Hiring Mistakes You Don't Want to Repeat in 2023

As a new year dawns, recruiters globally are reassessing and revamping their hiring processes. While we’ve been enjoying scouring our share of “2023 hiring trends” available online, we considered an alternative perspective. As many thought leaders bring you their hunches on hiring trends, we’re highlighting the trends recruiters need to buck in 2023.

Keep reading to see our top 5 “don’ts” for 2023 to keep you ahead of the competition and avoid classic hiring mistakes.

Don’t Keep Throwing Your Money in the Wrong Place!

Without meaning to, recruiters can often have their heart in the right place but put their money in the wrong one. Things like non-strategic job placements and inefficient use of staff and resources may have direct repercussions that prevent you from sourcing and retaining the talent you are seeking. 

Prioritize efficiency. Having an efficient hiring process is a critical component to filling your roles. Before making any changes, identify gaps in your process. What is your current time to fill? What is your retention rate? Is there anything you can streamline to make the process smoother for candidates and/or your teams?

Tip: Move quickly but be thoughtful about your interview process.

Simplify your process. The more streamlined your interview process is, the better. Candidates are in high demand, do not drag your feet! For example, when it comes to panel interviews, identify who really needs to be in the room to make a decision on a hire. You know what successful hiring processes look like and what it takes to build one out. How can you do exactly what you know how to do while also optimizing the experience for everyone involved?

Evaluating candidates. Prebrief your interviewers! Ensure your interviewers are aligned on exactly what they should evaluate in each candidate and have a true understanding of what the organization needs. This will help alleviate any mixed feedback and ensure your team is making thoughtful decisions when hiring. And don’t forget about the 56% of candidates who are applying for jobs outside their current area of expertise. Non-linear career paths are ramping up big time.

Don’t Let Your Employer Brand Fall Short

A strong employer brand is key! Employees and potential candidates alike want to know who they are (or might be) working for. Employer branding can be easily overlooked when you’re in the depths of interviewing and hiring, but a small amount of consistent effort in curating this brand is all you need to keep it compelling, present, and active. 

Promote your company's vision and mission. A few things to think about when promoting/sharing your company's brand…what impact does the company have? Work-life balance? What can employees expect when they join your company?

Emphasize strength-building opportunities. Candidates are seeking companies where they can make a real impact and one that offers growth opportunities. A strong employee value proposition has also been shown to increase retention rate and employee morale.

Recognize the struggles of the generations coming into the workforce. Recruiters must solve for a new generation of employees who have struggled with post-pandemic social awkwardness due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic. With no experience in an in-person environment to learn how to negotiate and network, Gen Z is now facing an uphill battle when it comes to sharpening soft skills that are essential for many positions.

As such, recruiters will need to take extra measures aimed at helping young adults overcome these barriers and develop the social stamina required for various forms of employment. Developing strategies designed to help young adults gain knowledge on soft skills can go a long way toward fostering greater success in their careers. And as a bonus, it will give you exposure to candidates who might be overlooked by your competition.

Not Offering an Internal Referral Program, Why Not?

One of the most efficient ways to find top talent is through networking and referrals. Here are a few tips for building a strong referral program: 

• Offer employee incentives! This can be monetary or non-monetary, but a token of appreciation for your employee’s recommendations goes a long way in getting new hires in the door and on your team. 
• Make sure employees are aware of opportunities and what you are looking for. In addition to online job postings, try displaying jobs in common rooms at the office. You can also consider including open jobs in your company-wide email newsletter.
• Keep it simple, sourcer! A lengthy application process can deter employees from sending referrals. Employees should know where to send referrals, and it should be seamless… Consider integrating your referral process with your ATS for a seamless process.
• Communicate! A good referral program comes with strong communication. Employees appreciate the recognition and updates on the status of their referrals and are likely to value their employer more if their recommendations are considered.

Don’t Post and Pray

It pays to be proactive! You can get ahead of the competition and reduce time to fill when you proactively source for those high-demand or evergreen roles. Prepare your more junior or entry-level teams with leadership and cross-training opportunities. This way, when higher-ranking positions become available, you already have top talent waiting in the wings.

Hold onto your diamond candidates! Even if the perfect role for them is not available at the time, have a place to filter resumes to revisit when the time is right. 

Sure, it could be tempting to go ahead and throw job descriptions at the proverbial wall (job sites) and see what sticks, but going about your hiring process without a comprehensive strategy will likely leave you with fewer candidates, less engagement, and fewer resources than when you started. 

Don’t Rely Solely on Your Internal Recruiting Team

Consider outsourcing. Instead of hiring additional in-house recruiters for short-term hiring sprints, consider outsourcing some of your roles. This option can mitigate risk, reduce stress on your internal recruiting team, and help ensure time to fill stays on track.

Ease the burden on internal teams. Outsourcing recruiting helps take the heavy lifting off your team’s plate while also giving you the opportunity to explore and receive research tactics and insights you might otherwise have not been privy to. By outsourcing some of your recruiting, you can supplement your already existing hiring processes, get expert advice, and keep your top talent engaged. 

In a hiring boom, your internal team is the first to reach its bandwidth. Pushing them further without offering the reprieve of an outsourced recruiter can put them on the fast track to burnout.

Let IQTalent shoulder the burden of the research and recruiting efforts you need to stay ahead of the curve in 2023. Get in touch to see how our unique solutions help scale your talent acquisition function on demand.