How to Design a Better Hiring Process

New companies tend to focus on launching products, building brand awareness, and scaling up fast. However, the hiring process should never be an afterthought, and more business leaders are taking it seriously.

Here’s what today’s entrepreneurs are saying about designing a better hiring process and bringing on the best people for the job in a digital world.

Key Traits

Credentials are important, but to level up your hiring process, you’ve got to consider which traits are most essential for creating a strong and productive company culture.

“Proper hiring processes can help you attract and retain the best employees,” said Bill Yates, Executive Vice President of Velociteach. “Considering how a candidate’s personality traits and characteristics align with a role is an effective way to improve the hiring process and ensure the selected candidate is a suitable fit.” 

Make a list of key traits that you want from future candidates, and don’t forget them.

Look Everywhere

Hiring managers tend to look in the same places to find candidates, and not always successfully. It’s time to cast a wider net and search for talent in unconventional places.

“You never know where you might find the perfect person to fill a gap in your staff, so be open to different possibilities,” said Joshua Tatum, Co-Founder of Canvas Cultures. “Use referrals, ask around, try all the job boards and social media. Anything can happen.”

With remote work nearly universal, you can now take applicants from across the country, no problem.

Top Qualities

Your company has values – at least that’s what it says in the mission statement. The best way to uphold those values is to hire people that share and support them.

“Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy,” said Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet. “And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”

It won’t always be a perfect match, but the least you can do is find employees who will work hard and keep their word.

From Experience

We’ve all been through the hiring process before. Some experiences were smooth, and others – not so much. Use the insights you’ve gained from your career to help you design a better process.

“Reflect on your own experience with networking and being hired throughout your career,” said Anthony Puopolo, CMO of Rex MD. “This should give you a sense of what works, what doesn’t, and what you should apply to your own hiring process.”

Ask your teammates as well – what are some deal breakers or game-changers when being hired?

Create Systems

When you’ve got the same person doing recruiting, job postings, interviews, and onboarding, it might be time to help them out with some support.

“Involving more people in the hiring process could really help improve hiring processes,” said Jordan Nathan, Founder and CEO of Caraway. “Including a colleague or a few in an interview with a candidate will allow them to ask some questions that could be very beneficial to all parties. It’s important to consider how the team perceives the personality that might potentially join them and how candidates perceive the team they might potentially join.”

Hiring someone to help with hiring – it seems strange, but it’s necessary.

No Shortcuts

In your hiring journey, you’ll be tempted to speed up the process and get right to onboarding. This is not the way to hire the best people, and you’ll end up wasting more time down the road looking for a replacement.

“Avoid taking shortcuts when hiring, because they’re never worth the small amount of time you might save,” said Jeff Brown, President of Big Fig Mattress. “Put in the effort and you’ll get higher quality people on your team, it’s that simple.”

Follow the process – whatever that is – and find great candidates who will stick around.

Compatibility Matters

Don’t be too enamored by degrees and fancy job titles. Sometimes the person you’re looking for is new to the game and eager to learn.

“It’s so important to surround yourself with positive, capable people when starting a business,” said Bing Howenstein, Founder of All33. “Credentials are key, but also consider whether you’re compatible with candidates on a personal level.”

Passion is the key factor in a great teammate, so don’t discount it.

High Priority

We all know the hiring process is important, but where does it rank on the list of priorities for your company? This is a key question to ask in terms of effort and resource allocation.

“I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people,” said Lawrence Bossidy, Former COO of GE. “At the end of the day you bet on people, not on strategies.”

If hiring isn’t that important right now – so be it. Hopefully, at some point, it will be.

Map it Out

You can improvise the hiring process for a while at first, but at some point, it’s going to catch up with you. Implement systems as soon as possible and stick to a plan.

“Hiring requires systems and processes, just like every other aspect of your business,” said Sean O’Brien, CMO of Modloft. “Create a blueprint for how you want things to work, from recruitment and interviews to onboarding and referrals.”

Follow the advice of consultants or advisors if you need to – just put a system in place so you don’t waste too much time.

Slow it Down

Is it time to make those first few all-important additions to your team? It’s better to slow down and not rush things, because you’ll be spending a lot of time with these people.

“The first few hiring decisions you make for your company are so crucial, so don’t speed through the process or just try to fill seats fast,” said Eric Wu, Co-Founder and COO at Gainful. “Take your time, weigh your options, and be deliberate.”

As your brand grows, you can expedite the hiring process, but take it slow at first.

Channels of Communication

If you are serious about hiring in a timely manner, be super on-top of your communication with candidates, no matter where they are in the process.

