[GUIDE] 7 Reasons Why Your Technical Recruitment Process Isn't Working and How to Fix It

7 Reasons Why Your Technical Recruitment Process Isn't Working and How to Fix It

7 Reasons Why Your Technical Recruitment Process Isn't Working and How to Fix ItAre you dissatisfied by the quality of candidates applying for your company? Do you feel like you’re always losing the most promising applicants to rival companies, no matter how competitive your employee packages are? Is your technical recruitment process starting to feel less and less like an important venture and more like a time-sucking, energy-draining chore?

As much as you may want to blame this on timing, coincidence, or your company’s own reputation, there’s a higher possibility that it has nothing to do with them and everything to do with the way you conduct your recruitment process.

The whole point of hiring is to find the best talent in the industry and integrate them into your organization. However, if the system is flawed, there’s not much that can help the results.

Here are seven reasons your technical recruitment process is no longer doing you any favors—and seven corresponding ways to reverse it. 

You Haven’t Identified the Problem(s)

The first step to solving your problem is admitting you have one. Clichéd as this may be, it’s true; you can’t fix something if you don’t know it’s broken. Sometimes, you need to take a step back and study your systems, processes, and workflows from a distance. Problems that seemed nonexistent when you were inherently involved can appear glaringly obvious with some space and a fresh perspective.

Only when you’ve successfully identified the area (or areas) of your recruitment process that is—for lack of a better term—impeding your hiring success can you then begin to take steps to correct it.

Of course, it can be difficult to remain objective when analyzing a procedure that you’ve grown comfortable with—and may have even helped construct.

If you can’t find anything “wrong” with your recruitment process, check out this article for some tell-tale signs that you may have unintentionally ignored.

Your Recruitment Process is too Long

If too many candidates are dropping out in the middle of recruitment, or they’re not showing up for their second, third, or fourth interview, it could be a sign that your recruitment process is too long.

We understand the need to thoroughly assess each and every candidate—especially in a high-stakes industry such as software development—to ensure you’re getting the best one, However, there are ways to carefully sift through the applicants and zero in on the best fit for the position without taking weeks (or even months) to come to a decision.

A long hiring process is a severe disadvantage for your business. Aside from the fact that you risk losing suitable, qualified candidates to competitors, you’re also losing valuable company resources—time, manpower, equipment and supplies—that could be better spent towards the company’s growth and expansion.

Learn how to effectively shorten your recruitment process without compromising candidate quality or company integrity.

Technical Recruiting Cheat Sheets for Technical Roles

You’re Looking for Candidates in the Wrong Places

Where do you post your job listing? On recruitment websites, wanted boards, and social media platforms? Do you stick to traditional media (i.e. newspapers, magazines, flyers), or do you prefer a mix of both online and offline channels? Do you depend only on referrals from existing team members, or will anyone do?

If all the people who have applied for your job offer are unqualified, inexperienced, incompetent, and basically overall subpar quality, it’s possible that you’re tossing your bait in the wrong pond. If you want high-quality candidates, you need to start looking in high—quality websites. Take LinkedIn, for example. There are some true software engineering gems on that platform; all you need to do is learn how to scope them out and reel them in.

Learn how to use LinkedIn to attract QUALITY Developers here!

You’re Asking the Wrong Questions During Interviews

7 Reasons Why Your Technical Recruitment Process Isn't Working and How to Fix It1When interviewing new applicants, a lot of recruiters use the same recycled questions they’ve been using for the past three to five years. This is something you do not want to do. There’s tried-and-true, and then there’s just plain stubborn.

If your questions are scripted and predictable, you increase the risk of applicants studying and rehearsing exactly what they’re going to say beforehand. By refusing to come up with new questions, you also risk measuring applicants using outdated standards.

You also want to make sure you’re asking the right questions—the kind that tell you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is the best person to join your company.

Here are some important questions you absolutely must ask during interviews if you want to recruit the best software talent available.

Skilled technical recruiters are able to reword and rephrase these in such a way that they sound different for each applicant without losing the essence of the question.

You’re Saying the Wrong Things (And Killing Your Credibility)

Even if software development is not your field of expertise, you should at least have a firm grasp of the basics. This is so you can tell which applicants genuinely know what they’re talking about and which ones are just regurgitating buzzwords.

Likewise, you need to also watch what you say during the interview—even if it’s just small talk. As the technical recruiter, you represent the company. Everything you do or say is reflective of the company; its policies, its priorities, and its work ethic. You cannot afford casual slip-ups or insensitive remarks.

To guarantee the company’s integrity, you need to remain professional, yet approachable. Open and easy-going, but no-nonsense. And whatever you do, do not compromise your organization’s social and political standing.

To achieve that, never let these 5 credibility-killing phrases leave your mouth.

You’re Not Using their Language (i.e. You’re Not Communicating Effectively)

On a related note, we mentioned earlier that knowing the fundamental basics of software development is crucial. You don’t have to be an expert, and you definitely don’t need to dive too extensively into the more technical parts, but as someone who’ll be dealing with software engineers, you should at least understand the jargon.

Aside from using this knowledge to filter through applicants quicker, it also ensures that you and the candidate are communicating on the same level. Most people feel put-off by a company when the recruiter doesn’t even understand the basic technical vocabulary that developers use on a daily basis. God forbid the best applicant of the bunch decides not to accept your job offer just because you don’t know the difference between a back end developer and a software architect.

Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.

Go ahead and download the most recent version of our Must-Have Technical Recruiting Cheat Sheet.

It’s got an extensive glossary, most-commonly used software development phrases, concepts, and more.

You Need to Improve Your Technical Recruiting Skills

Lastly, the applicants aren’t the only ones who need to bring their A-game to the interview. As the technical recruiter, you hold a position of authority and credibility. If you want to scope out the most competent candidates, you need to be the most competent.

Attracting the best means being the best, and the best technical recruiters have it all; top-tier communication techniques, mastery of multiple skills, and finely-tuned abilities capable of honing in on true gems.

If you have what it takes—and you obviously do—then check out these top five tips to becoming a master technical recruiter.

 

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Topics: technical recruiter, technical recruitment solutions

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