The short version: understand the business and communicate clearly, follow up with every candidate quickly to prevent drop-off, play to your company’s strengths whatever its size, invest in your ATS and CRM discipline, and give interns meaningful work.
Whether you’ve been a recruiter for 25 years or you’re just starting out, there’s always something new to learn when it comes to recruiting. That’s why we’re calling on the experts to share their best hiring advice with us. From a first 90 days plan for recruiters to best practices for building an internship program.
The experts’ top recruiting tips at a glance
- Know the business and communicate (Ben Gotkin). In your first 90 days, learn how the business works and how to engage managers and candidates. A good recruiter is first a good communicator.
- Follow up fast, every time (Angie Verros). Timely communication after meeting candidates is essential. The relationships you maintain often matter more than any single req.
- Fix the experience to stop drop-off (Dr. John Sullivan). Candidates ghost or exit when interviews are unexciting or feedback is slow. Treat a great candidate experience as your best anti-ghosting tactic.
- Play to your size (Tim Sackett). Small companies win on flexibility; large companies win on scale and benefits. Recruit to your strengths rather than apologising for them.
- Give interns meaningful work (Steve Browne). Menial work adds no value for the intern or the company. A strong internship program is built on real responsibility.
- Master your tools. Keep detailed records in your ATS and CRM and automate follow-ups, so admin never crowds out sourcing and candidate conversations.
The full expert advice
Each tip above is drawn from a longer piece worth reading in full:
What to Do in Your First 90 Days as a New Recruiter
By Ben Gotkin
As a new recruiter beginning your career, finding and hiring candidates who meet skill requirements, are a cultural fit and can make an impact for the organization can be overwhelming. Where’s the best place to start? Ben Gotkin shares his best advice for recruiters’ first three months on the job.
“A good recruiter understands the business, how to effectively engage managers and candidates, and how to communicate.”
5 Post-Career Fair Communication Tips
By Angie Verros
It’s a rule that every job seeker learns when searching for their first job: follow up after the interview and thank every hiring team member. As a recruiter, do you follow this same rule? Timely communication after meeting with candidates is essential. Here’s how to effectively reach out to potential new hires post-career fair.
“I’ve maintained relationships with a lot of the candidates I’ve met throughout my career. You never know where those relationships will take you.”
Why Candidates Are Dropping Out of Your Hiring Process
By Dr. John Sullivan
You sourced a candidate who impressed your hiring manager, has all the skills for the job and fits your company’s values. But before you can extend an offer, the candidate changes their mind (or worse, ghosts you). Here’s why it’s happening, and what you can do to fix it.
“If [the candidate] had an unexciting interview or feels like they are being treated poorly because of a lack of feedback, or even a rude recruiter or disinterested hiring manager, the best will exit quickly.”
How to Play to Your Company’s Size to Recruit Top Talent
By Tim Sackett
Do you worry about how your small company can compete with well-known organizations for talent? Are you positioning your large company in the best way to hire in-demand candidates? Tim Sackett shares how to recruit top talent no matter the size of your team.
“Small companies may not be able to compete with large companies on their benefit packages, but large companies can’t compete with the flexibility small organizations offer.”
5 Best Practices for a Successful Internship Program
By Steve Browne
Steve Browne, Executive Director of Human Resources for LaRosa’s, Inc. has more than 30 years of experience in HR, including overseeing internship programs. Browne’s best practices for creating a successful intern strategy is a must read for companies that have an existing internship program or are thinking of starting one.
“Making interns do menial work doesn’t add value for them, or for your company.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Good recruiters understand the business, communicate clearly and often, follow up promptly with every candidate, and use their ATS and CRM to stay organised so they can focus on relationships.
A common framing is competency, character, communication, culture fit, and career direction, the five areas a strong hiring process evaluates in each candidate.
