We have all been here:
Throughout just about every online job application (and many other applications), we have to prove we are not robots (that we are human) on software that acts like a robot. We don’t get to ask the software to prove it is human because simply put, it’s not.
Automation does not work everywhere! Particularly with jobs that include “human” in the title.
I’m not a robot.
I get how companies want to streamline the hiring process. In fact, my job is to help companies streamline HR processes and systems. Eliminate as many people as possible right off the bat so you don’t have to sift through the un-qualified. Free up time so recruiters can do other things like chase candidates who somehow made it through the robot system and yet have no clue what they’re doing.
Every recruiter that I have been fortunate enough to speak (in person) with has come away from the conversation grateful for the time we spent together. They always make comments that they learned more about my work experience and about me that they would have learned through their applicant tracking system. They love people, not robots. They all seem to question their “system”. As do I.
That system is what lies between great jobs and great candidates. I keep hearing the US is short of good employees. No we’re not! We are short of patience and good processes. The hiring process is broken. No one has time to filter through 1,000 resumes and weed out the top 10 to call in for interviews. What we don’t realize is, within the 990 candidates automatically filtered out, the best match exists. How do we find the best match? Simple: In person!
- Put together a general job description. This is not a list of every little task you want the employee to do every day. Hint: no one will ever complete that list
- It’s OK to use an applicant tracking system. Just make sure you setup the criteria for parsing candidates in a way that is fair (and legal). Focus on the attributes you must have – and be realistic. Create an actual skills test and integrate into the application. Only weed out what absolutely will not work and keep everyone else
- Remember that the automated system is a robot and not at all human. Make time to contact every candidate who passes your initial test
- Again, make sure your criteria for weeding out candidates is fair and legal
- Call in your top 10 for face to face or phone interviews. Include as many coworkers as possible in the conversation
- Refer back to the job description, your company’s culture and how this person responds and assess if the candidate is a great fit. Dig deep
- Discuss the candidate and how they would impact your organization and make a decision based on your fair and legal criteria
- Celebrate with your new employee