The Key to Great Recruiting

It's no secret that recruiting, hiring and retaining quality employees can be a complicated task. Recruiting takes dedication, perseverance and a balance of data mining, social media scouring and instinct. The key to successful recruiting strategies is often found in the preparation and careful management of time to ensure that the best candidates are walking through the door and staying for the long haul within your company.

Execution is often a buzz word in the recruiting industry because successful recruiters put in hours of time scheduling interviews and making phone calls to prospective job candidates. Recruiters also take part in a number of hiring practices, including preparing interviewees for the responsibilities of the position and executing final paperwork to finalize employment.

The key to finding the right candidate, though, is often using the best recruiting strategies. Value your time and set benchmark goals for the number of candidates you contact and the number of presentations follow-up calls you make each day. Recruiters often find themselves repeating tasks over and over again, which leads to a mundane approach and less job satisfaction. Forgo cold calls, and arrange face-to-face meetings with career centers, college graduates and job seekers ideal for your company instead.

Utilize technology to simplify daily tasks. Data-driven application processes can help separate the best candidates from the less-qualified job seekers. Incorporate surveys, personality tests and pre-interview questionnaires into your recruiting strategies to assess applicants. Save time and money to determine if applicants' personalities, interests, skills and experience match the position with technology to simplify recruiting strategies and hiring practices.

Don't underestimate your instincts, though. Some data-driven screening applications may not reveal social awkwardness, communication problems or anger management issues in candidates, which is why a balance of technology and face-to-face interaction is crucial for recruiting strategies. Recognize the need to complement the company's culture with a well-qualified, yet even-tempered job candidate.

Vary the methods of assessing candidates based on the type of position to find a balance between data and instinct. Positions that require independence and task-oriented work may require the recruiter to rely more on data results, whereas creative and people-oriented positions rely more on instinct during meetings and interviews. It may not be realistic to think that you will get it right every time, but by varying your strategy to fit the scope of the company's needs and the responsibilities of the position, the odds are in your favor.

Perfect recruiting strategies may not exist, but successful recruiters often find that the more time they spend on simplifying processes and paperwork, engaging in more one-on-one sessions with candidates and thoroughly exploring the company's culture, the more likely they are to match the right candidates with the right job openings.

Photo courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net