Tom Cruise Was Right

I honestly believe the need for speed is important in the talent acquisition process. With so many great jobs out there, each requisition filled to the max with quality candidates, employers don't have the luxury to sit on candidates for too long. It's such a bummer when I finally get a hold of Betsy Smith, we have an amazing conversation, she's genuinely interested in the opportunity ... only to learn she has two offers & another one coming down the pike. Again, employers who sit on their candidates for too long are going to miss the boat, the plane & possibly the taxi!

So, as talent acquisition professionals, what should we do? First of all, let's address the number of interviews. Depending on the level of the candidate, I believe the process should consist of 3 SOLID interviews: recruiter (culture screen), hiring manager technical phone screen (assessing if the candidate can do the job) followed by a half day interview to fully assess technical capability. And after all these discussions, if the candidate remains interested, engaged & available, the company should make an offer. It's amazing to me when hiring managers feel they need to interview "one more time" or they want the candidate to speak to their boss who's on vacation in Geneva for 2 weeks. Dude, that's un-acceptable. If you had questions or reservations, you should've addressed in the in-person interview; not a month after the final interview. This is why candidates get jittery and might exit the process or to my previous post, this is why candidates ghost.

As always, I understand there are extenuating circumstances. The candidate might have to meet the director or VP who's not available on the day of the final interview but that's up to the company's leadership to make hiring a priority. If leadership doesn't promote efficiency, open communication, a positive candidate and eventually a positive employee experience, Betsy Smith is outta there! She'll find a company that aligns with her personal values & morals.

We can get there as TA professionals, hiring managers & leadership teams. We can make hiring fun, productive, and we can get the candidates we want and who want us! Hiring, like marriage or raising German shepherds takes patience, practice & commitment. But, it's all attainable as long as you make a priority. So, let's focus on the need for speed in hiring by getting people back to work!

Happy job hunting!