Strategies for Overcoming 3 Common HR Challenges in Recruitment

Do you work in HR? Do you ever struggle when it comes to hiring? Below, you'll find strategies for overcoming three common HR challenges in recruitment.

HR Challenge #1: You're still dealing with (mostly) paper everything.

Solution: Invest in quality applicant tracking software (ATS) or re-evaluate the one you have. A quality ATS will save you time and keep you organized. And, depending on the integrations you get, it will provide other ways to speed up the hiring process and wow applicants.

Of course, like everything else in life, not all applicant tracking software is created equal. And here's the thing: What you need your ATS to do might be different from what another business needs.

How to evaluate:

Think about your hiring workflow from start to finish. How much of it is still manual? What would you like to automate? If you're currently using an ATS, can you push it further regarding automation, or has it reached its limit? If you're evaluating different software, what automation features are baked in? What other features would make your job easier?
Consider which ATS integrations are most important. From social media platforms to job boards to software that performs personality assessments, you need to think about the integrations that will be most useful to your hiring workflow. One to definitely consider is integration with your background check vendor's system.
Read ATS product reviews. And don't just look at the five- and one-star reviews. The two- and three-star reviews can be incredibly revealing. Look for reviews from people who work in similar environments/industries (because you want to make sure you're comparing apples to apples). A great site to start with is Capterra.

HR Challenge #2: Candidates complain about your hiring process.

Solution: Forget about the candidate experience that you think you're delivering—or that you wish you were delivering. Instead, conduct an honest assessment. Fix what's broken and implement a plan for improving the overall candidate experience.

How to evaluate:

Pay attention to unvarnished reviews. Keep in mind that not all critical feedback is necessarily negative. Ask yourself what rings true—and how you can address/improve the process. For example, if people consistently complain that the online application keeps timing out, find out what it will take to fix it and do so.
Survey current employees you recently hired. The surveys should be anonymous so that employees feel they can speak candidly. Again, look for consistencies in feedback, particularly problems you can address and fix right away.
Go through the process of submitting an application yourself. You might be surprised to find how lengthy the application is in real-time or how unintuitive the process is. Don't just pay attention to the application either. What happens once you hit submit? Do you get a thank you email? What happens from there?
Communicate, communicate, and communicate some more. One of the biggest complaints candidates have in general about their experiences is a lack of communication when it comes to the hiring process. Again, a good ATS will help because you'll be able to automate this process with email templates that you can customize. Also keep in mind HOW you communicate with candidates. People are married to their smartphones. So, whenever possible, allow them to use their phone during the hiring process, from submitting applications on their phone to kicking off the background check process via text message.

HR Challenge #3: You're consistently attracting the WRONG applicants.

Solution: Revisit your approach to job listings—and all the relevant elements that support your job listings, like your company's careers page and social profiles on places like LinkedIn and Indeed.

How to evaluate:

Revisit your job postings. Does the posting scare people away by providing too many required skill sets? Or is it too vague? Does it promote diversity and inclusion? Does it reflect the culture? For example, if your organization has a start-up "vibe," the way your job listing "sounds" will likely be different from the posting at a corporate law firm. Note: It's always a good idea to have a lawyer look over job listings from a legal point of view and to ensure you've removed any biased language.
Beef up the careers page on your company website. When applicants research the companies they're applying to, the first stop is often the company website, particularly the careers page. Make sure yours is engaging and that it accurately reflects your workplace. Include real pics (not stock photos), quotes from employees, and call-outs on why people should consider working for your company. BE AUTHENTIC. Candidates will recognize a bait-and-switch pretty quickly during the interview process. Need some inspiration? Greenhouse ATS shares 10 examples of awesome career pages.
Pay attention to how you position your company online. You likely have a company page on LinkedIn (and if you don't, you should). Make sure the page reflects your brand and culture (it should tie in closely to the Careers page on your site). Do the same with your profiles on other popular job platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor.

BONUS: Work with partners who'll help make your hiring process shine.

OK, this section is a bit self-serving, but hear us out. At Good Egg, we strive to be the best-reviewed background check company on the planet. The only way we can accomplish this is by delivering quality background check screening services that make your life easier while wowing your candidates.