Why do recruitments fail?

In the competitive world of recruitment, understanding failures is just as important as celebrating successes, if not more so. This article explores each stage of the recruitment process, identifying common pitfalls and challenges. For recruiters, this detailed review offers an opportunity to revise, challenge, and improve their practices, ultimately maximizing the effectiveness of their recruitment strategies. Feel free to share your own best mistakes in the comments; they'll be valuable to future readers.

Job Qualification

‍The first, often underestimated step is job qualification. An imprecise job description or unrealistic expectations can lead to costly hiring mistakes. Close collaboration with stakeholders is essential to clearly define the necessary skills, required professional experience, and salary expectations. A job offer built on poorly defined foundations is doomed to fail. It is also important to ensure that the job description accurately reflects the company culture and values, as well as the role itself.

Sourcing

‍Sourcing is an art that requires a well-thought-out strategy. The choice between internal and external recruitment must be made with the company's long-term objectives in mind. Ineffective sourcing can limit access to the most suitable talent. Employer branding plays a crucial role here: a positive and attractive image is essential for attracting quality candidates. Companies must therefore invest in their employer brand to ensure they attract the best talent. Be careful not to constantly attribute failures to the employer brand, as this could prevent you from seeing the real reasons.

Candidate Qualification

‍Inadequate candidate qualification beforehand can lead to unproductive interviews. It is crucial to have a robust process for assessing candidates' skills, experience, and aspirations before inviting them for an interview. This often involves a thorough review of CVs, but above all, an understanding of candidates' skills and career aspirations to ensure they align with the company culture.

It's not easy to question one's own way of evaluating a candidate; there's no real standard, and everyone has their own preferences. The ideal, it seems to us, is a balance between a structured approach and improvisation. A structure that's too well-prepared can give it an interrogation-like feel.

You can also ask yourself, after each failure, what elements, information, or motivations of the candidate or the company you lacked beforehand to avoid that failure. Learning from failure is the best kind of learning!

Candidate introductions

‍Presenting candidates to decision-makers is an often overlooked step. Clear and comprehensive communication is essential to ensure that decision-makers have all the necessary information for an informed decision. This includes not only the candidate's skills and experience, but also insights into their personality and how well they fit with the company culture. It's essentially about pitching a candidate profile like an entrepreneur pitches their project. A helpful tip: learn to identify what makes each candidate unique and atypical.

Assessments during interviews

‍Job interviews are critical moments. Mistakes can occur if the questions asked are not well-targeted or if the recruitment test is not suited to the position. It is essential to prepare interviews that assess not only technical skills, but also soft skills and cultural compatibility. Furthermore, it is important to agree with all stakeholders in the recruitment process on the criteria to be used.

Closing

‍Closing the deal is a delicate stage where time management is crucial. Too long a delay between the interview and the decision can lead to the loss of qualified candidates. It is also important to consider the candidate's geographical mobility and ensure that the proposed working conditions meet their expectations and needs.

The offer

The logical outcome . That is to say, it must stem from all the interview stages, be based on facts and data, and be crystal clear. At the end of the offer, it should be clear why it was made at a particular amount, whether it is low, high, or in line with expectations.

Onboarding

Even We explain how to ensure your candidates' onboarding is a success in this article!

Conclusion

‍Every step of the recruitment process is crucial and interconnected. Recruiters must constantly reassess and adapt their methods to avoid pitfalls and improve the candidate experience. Ultimately, a thorough understanding and correction of errors at each stage are key to transforming a recruitment process into a lasting success.