Why More is Less in Hiring
“If you want to recruit good employees you need to post your job descriptions in as many places as possible, get high click through rates and get as many resumes as possible.”
Well, 427,000 resumes are posted on Monster each week and yet companies that advertise open positions on Monster hire fewer than 1% of their employees from that source. Plus, for every corporate job opening there are more than 250 resumes received, and fewer than five people are brought in to interview.*
When it comes to hiring, more is not better… it’s just more.
The logic of the current hiring process is stunning – if you couldn’t find a good candidate in a large pile of resumes, it must be that the pile isn’t big enough, so you should pay more to get an even bigger pile of resumes. Does that make sense?
Greater numbers do not translate to better candidates or help you hire them faster… In fact it usually takes longer because you have to wade through more unqualified candidates in the hopes of finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. Even worse, using arbitrary screening questions like “years of experience” eliminates potentially strong candidates before anyone ever sees them, just to try and make the big pile smaller.
Our solution at SkillSmart helps employers identify the specific skills they are looking for and then helps interested job seekers articulate where in their previous experiences they’ve acquired and demonstrated those skills through the use of a skills profile.
This process allows employers to be clearer about what they need while applicants have a new mechanism that allows them to clearly state how their education and experiences connect to the skills the position requires for success.
In one quick glance, a hiring manager or HR professional can see how each candidate meets their needs.
It also has the added benefit of providing each job seeker with a sense of how they match a given position before they ever submit a profile, resume or application.
These tools provide smaller numbers of results yet better-qualified candidates who have a clearer understanding of what is required for each position they may be interested in pursuing.
It is time debunk the myth that more resumes, applicants and “click-throughs” will help build a better workforce. It costs more money, takes more time and creates greater frustration for everyone involved. It’s hard to get off the “hamster-wheel” of trying to get more and more, but it can be done while increasing the satisfaction of the people hiring, applying and getting hired.
Learn how we can ease your hiring efforts.
*View source here
