How to Streamline Your Tech Recruitment Process

There is nothing more frustrating than a slow recruitment process – for both the candidate and the hiring manager. Teams are under-resourced, candidates are disengaged, and offers are turned down, which doesn't help anyone. Valuable time and recruitment resources are wasted during a lengthy hiring process. The key is more speed without the need to scrimp on quality.

In this guide, we will provide practical solutions and strategies for businesses to streamline and optimise the Tech recruitment process. 

1. Writing Clear and Engaging Adverts and Job Descriptions

Let's start with the basics. During the job search process, a candidate's first impression of your company will be based on the job advertisement and job description they read. These must be separate, with an engaging tone and hooks that sell your USPs when advertising. Job specs are not adverts!

All too often, we see job descriptions that aren't attractive enough. They are either too specific or too vague. They are too focused on information about the company than on the role. They are missing salary information. They were written a few years ago and are now totally outdated in terms of technology or projects the person will be working on.

Capturing the attention and ensuring you have your "selling" points front and centre is key. It is critical to ensure your selling points are authentic and speak to the target audience, who identify with your culture and who ultimately will be a great addition to your team.

How to Create a Compelling Job Advert/Description:

Below are some key examples of how your business can create intriguing job adverts and descriptions to attract candidates quickly: 

• Promote Growth Opportunities - Showcasing growth opportunities and career progression in a job advert, and description will immediately draw suitable candidates to your business as professionals seek positions that will develop their career goals and aspirations.

• Showcase Business Culture and Benefits - Promoting company benefits such as a competitive salary, positive workplace culture, retirement and training plans will ensure candidates gravitate towards the job advertisement, increasing the likelihood of an application for the role. This marketing strategy will attract ideal candidates quickly, speeding up the recruitment process. 

• Use Clear, Concise Language - Using precise language is essential in accurately describing the advertised job role and its responsibilities and requirements, attracting only candidates who are a good fit. Well-written job descriptions also create a positive brand impression, quickly alluring suitable candidates. 

• Emphasise Skills and Qualifications - Including specific skill and qualification requirements means that potential candidates can assess whether they are a good fit for the role. Your business should only receive applicants with the required expertise for the position, significantly speeding up the screening process. 

2. Eliminating Unnecessary Steps in the Tech Recruitment Process

A stitch in time saves nine! Hiring managers juggle numerous responsibilities, and recruitment is a crucial aspect of their role, so balancing their time is vital. Are all the steps in your hiring process necessary? Are they the most efficient approach? There are several things that can speed up the process.

According to a recent survey, on average, 250 applications are submitted for each job advertisement, where only 4 to 6 candidates will be called for an interview. Due to an average high volume of applications, it is essential for hiring managers to streamline recruitment processes.

Essential Steps for Streamline Recruitment

Take a look below to learn how a Technical recruitment agency avoids unnecessary steps in the hiring process to streamline recruitment:

• Outsource steps – We build our clients' teams in NI, ROI, and the UK within 30-60 days. A recruitment partner can reduce the time for sourcing, shortlisting and even first-stage interviews. Using technology tools designed for recruitment, we can further speed up all stages of the process, reducing the number of interviews required and saving time throughout the whole process. If a candidate is required to perform a task, conducting a follow-up interview within a few days is important if necessary. 

• Candidate Feedback -  A recent study shows that 94% of professionals want feedback after an interview, even if they have been unsuccessful. Your business can invest in software packages, such as Harver, Workable and HireVue, that provide real-time candidate and client feedback. Data repeatedly shows that the faster candidates receive feedback, the more likely they will accept the role. If it's over 24 hours, you are already behind the average. 

• Don't involve too many stakeholders or train more decision-makers – Decide the main decision-makers to ensure their availability allows for a fast turnaround on interview feedback. The ideal time frame to make a final decision should be between one day and one week. 

• Discuss the hiring process with candidates beforehand - Describing the length of the tech recruitment process on the application form beforehand means candidates know what to expect. Promoting and implementing a  quick hiring process will attract top candidates and shorten the screening process. 

3. Make the Interview Count

During the interview stage, candidates will be interviewing the company as much as you are interviewing them. The interview process is a fantastic opportunity to bring the company and opportunity to life – are your hiring managers discussing this in detail and able to sell the company?

If it's an in-person interview, take the time to show off your offices and facilities to candidates, discuss the benefits on offer, and introduce them to some of their potential colleagues. Office tours do not have to be conducted by hiring managers. Other team members can take on this responsibility, allowing candidates to be comfortable getting to know other professionals and asking questions. Candidates will be able to visualise themselves in the role, developing a deeper insight into the business context and company culture, leading to a faster offer acceptance process.

If an interview is remote, it is equally advantageous for hiring managers to invite other potential team members to the interview, allowing candidates to ask relevant questions in a remote setting, where they can grasp a deeper sense of the company values, environment and cultural fit. 

How Your Business Can Perfect the Interview Process

Let's delve into some more tips on how hiring managers can get their interviews spot on:

• Reduce the number of interviews you conduct - Limiting the number of interviews during the hiring process significantly speeds up recruitment. It is important to ensure that all necessary professionals are present in each interview to avoid having to carry out numerous sessions. One to two interviews is usually a suitable number.

