We often see hiring managers struggling to find good candidates that are suitable for the role they’re offering. Here’s a list of reasons why it is so, along with some useful insights and suggestions about what you can do about them:
Reason 1: You simply don’t know what ‘Good’ looks like!
Very often, hiring managers or CEOs may not have a full understanding of what their actual requirements are. This happens especially when they are recruiting for a particular technical skill set or for the first time.
What we suggest: We recommend that you speak to an expert in the field in order to better understand what ‘Good’ looks like which, ultimately, will help you find the ideal candidate. A deep understanding of what to look for in the candidate’s CV or while interviewing them is key.
Reason 2: The requirements on your job description are too long and too narrow.
Some candidates look for reasons as to why they shouldn’t apply for a job rather than looking for why they should. Such candidates are more likely to be put off if you have a long list of requirements as they might feel that they don’t tick every single box. That’s probably the reason why you’re not getting great applications.
What we suggest: Put only the absolute ‘must-have’ requirements on your job ads, and not your ‘nice to haves’ in order to attract a wider pool of candidates that you can then filter down as you review the applications.
Reason 3: You have the opposite issue: you’re going way too wide on your requirements for the job
This happens a lot with home office roles that are remote, as these roles always receive more applications. If the requirements mentioned in your job ads are way too generic, the chances are that you’ll come across a lot of irrelevant applications. As a consequence, you may have to spend more time filtering through the applications.
What we suggest: For home office or remote roles, you can be more restrictive when it comes to requirements in your job posting. This will enable you to attract applications that are more relevant and help you in effectively shortlisting the ideal candidate to fill your open position.
Reason 4: The skill-set combination that you’re looking for isn’t available
While it’s important to clearly list your job requirements – including product experience, location, seniority level and so on – it can have a flip side too. For example, some candidates – who have that mix of experience – might not be in that location or might not be willing to relocate.
What we suggest: Consult a specialist before you start your hiring process and identify the areas where you can be a bit liberal in terms of your job requirements. This will help you widen the pool of prospective candidates suitable for the job.
We hope that these tips will help you find the ideal candidates – without spending months and months with open positions you are not able to fill. If you’d like to find out more about how our team can help you attract and retain high-quality talent, get in touch with us at hello@elemed.eu
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