Hiring the right people can be challenging during rapid company growth. The firm feels pressured to meet all sorts of other demands during this time. Breaking the hiring habits that have worked for decades can be difficult, but the truth is that hiring processes are doomed to fail when they don’t evolve.
But when does a firm have time to correct course when your firm is busy with projects? The short answer is you don’t.
The best time to review and update your hiring process is during lulls in the market like we are in now. Strategic firms use this natural slowdown to review workflows, update, processes, and improve overall firm functions.
If you’re habitually suffering from bad hires, then your hiring process is probably flawed in some ways. Here are some of the reasons why you’re failing in your hiring process and what you can do to fix them.
Your Process is Too Slow
Bad hires will not only cost you in the long run financially, but they are also harmful to office morale. When it comes to hiring, there needs to be a sense of urgency. Rather than rushing to bring people on board, you need to focus on hiring the right talent on time. Hiring managers tend to get overwhelmed when it comes to finding time to hire new employees while still completing their normal duties. Not reviewing resumes and submitting feedback to candidates quickly after interviews leads to significant delays in the hiring process. If your hiring process is slow, you are much more likely to lose a great candidate to another firm.
You’re Not Asking the Right Questions
Companies that consistently hire unfit candidates usually have one thing in common, hiring managers who rely too much on their gut feelings instead of asking the right questions. Relying on instincts often creates an inherent bias when it comes to hiring. People tend to hire others whom they can relate to and who they like. Yet this is not an effective strategy to attract and retain top talent. We’re not telling you to abandon all your traditional hiring strategies because sometimes you’ll just know when a candidate will not fit into your work culture. But you can improve your hiring process by adding other effective techniques like asking behavior-based interview questions. This method will help you to minimize bad hires and learn which candidates are talented, growth-oriented, and mission-driven.
You’re Not Focused on Retention
It’s not always possible to predict exactly when and how many employees you’re going to need during periods of growth. However, you can solve the problem before it starts by focusing more on making great hires, and then making sure that turnover doesn’t increase. Retain more talent by allowing them to grow, showing respect, and rewarding them for their efforts. Not partnering with a design recruiter to access passive candidates can be a downfall. Architecture recruiters have in-depth industry knowledge and can put you on track to attract and retain the talent you need for your firm to thrive.