“Prioritizing communication is one aspect that companies can utilize to build their talent pipeline and improve hiring processes,” said Jeff Henretig, President of Apothecanna. “Remaining in contact with applicants and following up with them throughout the entire application process will compel them to want to work for your company. It’s a great way for companies to fine-tune their search and fill roles efficiently, therefore it is important to ensure you are always responding to all correspondence.”

Applicants appreciate strong communication, and it will save you a lot of headaches down the road as well.

Gradual Improvements

The first time you hit the job boards and start filtering through candidates, you’ll be overwhelmed with the whole process. Don’t worry – it gets easier.

“Your hiring process might be shaky at first, but like anything else, you’ll hammer it out over time as you gain experience and insights,” said Jordan Smyth, Founder and CEO of Gleamin. “Learn from mistakes and make fixes on the fly if needed.”

Stick with it and before long, you’ll have the hiring process down to the letter.

Not Just Interviews

The interview is definitely the main event in the hiring process, but you need to zoom out and consider everything that needs to be done aside from that hour-long interaction.

“We tend to focus on interviews when talking about hiring, but there’s so much more to the process than that,” said Carrie Derocher, CMO of TextSanity. “Job listings, recruitment, screening, onboarding – it all needs to be coordinated in a smart way.”

Improve the whole hiring process to make the interview more enjoyable and effective for both parties.

Look Beyond the CV

You can only learn so much from reading records on a sheet. To find the best candidate, you need to engage with them directly and see the bigger picture.

“Some of the best candidates aren’t the most qualified or have the most impressive resumes,” said Peter Horvath, CEO of High Times. “Expand your recruitment efforts and ask a broader range of questions to see if someone is a good fit for your team.”

Smart business leaders can see potential in unlikely places, so don’t be too concerned with credentials every time.

What’s the Job?

One thing is for sure – your company needs staff, and fast. But what is the exact role you’re looking to fill? Answering this question isn’t always easy.

“Choosing straightforward and transparent job titles is certainly one way to improve hiring processes,” said Andrew Bernstein, Co-Founder and CEO of Kinder Beauty. “It’s important to be clear about the roles your company is hiring for and help prospects better understand the responsibilities and duties required of them so that they can make informed decisions.”  

Talk about job requirements and expectations with other people on your team to make sure you create an accurate job title and description.

Make it Official

Your current hiring process might be functional for now, but be ready to allocate some more resources to the cause when the time arrives.

“When you can afford it, dedicate some resources specifically to your hiring process, rather than juggling it with all your other tasks,” said Darren Litt, Co-Founder of MarketerHire. “Otherwise, outsource the process and take the pressure off your core team.”

There are plenty of routes to take to improve your hiring process, some more expensive than others.

Full Description

If you were searching for a new job yourself, what would be your first impression of the job post you see for your brand currently? Make an honest assessment and make adjustments ASAP.

“In order to improve hiring processes, it’s essential to provide well-crafted job descriptions,” said Maegan Griffin, Founder, CEO, and Nurse Practitioner at Skin Pharm. “Defining everything that is required for a position will help avoid any gray areas and offer very clear guidelines for expectations.”

Let’s be honest – most job descriptions aren’t very useful, so see this as an opportunity to excel.

Ask for Feedback

It will take some time, but eventually, you’ll find the ideal person for a role. Why not take the chance to ask them about your hiring process and see if they have any feedback to share?

“When you bring someone new on board, ask them about the hiring process and consider any feedback they offer,” said Aidan Cole, Co-Founder and CMO of Hide. “It’s a work in progress, so treat it as such.”

These new hires won’t likely be too vocal with criticisms, but it’s worth asking anyway.

Represent Your Brand

When you put a job posting online, you’ve got the big responsibility of representing your entire brand and the mission of your company in a few words. Be accurate and honest to get the best results.

“Something a company can do to improve hiring processes is display job listings that accurately reflect hiring needs, which will play a significant role in attracting the right talent,” said Shana Hall, Creative Director of Aurelle.

It’s impossible to summarize your company perfectly every time, but do the best you can with the space you have.

Offer Excellence

Everyone wants top talent on their team – that’s a given. But what is your company doing to attract the best candidates in your field? This is a two-way street, so rethink your strategy if needed.

“You know that you want a high-performing, talented person to fill a role in your company, but you’ve got to bring a good offer to the table,” said Artie Baxter, CEO and Co-Founder of Paperclip. “Money is part of it, but so is culture, perks, and other intangibles.”

The hiring process can be tricky to navigate, especially for small companies on the rise. These pointers should give you and your team an outline to streamline the process and hire smart

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