In past posts, we’ve talked about the importance of a planned interview process in avoiding major recruiting problems, including the loss of top candidates to a process that simply took too long. Today, we’ll dive into the specifics of speeding up your hiring process without reducing the quality of your candidate pool or increasing the risk of a wrong hire. Here’s how:
Audit your job descriptions.
The job description is the foundation of the hiring process. It specifies what the staff member’s day-to-day responsibilities are, and it should clarify what skills, experience, and education are required in order for the legal support team member to succeed at those daily tasks.
The annual performance review process is a great time to audit your job descriptions. Use feedback from legal support staff and their supervisors to make sure these descriptions accurately portray the staff member’s responsibilities and job structure. Use these job descriptions at each step of the hiring process. Your recruiter can help you audit job descriptions and leverage them for faster hiring.
Streamline the application process.
It’s easy to lose top candidates to an application process that takes too long – but shortening the application process can also be tough, especially when managers responsible for hiring also have other day-to-day job obligations. Streamline the application process by working with your recruiter to “offload” the initial steps. Your staffing firm specializes in matching candidates to job descriptions and company cultures, screening for credentials, and performing reference checks. By allowing your recruiter to take on these tasks, you reduce the time it takes to hire without sacrificing either a thorough screening or your hiring managers’ valuable time.
Teach your hiring team well.
Hiring managers can only hire well if they are trained and focused on the skills that make hiring effective. Use in-service meetings or external seminars, classes, or talks with your recruiter to ensure that everyone involved in the hiring process has the skills and information to do it well. Training in how to conduct effective interviews is a must, and information about the organization’s likely hiring needs and the industry’s overall trends can improve hiring decisions as well. Your staffing firm can provide information and recommend resources.
At Kent Legal, our experienced recruiters can help you speed up the hiring process without sacrificing quality. Contact us today to learn more about our legal support recruiting services in Toronto. We look forward to hearing from you!