14 Easy HR Recruiting Steps: Do you Have a Shortage of Skilled Workers?

Recruiting new employees is becoming increasingly difficult due to a shortage of qualified candidates. This means that we must hunt for new sources to find candidates and advertise job openings to them. In addition, one of those sources is practically in your backyard: candidates who have previously worked for you.

Consider the following scenario: a few months ago, you advertised a position and received 30 qualified candidates. There were six people in the running for the position before you could extend an offer to the lucky finalist.

However, you now have four high-quality candidates to evaluate for a similar position in your HR recruiting process after making the difficult decision.

The advantages of resurrecting candidates from the past

Let’s take a quick look at the practical benefits of resurrecting former candidates, one at a time:

1. Candidates have already been pre-screened

Even if they were hired for a different position, the candidates in your database have already been vetted. New members of your hiring team can benefit from their familiarity with them. These candidates have already been pre-vetted, so you and your team can start analyzing them right now for a brand-new job.

2. It takes less time to find the right person for the job

When candidates have already been thoroughly screened, the period between submitting an application and starting a new job is significantly reduced. Even if you don’t post the job ad again, you may be able to close the loop on the entire process by contacting your previous candidates.

3. A better applicant experience can be achieved by utilizing this method

It’s also a terrific opportunity for candidates seeking new positions with your company to be encouraged to know that they won’t have to go through the entire evaluation process again from scratch. That’s a big draw for people looking for a new job or who have had enough of the search. It’s also comforting to know that you’re wanted. That sends a strong message to a potential candidate.

4. It’s cost-effective and time-saving

Staffing can be both time-consuming and costly. The time and money spent by members of the hiring team and the cost of placing a job ad can pile up quickly and significantly.
In this case, some of the exact costs can be applied to highlight the value of reviving previously untapped talent. Recontacting candidates you’ve already interacted with saves a significant amount of time and money.

5. If they’re interested, you’ll know

Those who have already gone through the process with you are included in this group. If you’ve done an excellent job explaining your company, they’re more likely to want to work for you now. Otherwise, why would they be relevant?

The dangers of resurrecting candidates from the past

New problems occur with each new solution. Reconnecting with former candidates entails some risk. Now let’s look at each of those dangers in turn.

1. Getting back in touch might be awkward

We’re saying that it’s like when you distance yourself from your friend and then text them afterward to check on them. Isn’t that awkward? The same is true in this case. Rejected candidates may be hurt because you’ve contacted them for a new position, which may discourage them from applying in the future.
There you go. Put yourself in their shoes and see what they’re going through. Because the other individual didn’t work out, you’d feel like you were the “second choice.” The candidate’s experience will suffer, and your employer’s brand will suffer.

2. The job pays “less” than the previous one

The new position for which you’re reaching out to individuals may pay less or require less experience than the one for which they originally applied, so keep this in mind when you interview. “You’re not good enough for that post, but maybe this lower-paid, less fascinating job in the same firm will fit you better.”
How likely is it that you’d seize such an opportunity? No, we don’t think so.

3. Problems with data security

Social media, outbound marketing, and other advancements have sparked an uptick in data privacy regulation and awareness. Candidates can be skeptical and apprehensive when receiving an unexpected phone call or email. When it comes to getting their contact information, they may be dubious and confront you on that issue, even in the public eye. A poor reflection on your company, yet again.
The most acceptable way to bring back former candidates to the fore. Let’s move on to the best practices now that we’ve covered both the good and the bad. Is there a way to do it such that you attract the greatest people? Let’s dig into the good stuff, shall we?

1. Prevent the awkwardness by anticipating it

A candidate’s perception of you and your employer’s brand is shaped by every engagement they have with you, even if they are not yet employees. Everything matters, including your timely communication, your nice and engaging attitude, the time between stages, defining expectations, and many more.
The candidate’s readiness to work for you may rise if you make a strong impression on them. You may find that the prospect is unhappy if you choose someone else for the position, but they will be responsive if and when you inform them that you would be happy to retain their CV on file for future openings at the company.

2. Make it clear that you aren’t rejecting them

No one wants to feel unappreciated, whether you’re rejecting a project proposal or a job application. No matter how competitive the job market is, it still hurts to tell an applicant, “Sorry – you were fantastic, but we went with this other individual instead.”
Doing it the right way is essential. Reject the candidates bluntly, and you’ll never hear from them again since they’ll walk away angry. Another option is to clarify that they weren’t turned down; instead, they weren’t the ideal fit for this particular role that you’re hiring for. Your company’s HR will be recruiting more people soon, so you’d like to keep their applications on file.

3. Candidates should be allowed to self-select into the program

When you’re screening and interviewing many individuals, you may not have the time or opportunity to use the previous two strategies to engage every one of them.
The application form is where you can put an option that allows prospects to self-select for future employment chances with you. Checkboxes, verbal agreements, and more are all examples of this. This may be a legal obligation in some jurisdictions due to privacy regulations.

4. Look at the candidate’s notes

After an email, interview, screening calls, or other communication, it’s a good idea for members of the hiring team to retain notes on clear and consistent prospects. To obtain a solid sense of whether a candidate is interested in a certain function or the organization, you should look at their notes.
In either case, these notes can aid you a lot in determining whether they’d be interested in working with you again in a comparable capacity (e.g., a sales position).

5. Engage just the best applicants in your search

For the final point, you do not want to provide optimism to candidates who aren’t going to get the job in the first place. You’re squandering both of yours and theirs if you do that. As a result, customers may have a negative impression of your company’s brand.
If you’re looking for a new employee, it’s best to focus your efforts on the best applicants. Ask yourself if you’d hire any of the resurfaced applicants right away. You should contact them if they say yes. If the answer is no, then proceed.

6. Communicate well and set clear goals

This is perhaps the most critical best practice. After being dumped by you, a jilted candidate doesn’t want to be left with more questions than answers. It’s much worse if you ignore that you’ve already rejected them.
Instead, make sure the applicant has all the information they need to make an informed decision. Consider including the following elements in a cordial email:
The details of your prior position, who you talked with, and the outcome of that procedure should be included.

In Conclusion

When the competition for excellent candidates is fierce, you need to go the extra mile to locate the talent your organization needs to flourish and develop. Using a hiring platform hr recruiting can enhance your chances of assembling a team of superstars while also streamlining.

Want to see recruiting platform in action? Get a free walk-through demo here!

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