As the new year approaches, it’s time to rethink outdated hiring practices. When you get rid of what is no longer working, you make room for fresh strategies that will better serve your company’s needs. Here are five ineffective hiring habits that should be left behind in 2024.
Ghosting Candidates
Hiring can be a time-consuming process, and it’s all too easy to simply focus on the candidates that you want to move forward. But ghosting those who are no longer in the running for the job is unprofessional and hurtful. With modern applicant tracking systems (ATS), it’s also entirely unnecessary. A simple email, even an automated one, can go a long way toward maintaining professionalism. Remember, that candidate you decided to ghost today might actually be perfect for a role that opens six months from now.
Drawn-Out Hiring Process
This is arguably at the top of the list of ineffective hiring habits. The labor market is tight, and top-tier candidates have plenty of options. Putting them through a drawn-out hiring process makes it likely that you will lose good prospects at every stage. In the new year, focus on streamlining your hiring and moving candidates through quickly.
Lack of Transparency
At one time, salary and benefits weren’t discussed until a job offer was made. But this thinking is now considered outdated. There simply isn’t any point in wasting candidates’ time as well as your own if your numbers are simply too far apart. Also strive to be clear and honest about job duties, time commitments, and other important details.
Too Many Decision Makers
Endless rounds of interviews are a common job hunter complaint. How many people really need to be involved in the hiring process? Try to cut your interviews to no more than three: an initial phone screening, a main interview with HR, and a final interview with a department manager. If you really need more people involved, consider a group interview or a recorded Zoom call instead.
Not Focusing Enough on Skills
In the modern world, education and experience aren’t always the best ways to determine whether a candidate can do a particular job. Technology has become pervasive throughout the world of work, and it’s rapidly evolving. This means that new hires need a variety of skills to successfully do almost any job, and they’re not always learning those skills in a formal training program. For 2025, consider moving to a skills-based hiring process in which hands-on assessments are prioritized more highly than experience or educational attainment.
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