• Consistent interview times - The ideal interview length is around 45 minutes. It is essential for hiring managers to consistently keep to this time to ensure all areas, such as skills, experience, company culture and benefits, have been addressed and discussed. The 45-minute mark is ideal, as it is enough time for recruiters and candidates to assess whether they are a good fit for the role whilst avoiding a lengthy interview. 

• Stick to relevant interview questions - Keeping to interview questions tailored to the advertised job role will give you the necessary answers. This avoids irrelevant information and allows hiring managers to assess whether a potential candidate has the required skills and qualifications and if they are generally a good fit for the role. 

• Promote company benefits - Promoting business benefits during the interview process, such as a competitive salary and a positive work culture, means that candidates will be more likely to accept the job offer, saving time and avoiding additional recruitment processes. 

• Showcase your facilities - As we briefly mentioned, showcasing your company facilities is essential in attracting suitable top talent to your business. Promoting an excellent office environment, friendly colleagues and service support will quickly increase a candidate's likelihood of accepting the job offer, saving valuable time and resources. 

 4. Build talent pools

The recruitment process shouldn't just be in force when looking for candidates for a vacancy. Your business should consistently focus on scouting for talent and build a talent pool of qualified and interested candidates. Developing talent pools represents a strategic investment for businesses, conserving time and resources, enticing superior candidates, and cultivating a robust employer brand. It's a proactive strategy for talent acquisition that guarantees your company maintains a readily available pool of qualified individuals to drive growth and prosperity.

So, how can your business create excellent talent pools? Below are some of the most influential strategies used by a Technical recruitment agency to build the best talent network:

• Utilise social media - Social media platforms grant access to top global talent. It is easy to use social media platforms to create a captivating employer brand, demonstrating the UVP of your business when advertising job roles. Connecting and interacting with other professionals within your industry will expose your brand to potential talent, making sourcing an ideal candidate a quick and easy process. 

• Partner with educational institutions -  Collaborating with academic institutions means hiring managers can source potential entry-level candidates. By offering training programmes and internships, your business can quickly build new talent pools of expert professionals in your industry. 

• Consider previous unsuccessful candidates for other opportunities - Maintaining relationships with candidates who were unsuccessful in previous roles is essential, as they may be the perfect fit for any future positions in your business. This creates a talent pool of potentially successful candidates, potentially saving valuable time in the Tech recruitment process. 

• Consider remote talents -  Being open to the idea of remote workers opens up doors to global talent. According to research in 2023, nearly 30% of respondents were looking for roles that offered five days of remote work a week. Many roles in the tech industry can be carried out in remote settings and an office environment, so promoting flexible working to candidates will likely lead to a quicker acceptance of a job offer. 

5. Admin Diligently but Efficiently.

Often, delays in the process come down to a lack of communication. Before an offer is ready to be made, have the paperwork drawn up, get a letter of offer confirmation out to the candidate straight after receiving a verbal acceptance, and then the entire contract within 24 hours. This will allow you to get ahead of any queries in the agreement and ensure fewer delays when candidates prepare to hand in their notice. The more straightforward the offer process, the less likely counter offers and doubt.

The key elements of effective recruitment admin are: 

1. Organisation - The ability to organise recruitment-related paperwork, such as employment contracts and confirmation letters, is essential. Ensuring this paperwork is delivered to candidates quickly speeds up the recruitment process. 

2. Communication - Excellent communication is essential in implementing a quick recruitment process. Providing prompt feedback and updates on the status of applications will streamline recruitment and attract candidates to your business, increasing the chances of job offers and acceptance. 

3. Scheduling -  Once the screening process is complete, scheduling interviews/induction days as soon as possible is essential. As mentioned, feedback should ideally be given the next day, and follow-up interviews should be conducted within the next few days. 

Wrapping Up the Streamlined Tech Recruitment Process

Creating clear and engaging job adverts and descriptions sets the stage for attracting the right talent from the beginning. Showcasing company culture and benefits and highlighting skills and qualifications contribute to a more efficient and targeted recruitment process.

Eliminating unnecessary steps in the hiring process is crucial for maintaining speed. Outsourcing certain steps, such as providing timely feedback, involving the right decision-makers and setting clear expectations for candidates, helps expedite the overall process.

Making the interview count is essential and will streamline recruitment. Showcasing your company's culture, benefits, and facilities during the interview can significantly impact a candidate's decision-making process. Maintaining consistent interview times and sticking to relevant questions can create a quick recruitment process.

Building talent pools ensures your business is always prepared to meet its hiring needs promptly. A IT recruitment agency commonly uses strategies involving utilising social media, remote work and partnering with educational institutions to create quick access to global talent pools.

Efficient administration is the backbone of streamlined recruitment processes. Organising paperwork, maintaining excellent communication, and promptly scheduling interviews or induction days are essential.

Connecting Global Organisations to Top Tech Talent

At MCS Group, we are dedicated to sourcing outstanding talent that meets the requirements of your business. Our tech recruitment specialists are devoted to understanding the requirements of your organisation and finding candidates who are a perfect fit for your company. Using our extensive networks and expertise, we can source talent to drive innovation in your business.

If you are currently recruiting and would like to discuss how MCS Group can assist you in your search for talent in Tech, contact us today.