3 reasons why it's taking you too long to recruit someone

Why did you contact a recruitment advertising agency in the first place, or are considering hiring one now? Whether you're in sales, IT, engineering, HR, retail or a completely different field, chances are that it was because recruiting people was just taking you too long.

The Quarterly Journal of Economics has said that while five years ago, it took about 15 days to fill a position, that has now bloated to around 23 business days. It's thought that as the economy has improved since 2008, job seekers have been put in a stronger position, and can now take more time to choose between offers.

So, what do you need to do, dear recruiter? In short terms, streamline your hiring process and sell yourself better to candidates. Here are the biggest factors lengthening your recruitment time:

1. You're scared of hiring the wrong person

Obviously, no employer wants to hire an unsuitable person for a role - it costs time and money. It's not just the cost of hiring you have to worry about - it's also the likes of compensation, training, development and missed business opportunities. Settling on the right person can also be tricky if the advertised role is more niche or specialised.

2. The candidates just aren't good enough

There's no doubt that many candidates think they're highly employable, with 4 in 5 18-34 year olds feeling that they are "job ready and possess all the skills, experience and education needed to advance in their desired career path or obtain their next job", according to a poll from Bryant & Stratton College Online and Wakefield Research.

But are you as convinced? Maybe not. 40 per cent of employers said that the basic skills required for open positions were lacking in most entry-level job candidates. It's why you need a good recruitment advertising agency to whittle down those candidates to only those that match your brief.

3. Your interview process takes too long

Don't allow your interview process to get longer and longer due to paranoia over making a bad hire. We've heard of some firms interviewing candidates fix or six times, and interview processes lasting a year. That's just going to leave high quality candidates looking for other offers.

It helps to know from the outset what you would like to assess during the interview process. Cut down the number of phases to two or three, and ensure your hiring managers' availability for interview as soon as possible. With a more streamlined interview process, you'll create a better impression in candidates.

What's the best way to find the right candidates fast, with minimum hassle? Simple: using the right recruitment advertising agency, like Webrecruit. Contact us now about efficient talent sourcing.

Editor’s Note: Webrecruit (http://www.webrecruit.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.