The foundation of speed hiring is focusing exclusively on candidates who can start immediately. Think outside the box and you’ll find plenty of qualified people ready to begin work tomorrow. Image: iStock.
Roberta Matuson outlines her seven-day hiring framework for those emergencies when there is an absolute need to have a qualified candidate on board in the shortest possible time.
You needed someone on the job yesterday: Your team is drowning, deadlines are slipping, and that perfect candidate just accepted another offer.
Sound familiar?
I’ve been developing speed-hiring approaches for more than 25 years, and in this article I’m breaking down my framework for Speed Hiring for Immediate Impact.
This is a five-step system designed to make hiring decisions within seven days and bring on candidates who can start work immediately. This is how it works.
Step 1 – Make availability non-negotiable: The foundation of speed hiring is focusing exclusively on candidates who can start immediately.
This idea shouldn’t scare you. If you think outside the box, you will find plenty of qualified people ready to begin work tomorrow.
Put your start date requirement front-and-centre in all job postings, as in “we are only accepting applicants who can begin work on (a date you decide for your needs).
This creates an automatic filter before candidates even complete a full application, saving you valuable time reviewing unsuitable candidates.
As a back-up, direct them to a mini-form that specifically asks about their availability to start on your required date. This acts as a gateway that only qualified candidates can pass through.
Immediately filter out anyone who can’t meet your timeline and consider offering an ‘’on-time start date’’ bonus.
Step 2 – Target candidates who don’t need to give notice: The biggest delay in onboarding is the traditional notice period, which is why you should prioritise three groups: unemployed candidates (they can start tomorrow), retirees looking for new opportunities (no notice required), and temp workers and part-timers (often don’t need to give notice).
Deprioritise full-time employees who will need to give notice — they’re simply not a fit for your immediate needs.
Step 3 — Focus on pre-assessed candidates: Assessment typically consumes 75 per cent of your hiring timeline.
You can cut this dramatically by targeting former employees looking to return; previous job finalists you’ve already vetted; employee referrals and candidates already in your talent pipeline.
These candidates require minimal additional assessment, saving you days of evaluation time.
Step 4 – Prioritise high-acceptance candidates: Nothing kills speed like offer rejections.
You can target candidates most likely to say yes by telling people upfront what your pay scale is.
Research shows that employee referrals have the highest acceptance rates, so target them along with unemployed candidates and retirees.
Also consider temps and contractors seeking permanent roles and for exceptional candidates, allow flexible scheduling during their first few weeks of employment.
Step 5 – Streamline your process: Automate interview scheduling to eliminate back-and-forth emails, use pre-approved requisitions for critical roles and assess resumes the day they arrive, not when the posting date closes.
Make initial interviews remote and keep them under 30 minutes, begin reference checks as soon as you identify finalists and use text instead of email for urgent communications.
The Speed Hiring for Immediate Impact framework should be reserved for the roles that truly need immediate staffing, so educate your hiring managers on when and how to use it.
Never use slow communication channels – text beats email, overnight delivery beats mail.
Using the framework will dramatically reduce costly vacancy days while ensuring your team is fully staffed exactly when needed.
Also, you will capture top talent before your competitors can even schedule their first interview. How cool is that?
Roberta Matuson is president of Matuson Consulting, which helps Fortune 500 companies and high-growth businesses create exceptional workplaces, leading to extraordinary results. She can be contacted at [email protected]. This article first appeared on Roberta’s blogsite.
