Dear HR and Recruitment Folks,
Have you struggled with getting the right candidate for the role?
Have you been cribbing with the variety of people applying?
Stop and think – what exactly did you put up in the Job Descriptions…
19 Super quick HACKs which can actually get you the RIGHT and better filtered candidate…
- Write the JD title correctly and in understandable English – no using acronyms. The sure death of the JD is an acronym ridden title!
- Write the JD title using language which the candidates would ideally use – be in their shoes. Think of the words which a candidate would identify with
- Be clear about which level you are hiring for – many a times line managers shall tell you – that they are open to a “fluctuation”. But you need to be clear in the JD itself
- Insert a brief and crisp introduction to the job itself – this can be around 50 to 70 words – and should include the WHAT kind of work is expected
- Write WHY the candidate can work with you/your company? – this would make your JD more interesting and attractive to the right candidate. Remember all candidates actually think if you are going to be the “right kind of employer”
- Write about your company truthfully – writing good stuff is good, but needless bragging gets the candidate suspicious. Never forget that the candidate shall also do a background check about your company
- Highlight the “good” about the role – like foreign travel or company sponsored training and certifications. This gets the interest of the right candidate up! BUT here again don’t fib.
- Detail out the daily works and responsibilities for the job – this is going to be tough – as most people do not even in their regular work chart for roles sit down and define this. Definitions for some reason become uber-broad! BUT thats the catch – you have to define and write out
- Googly time – sit down and define the “personality traits” you would want in the right candidate. No company sits down and defines the personality traits job-wise. But if done correctly, this can be an amazing filter for the right candidates to apply.
- Define the skills sets you mandatory need and what extra skills will be a plus point. This is tough for non-technical roles, so you will need to spend time actually writing it down post researching it.
- If possible write out what you shall NOT hire or consider as a skill set. Something like people who have XYZ need not apply. But this XYZ cannot be discriminatory law-wise. Eg – for the military people with color blindness need not apply or shall be rejected on that ground in the medicals
- Be clear with the salary package you are willing to offer – avoid sentences like salary is “best in the industry”. Candidates who are good needlessly get irritated.
- Salary should be defined as a narrowed down range. Do not give salary range from 3 lakhs to 8 lakhs per annum – for the same role. It doesn’t sound realistic.
- Be clear about the locations you are hiring for – don’t write generics like hiring for East India. They have 3 to 5 states defined. State the name of the State and city/village where the role shall be base
- Make the location attractive for the candidate – write plus points like transport, near to malls for recreation etc.
- If the location is tough – then clearly state the perks you shall give the candidate for working out of there. Eg extra salary or weekly company paid offs for nearby trips etc
- How to apply? This is again a mandate! Make the process CLEAR and in simple language.
- Give email ids and contact numbers for “clarification of doubts”. Ensure these contacts are working and you are prompt with your response
- Encourage independent consultants to search for the right candidates for you. To a recruitment biggie company you are 1 client – and to the independent consultant you are THE client! Make this point clear in the JD
Stopping at 19 🙂
These hacks work!
Try them and see the difference in the quality of applications and the easy filtration process which you shall be able to create for the right candidate.