Advertisement and Recruitment

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Advertising your job description is an important step in the hiring process. People are using many different platforms to run job searches. Not only are candidates networking face to face, but they are also searching online, looking at employer's websites, checking reviews on Google or Glass Door. A lot more goes into a job search than just the job description.

First, start by thinking about how to search. If you?re assuming that a tight job market means that an employer doesn?t have to exert much effort to fill its open positions, think again. Knowing how to "hire smart" is a must for any employer, no matter what the economy looks like.

What Do You Need in a New Employee?

The first step in your recruiting process should be to prepare a well thought-out job description that can be used for both hiring and employment purposes. When creating a job description, keep the following in mind:

DO list the duties and responsibilities of the job, moving from general to specific.
DO state job qualifications and pre-requisites in an objective manner. Must have bachelor degree. Must type 30 words per minute. Must be proficient in Excel and have EMR experience.
DO include language indicating that you are an Equal Opportunity Employer and that nothing in the job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.
DO NOT use language that states or suggests a preference for a particular gender, race, age or other such quality. Example: "Looking for a young, energetic team player." Both the words "young" and "energetic" suggest an age preference and are likely illegal. Better: "Looking for a hard-working team player."

Great workers can be found from a variety of sources, and the savvy employer will look to a number of them for its hiring needs.

Avoid Application and Interviewing Pitfalls

Has your company reviewed its job application forms with human resources or a lawyer in the past two years? If your organization is a Federal contractor, do you regularly train your managers about proper interviewing techniques?

While answering "no" or "I don't know" to any of these questions doesn't mean your company is violating the law, failing to recognize and address common recruiting mistakes can open your company up to liability down the road.

Just as you do with your advertisements and job descriptions, review all applications with an attorney to make certain they are objective and do not ask for inappropriate information. For example, some state laws prohibit employers from considering an applicant?s arrest record when making employment decisions, so a question about prior arrests should not be on the job application. Here are some other issues to consider and discuss with experienced employment counsel:

Including a statement on the application that you are an "Equal Opportunity Employer"
Including a statement on the application that it does not constitute a promise or guarantee of employment
How to draft a separate document asking for approval to conduct a background check that conforms with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, if your company intends to perform such checks

Attract Diverse and Qualified Applicants

When training interviewers on proper techniques, include these suggestions:

Try to ask open ended questions that will require the candidate to discuss his or her qualifications. Questions that only require a ?yes? or ?no? answer are not nearly as useful.
Evaluate responses critically. Did the applicant answer the questions fully? Did he or she provide information to help evaluate his or her qualifications and experience?
Do not make any promises or guarantees with regard to the job or future employment. For example, avoid comments such as "You are by far the strongest candidate I've interviewed."
The interviewer should take notes to help remember each applicant. The notes should be written on a piece of paper separate from the job application or resume and never indicate an applicant's race, age, national origin, gender, disability or other such identifier. If possible, have more than one person interview each candidate.
Regarding your employment applications, consider including EEO statement and a statement that the application is not an offer of employment or an employment contract.

Have a Definite Strategy

Ensure you the budget / salary line.
Determine the timeline for recruitment.
Determine your ability to set aside time to recruit / interview as well as time from all others involved in the interview and decision making process.
Define the Selection Process
What methods will you utilize to search?
What total number of candidates do you seek to interview before making a selection?
How will you organize the screening and interviewing?
Find an employee who is the best fit for the position

Create innovative ways to announce job opportunities: you can advertise on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn. Make your job descriptions stand out. There's a flood of messages on social media daily and you want to stand out. You could hire a graphic designer to design an ad for the job description that is eye catching.

Now is the time to take a critical look at your hiring process to make sure it is efficient and effective. Remember: A little bit of common sense goes a long way toward hiring the best employees.