Struggling to fill positions as quickly as you’d like? It could be a bigger problem than you think. Roles that are left empty for too long can drain your organisation’s time and resources. The extra workload often gets spread across the team, leading to rushed, poor quality work.

The solution? Attract the best candidates and speed up your hiring process. Let’s look at five things you can do to get started.

1. Review your job adverts 

If you aren’t seeing enough people applying for your roles, your job adverts probably aren’t pulling their weight. Now’s the time to give them a refresh.

Good job ads tend to have a few things in common. Make sure yours include a clear job title that accurately reflects the role (don’t be tempted by gimmicky titles like “marketing rockstar”). Then start with a punchy opening that tells candidates why this role matters and what your company can offer.

When it comes to skills and experience, be realistic. Separate your “must-haves” from your “nice-to-haves” to avoid putting off good candidates. It’s better to train the right person than hire the wrong one.

Other things you should mention include location and work type (hybrid, onsite, remote), as well as salary and benefits. Many companies can be reluctant to include salary, but there’s only so long you can avoid talking about it – and if the number isn’t right, you’ll only end up losing candidates later in the process.

2. Advertise in new places

If you’re posting your job ads in the same old places, you can expect the same old candidates. 

To uncover new pools of talent, you’ll need to branch out a little. Exploring more niche job boards could help you target the kinds of people you want to hire. Posting on social media could help you reach a whole new audience for free. And if you’re not already incentivising employee referrals, now’s the time to start.

3. Smooth out your process

You won’t find many people who love a ten-step application process. Half a dozen interviews, a couple of take home tasks and an office tour… It can all feel pretty exhausting to candidates – especially if they’re interviewing for multiple positions at once. 

You run the risk of candidates dropping out – or worse; being snatched up by fast-moving competitors. Make your processes as lean as possible, while still getting all the information you need.

4. Build your employer brand

In a competitive market, candidates can afford to be picky about the organisations they work for. They’ll be looking for the right combination of compensation, culture and ethics. So you need to show people you’re worth their time.

Imagine you’re writing a dating profile. You want people to see the best version of your organisation. Think about the kinds of candidates you want to apply for your roles. What are their priorities?  

5. Learn from every interview

Getting things right means knowing where you’re going wrong. That’s why it’s so important to collect feedback from successful – and unsuccessful candidates. Otherwise, how will you know what’s not working?

Try talking to candidates to understand what they enjoyed and what they didn’t. But make sure you do something with your learnings. Collect and track data to identify trends. If you notice a lot of people saying your process takes too long, or your communication was poor – that’s valuable information you can use to improve hiring in future.

Another good tip: compare your findings with other people working in your industry. You might not be getting the full picture.

Perfecting your hiring process is a long journey. In fact, it never really ends. These tips are a good starting point, but there’s so much more information out there. Remember to review your process regularly to keep improving and continue finding the best candidates for your roles