Creating a high-performing team from scratch is one of the hardest challenges a hiring manager or recruiter might face. In this two-part series, we’re going to explore what we think the six most common mistakes hiring managers make are.
Mistake #1: Assuming that a great team is made by simply assembling great individual candidates.
Most of us know that there is so much more to consider when assembling a team than the qualifications of each candidate and yet we still recruit in the same old ways – looking for individuals first and then crossing our fingers and hoping everyone works well together. Our suggestion? Flip your thinking. Consider strong previous working relationships first, and individual qualifications second. We have tested and proven this method in our own recruiting and know it to be effective. We spell this recruitment method out in detail in our Whitepaper. Click here to download and learn more!
Mistake #2: Thinking teams need to be in-house to be effective.
We get it. The thought of a remote or distributed team is scary. How will you know if they’re productive? What if they aren’t clicking as a team? If you don’t have eyes on them every day and can’t catch the vibe of how they’re doing, how will you really know how they’re doing? With the stakes high, products to launch, promises to keep, reputations on the line, and competition nipping at your heels, it can feel too risky. But you also know the risks of not getting a team ramped up fast and well! There are a few key ways to leverage technology that can significantly de-risk this scenario and so significantly expand your potential talent pool.
Mistake #3: Providing mediocre or frustrating candidate experiences.
It’s a candidate’s market right now and competition is fierce. Candidates are forming their opinions about who you are as an employer from the minute they read the posting and consider applying!
- When was the last time you mapped your candidate’s journey and actually stepped through your application process from the standpoint of the candidate?
- How many clicks does it take for them to apply?
- What message do they encounter at each step of the process?
- Have you considered what key messages you want candidates to hear and what you want them to “feel” about your company?
In our experience, hiring managers’ desires to find efficiencies (either through automation or simply as a result of too many balls they’re juggling) can result in a terrible candidate journey. It’s a rare person who will give you feedback about their experience unsolicited, so why not ask them? Consider a small sample size of candidates you were able to hire and also ones you lost. This can be a great engagement opportunity for existing staff as well.
In Part 2 of this series, we explore three more of the most common mistakes we see recruiters or hiring managers make. Read the 6 Most Common Mistakes Recruiters Make: Part 2.
Interested in learning more about team-based recruiting? Need help with providing outstanding candidate experiences and exploring possible talent pools that you might not currently have access to?
We can help! Ultimately, having the right leader with their dream team around them is the goal, which is where our team-based recruiting expertise comes in. Contact us to learn how we can help you find the right talent as you scale.