Recruiting top talent is a full-time job. Whether you like it or not, the people you hire will eventually shape the future of your business. As your workforce is tied to your company’s success, it’s important that you don’t mess up your recruiting.

But finding the right candidate is a challenge. Your recruiter has to:

• Search for prospects.
• Screen them.
• Arrange interviews with candidates.
• Narrow down the candidate pool.
• Match them to roles you have open.

But no matter how well they prepare for the recruitment process, the tiny details sometimes go awry.

Yes, recruiters are human so it’s normal to make mistakes. The problem is that these small faux pas are what might lead you to lose a valuable applicant. Work with your recruitment team to guard against these clumsy mistakes so great hires won’t be lost.

Mistake #1: Failing to outline a timeline

Neglecting to specify a target date is a major oversight. Addison Group reports that 40% of candidates lose interest if they don’t hear from a hiring manager within a week. G2 adds that 60% of job seekers quit in the middle of applications due to length or complexity.

Additionally, when it’s not clear what applicants can expect, they are likely to prioritise other opportunities over yours. It’ll be harder to establish a good relationship with them from the start.

Solution: Map out key steps in the recruitment process, including candidate sourcing, initial phone screening, and interviews. Next, assign a time frame for each step, making sure to provide leeway for issues like personal emergencies or busy schedules.

During the first call, recruiters must walk applicants through the timeline and inform them when they can expect to receive feedback. Doing so reduces the chances of a candidate dropping off and ensures that top choices stick with you through it all.

Mistake #2: Neglecting to ask for input

It’s often unclear what should be covered and who should be involved in the recruiting. Your HR officer might use the same listing as when the last employee was hired. However, the job description doesn’t specify the skills you like about the person chosen previously.

What happens is that most, if not all, applicants get screened out during the final interviews because they don’t possess the skill-set you’re looking for. Your team will have to go through more unqualified applications as well.

Solution: Establish who must be involved in the hiring process before you post the listing. Then, get hiring managers and recruiters to review the job openings together. Come to an agreement as to what makes the ideal candidate for each position and who must handle each step.

Once you’re sure all your bases are covered, update the rest of the team so everyone is on the same page. You never know, they may have someone in mind to refer. They’re the most familiar with the work so they know better what’s needed in a new teammate.

Mistake #3: Misunderstanding candidates’ interests

Many times, employers assume that job seekers want a role similar to what they did before. Consider, however, that they may have left their previous post because they disliked some of their responsibilities there. Don’t expect them to embrace doing those tasks for you without question.

If you offer a role that includes duties they don’t like, they’ll likely be a no-show for the interviews. The worst case scenario is that they accept your offer but resign soon after, if they even bother to show up for their first day.

Solution: During interviews, it’s important to know which areas the applicant prefers to focus on. Recruiters for virtual assistant roles should ask if the candidate wants to switch specialisations e.g. going from a recruiters virtual assistant to a marketing virtual assistant.

Percentages should be used when asking about their level of interest. For example: “On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy email outreach?” Follow them up with behavioural questions such as: “What’s the first thing you’d do when working on a project?”

Mistake #4: Overlooking counter-offer possibilities

Counter-offers don’t often come up in conversations with candidates because they’re awkward to tackle. But you can’t afford to ignore them. After all, they aren’t extended only when someone is leaving their current role. They’re presented months later when a previous employer wants the candidate back.

Before you know it, your recruiters receive a call from the candidate that they’re having second thoughts about accepting your initial offer. Losing the applicant means starting over with the recruitment process, putting all of the previous time and resources to waste.

Solution: If you’re doing the interviews, address the topic of counter-offers head on in. Find out what job seekers want to change about their current role. Those looking for career advancement or salary increase are likely to accept a counter-offer.

Enquire and write down what they’d do if they did receive a counter-offer. Read these back to them when they get a counter-offer to remind them why it wouldn’t be wise to accept it. Tell them again the perks of working for you.

Looking for Great Recruiters?

Mistakes affect the quality of your hires and the overall experience of applicants. One of the best ways to avoid them is by hiring a good recruiter. This alone improves your recruiting strategy so you get the talents you want.

If you’re wondering where you can find experienced recruitment specialists, Remote Workmate is here to help. We’ll connect you with whatever remote worker you need, be it a recruiters virtual assistant or recruiters for virtual assistant roles.