As an employer, it is likely that the first impressions made by a candidate will be long lasting and may have one of the greatest impacts on your decision to offer a position. But it is also important to know that the first impressions you, the employer make will have the same if not greater impact on the decision of whether a candidate will accept or decline your job offer.
Research commissioned by Robert Half and conducted of 9,000 candidates in 11 countries across four continents revealed that more than a third of candidates worldwide make their decision about whether they will accept or not accept a job offer within the first 5 minutes, or sooner.
In the current climate, people are motivated by more than remuneration and because the best candidates will be receiving multiple offers, it is up to the company to sell the job.
Candidates will be more likely to accept an offer if they are sold on the company culture, benefits offered, and reasons the company is considered a great place for any prospective employee. However this detail should not be exaggerated. 91% of candidates admitted to considering leaving a job within the first month and 93% within their probation period due to discrepancies with the way the job was advertised and the job actually in practice. Other reasons included poor management, a mismatch with corporate culture, a lack of proper onboarding or they received a better offer.
It is also important to remember that the hiring of an employee is only 50% of the recruitment process. The sooner and more consistently during hiring and onboarding the manager can provide detailed information about the role and the company and where things are headed, the sooner the employee will feel a part of that journey and want to remain. If you fail within the first 30 days to embed a new employee into a team, you will most likely be starting the recruitment process again.
So, when the time comes to start the recruitment process, be it to fill a newly created position or fill a vacancy, the most valuable steps an employer can take is prepare, prepare, and prepare.
Plan the hiring process
Carefully consider the detail to include in your job ad that is both truthful and will attract the best possible talent. What are the essential criteria and what are the desirable criteria.
Carefully consider the detail to include in your job ad that is both truthful and will attract the best possible talent. What are the essential criteria and what are the desirable criteria:
· Carefully consider the detail to include in your job ad that is both truthful and will attract the best possible talent. What are the essential criteria and what are the desirable criteria
· Consider the best places to advertise the role that will attract the best possible candidates. Consider
internal advertising, social media, job boards, referrals
· Carefully prepare the interview questions, but remember to be flexible to ensure that important topics are spoken about in greater depth
· Determine who will participate in the process and how many interviews will be conducted prior to any decision being made
· Ensure the hiring manager has time to invest in each interview without interruptions and without lengthy delays in the overall recruitment process
· Prepare reference check questions and ensure that exploration of relevant issues occurs where required.
· Plan the induction process. A thorough induction process takes several weeks or months and should include regular catchups to ensure that positive attitudes and feelings are fostered from day 1 and the employee adapts quickly to the new environment and becomes productive sooner.
A well thought out and executed recruitment process will yield greater retention outcomes and result a more productive new hire and an individual who will promote your company resulting in greater attraction for new hires in the future.
If you require advice or assistance with undertaking a recruitment process, or should you require support regarding any HR matter, please contact the team at HR Advice Online at [email protected] or on 1300 720 004.
HR Advice Online is proud to support you and your business with our New Hire Package to take away the guess work once you’ve made an offer to the successful candidate. Please see the attached flyer for further information regarding the New Hire Package.
Information in HR Advice Online guides and blog posts is meant purely for educational discussion of human resources issues. It contains only general information about human resources matters and due to factors, such as government legislation changes, may not be up to date at the time of reading. It is not legal advice and should not be treated as such.
