We first wrote about the subject of healthier hiring. A lot has changed since then. Consequently, recruiters have had to adapt their working practices to attract the best candidates. Therefore, the hiring advice we might offer now is very different than it would have been five years ago. So, if you’re looking for more up-to-date hiring advice, you might like our more recent post: Recruitment Advice for Employers.

In January 2015, figures from Eurostat showed that 11,000 people were returning to work in the UK each week. Of course, it’s fantastic news that the employment rate is returning to pre-recession levels. The Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith even said Britain’s job creation was “the envy of Europe.”

Employment might be on the rise, but how do employers ensure they get the right candidate for the job?

As part of their candidate attraction strategy, many employers are making a positive effort to boost their employer brand on social media in the following ways:

Promoting a healthy lifestyle
Displaying images of their modern working environment
Incorporating working practices which reduce stress for their employees
Demonstrating how they help their workforce achieve a healthy work-life balance
Sharing pictures of their team enjoying the fresh air, outdoors

However, it’s all very well looking great on social media, although there is a lot businesses can do to make their hiring processes more straightforward. A healthy approach to hiring can reduce time to hire, not to mention reducing the stress levels of everyone involved.

Take a Look at the Following Five Tips for Healthier Hiring:

1 – Be crystal clear about the job spec and qualifications/experience required

Communicate what the job is and its requirements with applicants from the offset. Your job advert should portray precisely what the role is and what expertise it will require to deliver the job. Doing so helps ensure you get the right criteria of candidates applying and reduces the chances of hiring the wrong person.

2 – Seek professional hiring advice

Recruiting is a time-consuming and demanding task, particularly if you want to get it right first time. Getting a professional recruitment company to take care of your recruitment needs will free up valuable time. Professional employment consultants are also proficient in weeding out less suitable candidates and finding the right ones.

3 – Use application forms

Some recruiters love them, so loathe them, but we have to admit, application forms do have their advantages. Getting potential employees to fill out a standardised form helps employers compare candidates more quickly.

4 – Pre-screen candidates

Pre-screening candidates is a valuable way to save time in wasted interviews.

Once you have screened your CVs or application forms, don’t jump straight into inviting those candidates to interview. Instead, conduct a pre-screening stage. Ask each shortlisted candidate the same uniform questions. These can be related to different aspects such as questions around salary expectations, availability and their expectations from the role.

This simple process will give you a much clearer picture of your shortlisted candidates. It will also make it more visible, who you should be calling back for an interview. Again, an experienced recruitment agency will be able to conduct efficient pre-screening processes for you.

5 – Always ask for references

It is not uncommon for employers to employ a candidate without asking for recommendations. References are valuable for many reasons. They give an employer an idea of what they are going to get when they hire an individual. An endorsement provides glimpses of a candidate’s work ethic and habits. Most importantly, this information comes from someone who has had the experience of working with the candidate.

Forget to ask for references, and you are throwing away a crucial opportunity. It will enable you to gather hindsight as to whether the person you are thinking of hiring is likely to make a competent team member.

Follow these few simple steps, and you will be well on your way to hiring the best calibre of candidate.

Do you know someone who might benefit from a healthier hiring process? Please feel free to share this post with them on social media, they will be sure to thank you for it!