The best relationship is always a two-way street. The same applies even to interviewers and hires.
However, many articles already talk about what employers need from their applicants, but not much discusses the role companies have in making the hiring process as pleasant as possible.
If it’s your first time to hire people or you want to improve this step, it’s time to remember the golden rules when choosing employees:
1. Respect Their Time
Applicants usually send about 10 to 15 resumes or CVs to different companies. That’s understandable since they cannot expect everyone to respond to them, much less hire them. But it also means that an applicant might have to go through a couple of interviews a week.
Employers then need to respect the time these candidates set aside for the job. You can do that by scheduling it in a period that’s agreeable to all parties. Second, you must arrive or start the interview on time.
If you talk to many applicants on any given day, you can use an interview-scheduling tool. This platform helps you keep track of your interviews while cutting back on back-and-forth emails and phone calls.
2. Inform Them of the Status of Their Application
In accounting, there’s such a term called opportunity costs. It represents the loss a person takes when they need to choose one among the many options. The goal is to pick the choice with the least possible loss.
Candidates also deal with opportunity costs when they’re applying for a job. For example, they might pause their search to set their sights on a company or work they desire. However, the losses can increase the longer they wait for a response from you.
Make it a habit to inform them of the status of their application if they ask for an update. You might even need to tell them if they didn’t get the job.
3. Avoid Checking Their Social Media
New information suggests that an overwhelming 70% of employers check the social media accounts of their employees before hiring. Meanwhile, over half of them said they didn’t hire applicants because of their content on their site.
There are many reasons employers are doing this:
- Social media can contain a treasure trove of personal data that employees might not reveal in their resumes or CVs.
- Employers can use social media information to double-check information.
- Companies would like to know if the applicant is trustworthy or a great team player. Do they talk against their employers?
Although this is becoming common, it remains controversial. Just as the social media content can backfire on the applicant, doing this can also hurt your business in the process.
The best strategy is to avoid checking social media accounts, even if it’s only for curiosity. Strengthen the hiring process to ensure you can filter applicants at every level and accept only the right candidate for the job.
5. Do Not Judge a Person by Their CVs Alone
CVs and resumes are essential to streamline the number of applications you receive, but they are not the be-all, end-all. For one, applicants lie.
According to ResumeLab, at least 36% of the hirees will provide misinformation on their resumes. Usually, they exaggerate their job descriptions or the length of their work experience. Some claim graduating from the wrong school or acquiring a different degree.
Candidates also lie for a variety of reasons. Some do it because they want to get a shot in the interview process to position themselves better. Others like to qualify in a better-paying position.
How do you avoid this problem? First, request for other proof of skills or expertise such as a portfolio. Ask them specific questions that pertain to the content of their resume or job position. Allow them to illustrate or demonstrate their skills. Check their references.
6. Do Not Discriminate
Work discrimination is against the law, and yet it is very much alive in many companies, even those that have been around for decades. It could be because discrimination doesn’t have to be open or obvious. It can be as subtle as the following:
- Preventing disabled applicants from participating in the hiring process
- Treating male applicants more favorably than their female counterparts
- Not making eye contact with specific candidates
- Focusing too much on irrelevant and personal information such as family history
It’s not uncommon among companies to make mistakes during the selection process. However, it is becoming a trend. Perhaps it’s time to look at how you are doing it. Maybe you need to refresh your memory on the golden rules of hiring.
