If you are struggling to attract quality candidates, don’t assume that the cause is a lack of talent in the market. An inefficient hiring process can actually cause talented people to abandon their application, costing you talent. 

Before making any assumptions about the talent market, make your hiring process more efficient. 

Start With Job Descriptions 

A good job description provides an accurate overview of the role. The key is to make the description both accurate and compelling without overwhelming applicants.  

Make sure each description lists the most important requirements and responsibilities for the role. Be sure to include some detail about company culture as well as salary, benefits and perks. At the end, link to your social media profiles and company website. This will give applicants answers to their most important questions while providing a compelling reason to apply.  

Walk Through The Application Process Yourself  

The biggest cause of abandoned applications is a complex application process. Walkthrough the process yourself. Set a timer and see how long it takes you from the time you pull up the description to the time you read it, apply and click send. If you feel frustrated or it takes too long, odds are high candidates feel the same way. Improve your application process by: 

• Removing requests for unnecessary personal information like SSN. Candidates may not be comfortable putting this in a form.  
• Removing requests for references – you only need them from your finalist(s).  
• Using an auto-fill program to prevent applicants from uploading a resume and filling out a manual application asking for the same information. 
• Reducing the application to 10 essential questions. Anything more increases application abandonment.  
• Ensuring the application is mobile-friendly – many people apply using phones and tablets.  
• Allowing applicants to stop mid-application, save their work and return at a later time.  
• Creating an email autoresponder to confirm receipt of the application.  

Evaluate Communication  

Lack of communication is one of the biggest frustrations that job seekers face when looking for new opportunities. If candidates do not hear from you in a reasonable timeframe, they will lose interest. You can improve communication by: 

• Using auto-responders that let know their documents have been received. Always provide information on the next steps and use a disclaimer like, “only qualified candidates will be contacted.”  
• Communicate with candidates who do not move from the screening process to in-person interviews or to the finalist stage. Rather than snail-mailing a rejection letter weeks later, use email and communicate in a timely fashion. 
• Keep candidates engaged.  Reach out to candidates between interviews to keep them informed of your search status or any changes in your timeline. This will help keep them engaged and will decrease the chances they will accept another offer. 

Are You Ready to Make Your Hiring Process More Efficient?  

If you  are  looking  to improve your recruiting, hiring processes for sales and marketing positions at your ag business, reach out to the expert agriculture recruiters at Morris Bixby today.