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Employee Benefits
5 biggest recruiting mistakes every recruiter makes (And how to avoid them)
July 20, 2021
We all know that recruiting is a competitive environment. Companies are looking for the best and brightest talent, and they're willing to pay top dollar to get them.
When you're competing against other recruiters for these hard-to-find candidates, it can be tough to stand out from the crowd.
But what if I told you some mistakes, when avoided, could make your search much easier?
In this blog post, we'll go over 5 major recruiting mistakes that many recruiters make when using LinkedIn, Facebook and other online sources of information.
Mistake 1: Assuming a candidate will be great because they have relevant experiences
It argues that recruiters need to consider other factors, such as how well candidates work with others, deal with conflict and stress, or adapt to changing environments.
Because some candidates might have more relevant experience but not be as good at working with others or their attitude don’t fit the company culture.
What should recruiters do instead?
Vet the candidate's online presence. On LinkedIn and Facebook, for example, recruiters should look at what do they normally post on their social media.
This will give you a sense of who your potential hire is as well as whether he or she shares any common culture with your company.
Look for gaps in their work history that might be red flags:
- Has the candidate had any promotions or career changes?
- Does he seem to have a lot of time off during certain periods, which could mean he has been looking for other jobs?
The idea is not to base your judgement on relevant experiences only. Zoom out and look further into their background, behaviours and thinking patterns in your recruiting process.
Mistake 2: Not updating your website and social media profiles
Currently, recruiters expect candidates to check the job boards only. But in reality, millennials and Gen Zs would go to your website, social media profiles, and other online presence to learn more about you.
In fact, 52% of all candidates search the company's website and social media first to learn more about an employee, according to Randstad's 2021 Employer Brand Research report.
If you didn't update your website and social media profiles, this will most likely turn candidates off and demotivate them to apply for your job offer.
What should recruiters do instead?
Recruiters need to make sure their website and all platforms are up-to-date with the latest contact information, company updates and job openings.
When a potential candidate searches for your organisation online or taps "follow" on Facebook or LinkedIn, there needs to be something clearly visible about what you're looking for in a candidate.
This will show that you are a company that is constantly recruiting qualified applicants for job openings, and it shows your organisation has stability because they have open positions to fill.
The truth is, this simple step could be the difference between getting good candidates or not.
Mistake 3: Did not personalise employee benefits for each candidate
The traditional approach assumes all candidates need the same set of benefits: health insurance, paid vacation, medical leave, training, etc.
But the actual fact is that each person prioritises different benefits. Just as your life priorities change as you age, different age groups have different needs and wants.
Some of the benefits most important and appreciated by each generation are:
- Baby boomers: salary level, healthcare, financial, and retirement benefits and making an impact.
- Gen X: Work-life balance, a sense of purpose, salary level,
- Millennials: Health and wellness programs, financial benefits, mobility benefits (such as transportation allowance), and career advancement.
- Gen Z: Mental health wellness program, remote work, subsidised lunches and free fruit, skills development and career advancement.
But there are also benefits that appeal to multiple generations such as health insurance, supplemental insurance (life, dental, and vision), retirement savings, flexible schedules, paid leave, and financial assistance or counselling.
What should recruiters do instead?
Recruiters need to understand what type of candidate they're looking for and tailor the benefits accordingly. For example, if you are recruiting a millennial, offer benefits that they value, such as health and wellness programs, financial and mobility benefits, and a career advancement roadmap.
Mistake 4: Designing jobs with unrealistic requirements
Recruiters need to watch out for unrealistic requirements in the job description.
For example, a lot of companies require candidates to have specific qualifications like years of experience or skills that might not even be relevant for the position they are recruiting for.
What should recruiters do instead?
You don't want your company name associated with jobs that carry unreasonable expectations and place an unfair burden on qualified applicants.
Instead, you should create more realistic descriptions by tailoring them to what is needed for that particular role rather than specifying general qualifications based on other positions within your organization.
This will make it easier for potential candidates to apply and less likely that someone won’t get through because they don’t meet all the necessary prerequisites.
Mistake 5: Focusing on active job searchers only
It is a mistake to assume that passive job seekers are not worth recruiting. Actually, there's nothing wrong with being passively looking for jobs.
In fact, some people want more time to make their decision and might be too busy in other aspects of their lives. But with a slightly better job offer, you might be able to reel them in.
What should recruiters do instead?
Recruiters need to recognise this trend and actively reach out to these candidates as well by sending them emails or connecting with them on social media platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook where they have profiles set up but aren't currently searching through job boards and resume databases.
The key here is just being consistent - contact these individuals every few months if you've reached out before so you don't miss a potential candidate who might be interested in your job posting.
The Takehome Message
If you have made one or more of the mistakes above, it's okay. Sometimes it takes some time to be good at recruiting.
What is important, however, is that you learn from your mistakes and make sure not to repeat them in the future.
The best way to do this? By recognising your mistakes and learn from others, such as blogs.
Want to up your recruiting game? Read about why you should hire internally and when is the best time to do it.
About Mednefits:
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