6 Outdated Hiring Practices

How effective are your current hiring strategies? Are you attracting top-quality talent? Or are you posting and reposting with very few submissions? Today’s hiring ecosystem is different. And what used to work as recently as one year ago won’t necessarily be effective today.

So, as you review your hiring and onboarding metrics, look to spot trends that might point to gaps in your current hiring practices. And keep reading to see if any of these outdated hiring practices represent techniques you’re still using. More efficent hiring practices and strategies first require the identification of poor-performing processes. See what you can eliminate and reform so you can get back to hiring incredible talent for your organization.

According to Forbes, the “Great Resignation” brought 47.8 million Americans to the decision to leave their jobs in 2021. And that movement shifted power away from the recruiter’s desk and back to the job seeker. While some nuances continue to shift, these are the current hiring practices you should consider eliminating.

1. Hiring Based on Resumes and CVs

There was a time when the candidate’s resume was all a hiring manager needed to make a hiring decision. However, the old CV isn’t carrying as much weight anymore. A surging number of companies are even considering hiring and interviewing applicants without a resume at all. Today’s leaders realize the best-fit candidates present qualifying experiences, applicable knowledge, and soft skills, all of which are hard to quantify in a one-page resume. Sure, some roles will require certification or technical proof of experience. But if you’re still relying on the resume alone to evaluate candidates, it’s an outdated hiring practice that could be costing you brilliant employees.

2. Attracting Candidates with Salary Alone

It also used to be considered a hiring best practice to rely on salaries alone to attract top talent. In theory, you’d pay more for more qualified candidates. But today’s best and most talented applicants are looking beyond the pay before making any offer-accepting decisions. Today’s workers are choosing to work with companies that offer creative benefits that speak to work-life balance. They’re looking for positive company cultures and potential for internal growth. And if your job descriptions or interview processes don’t speak to these points, you’re missing great candidates.

3. Hiring Based on Location

With the onset of remote working dynamics, today’s companies are throwing regional or location-based hiring practices out the window. Stop insisting on “local” when you seek to attract new candidates and open up your role to nationwide pools of incredibly qualified professionals. Of course, this also means you’ll have to adopt a remote or hybrid workforce. And being flexible as a return for productivity is a highly attractive element among top talent today.

4. Posting Vague, Fluffy, or Ambiguous Job Descriptions

Another outdated hiring practice you might not realize you’re using is the generic, vague, or ambiguous job description. Over the years, certain roles evolved to “feel” like templates outlining responsibilities and benefits. Today’s candidates are looking for descriptive, transparent, and precise descriptions. And if they sense any fluff content or gray areas, they’ll move on to the next job opportunity. When crafting your job descriptions, be unique about how you capture the responsibilities and requirements. Spell out what you’re looking for in a dynamic candidate. Additionally, create transparent lists of benefits, perks, and pay ranges that apply. It’s about setting realistic expectations and attracting the candidates who want to apply, not baiting applicants.

5. Requiring Lengthy and Time-Consuming Application Processes

To leverage the most effective and current hiring practices, you’ll need to look at the time it takes to apply to your job. If there are redundant steps in the process, including requirements for applicant logins or form completion steps in addition to resume uploads, you’re likely losing interest among your candidate pools. And even worse are those companies that take too long to move forward with the next steps in the applicant process. Today’s companies are adopting AI for improved communication and innovative software that streamlines every step. Eliminate unnecessary or time-consuming steps in your application procedures and start being more effective in hiring great candidates.

6. Implementing In-Person Interviews and Outdated Tech

If your recruiting and HR teams are still requiring in-person interviews, you’re missing out on pools of incredibly talented applicants and still practicing what is now an outdated hiring practice. Look to adopt all the technology you need to connect with, engage, evaluate, interview, and onboard new hires virtually. Even for those roles you have that DO require on-site work, take the flexible interview route with options for virtual meetings and calls. Use the tech to connect, and you’ll find you have broader applicant pools with which to work.

Is your company still using some of these outdated hiring practices? More importantly, do you need help developing and executing more effective hiring practices? Let ExactHire be your guide! We have all the resources and strategies you need to change your approach to hiring, including the best practices for today’s hiring environment.