a new hire buddy program. Consider including the buddy in the interview process.
- The company creates a greater opportunity for employee engagement. The last thing a company wants is to hire an employee and have them leave six months later. Having positive, trusting working relationships is the key to employee engagement, productivity, and retention. Collaborative hiring allows candidates to start building relationships with co-workers.
Collaborative hiring also allows candidates to find out additional information about the work and the company that they might not learn otherwise. It’s a win for everyone.
Set Hiring Teams Up for Success
Speaking of wins, collaborative hiring brings several benefits. But organizations need to set recruiting teams up for success. It’s not enough to simply say, “Poof! You’re a hiring team.” Every successful team has three qualities – goals, training, and leadership.
- Goal: It might be tempting to think the goal is recruiting. And on some level, that’s correct. But don’t forget the details like the recruiting process, candidate experience, selection criteria, etc.
- Training: All teams need training on how to solve problems, collaboration, decision making, conflict resolution, etc. Organizations should invest in the people who are hiring their talent.
- Leadership: The group needs to be able to work together and respect each other. They will be making difficult decisions that impact people’s lives.
Treat recruiting teams like department teams and give them the resources they need to be successful. The result will be that they will effectively bring the best talent into the company.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Fort Lauderdale, FL
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