How Poor Hiring Practices are Shrinking Your Talent Pool 

Effective hiring is one of the most important things you can do outside of employee retention. It influences not only the culture and employee engagement but also the company’s reputation and ability to attract top talent. 

Unfortunately, poor hiring practices can significantly harm employer brands and shrink talent pools, as evidenced by candid reviews on platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed. These reviews act as Yelp-like feedback, offering potential candidates a glimpse into the company’s culture and work environment. 

There are, of course, best practices for hiring, which we’ll explore here. We’ll look at the pitfalls of bad practices and offer actionable tips to ensure a positive experience.

The Effect of Bad Hiring Practices

Bad hiring practices can have a detrimental effect on an employer’s brand. Candidates and former employees frequently leave reviews, where they provide detailed accounts of their experience—everything from crappy portals to being ghosted—and numerical ratings of their experiences (which are dismally low). 

“It’s long been said, and it’s unfortunately, abundantly true that the recruiting process is broken,” says Liz Ryan, founder of Human Workplace. “It doesn’t work well for hiring managers, candidates, agency recruiters, or the HR and TA people who administer the recruiting engine. It’s not effective. It’s expensive, slow, and often tosses out incredible candidates while driving other candidates away.”

This is very clearly seen in online reviews where candidates say the interview process was broken, from failing to keep candidates informed throughout the hiring process, conducting disorganized or disrespectful interviews, taking too long to make hiring decisions or provide feedback, subjecting candidates to unnecessarily long and complex hiring processes, and not providing clear information about job roles, company culture, or hiring timelines.

Negative feedback can be challenging to reverse and often deter high-quality candidates from applying.

Hiring Best Practices 

To ensure a positive experience for candidates and former employees and avoid negative feedback altogether, HR leaders can implement several best practices:

1. Streamline the hiring process: lengthy and convoluted hiring can frustrate candidates. Simplify the process by:
   1. Clearly defining the steps involved.
   2. Reducing the number of interview rounds.
   3. Setting realistic timelines for each stage.
2. Maintain open communication: keep candidates informed at every stage of the hiring process. This includes:
   1. Sending timely updates about their application status.
   2. Providing clear information about what to expect next.
   3. Offering feedback, whether positive or negative, after interviews.
3. Ensure professionalism: the professionalism of the hiring team reflects the company’s culture. Ensure that:
   1. Interviewers are well-prepared and respectful.
   2. Candidates are treated with dignity and fairness.
   3. Interview logistics are organized and efficient.
4. Be transparent: transparency builds trust and sets realistic expectations. This involves:
   1. Clearly outlining the job role and responsibilities.
   2. Providing insights into company culture and values.
   3. Being honest about the timeline and stages of the hiring process.
5. Solicit feedback: after hiring, seek feedback from candidates about their experience. This can be done through:
   1. Anonymous surveys.
   2. Direct conversations with candidates. 
   3. Analyzing feedback to identify areas for improvement.
6. Invest in candidate experience: a positive candidate experience can pay off in the long run. Consider:
   1. Creating a welcoming atmosphere during interviews.
   2. Providing a realistic job preview.
   3. Offering support and resources to help candidates prepare.

Benefits of Best Practices

Author and HR expert Dr. John Sullivan says the interview process is broken. “Every interaction with a potential hire should reflect the company’s values and culture,” he says. “A poor hiring experience can lead to negative reviews, which are hard to mitigate once published.”

Here are some ways that improving your hiring and retention will benefit your organization: 

• Positive reviews and ratings on job platforms enhance the company’s reputation.
• A good hiring experience attracts a broader and more diverse range of candidates.
• Employees with a positive hiring experience are likelier to stay with the company.
• Transparent and respectful hiring practices set the tone for a positive work environment, leading to higher engagement.

Encourage Better Hiring Practices

The hiring process is more than just a way to fill positions; it reflects the company’s values and culture. By avoiding poor hiring practices and implementing best practices, HR leaders can enhance their employer brand, expand their talent pools, and create a positive experience for candidates and employees. 

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