By Trevor Huntington, PharmaLogics Project Manager
Finding top talent is crucial for the success of any organization. However, hiring the right person for a job involves more than just the candidate’s skills and qualifications– it’s also about providing a great candidate experience. A candidate’s experience can make all the difference in your ability to attract and retain talent, and a positive candidate experience can make all the difference.
Quick Turnaround Time from Application to Initial Interview
One of the most important aspects of a great candidate experience is a quick turnaround time from application to interview. If there’s interest in a candidate, it’s important to set up interviews quickly to keep them engaged. Once the candidate completes their initial interview, hiring managers should provide quick feedback as it shows the team is engaged. Providing honest feedback – whether good or bad – demonstrates that you value the candidate’s career.
Next Rounds of Interviews
The job market is competitive, and candidates often have multiple interviews happening. When it comes to the next rounds of interviews, set them up within a week of the first round to keep the process moving. If candidates are left waiting, other companies can advance quicker to an offer stage. Ultimately, there is a risk of losing candidates to competitors when we delay the process.
Lengthy panel interviews should be avoided, and the discussions should be broken up if necessary. Candidates are already occupied throughout the work week. Taking hours out of their day is difficult for them, and it can be exhausting. Keep interviews between 30-60 minutes and separate them throughout the week, as it will allow candidates to meet with various team members while preventing the process from feeling overwhelming or daunting.
Being able to make decisions after the second or third rounds is crucial and will help keep the process streamlined. This not only saves time and resources for the hiring team, but it also shows candidates that their time is valuable. Candidates will appreciate this level of organization and feel more excited about the opportunity.
Results
When the hiring process is streamlined and efficient, candidates will sense the excitement and be more willing to join the organization. This saves the team time and resources in the long run by reducing the need to restart the hiring process due to candidate drop-offs.
As an example, I recently worked on a project where we implemented these tips and saw significant outputs. The end result was that we placed five candidates within one month, which is much lower than the industry average of 91 days to fill a position. This success can be attributed to the process we followed:
- Candidates had quick interviews,
- met with three-four people over a two-week timeline,
- and received immediate feedback.
As an outcome, the candidates quickly accepted offers, making for an excellent experience for all involved.
The Key to Success
A great candidate experience is crucial for a successful recruitment process. At PharmaLogics, we are very hands-on with our recruitment process and know that a great candidate experience is key to finding the right hires. Quick turnaround times, efficient interviews, and honest feedback create a positive candidate experience. By following these tips, your company can create a positive experience that saves time and resources while attracting the best candidates.
Contact us today to learn more about our pharmaceutical recruiting services!
About the Author:
Trevor is a Project Manager at PharmaLogics Recruiting, where he has led and managed projects with clients across the country in the biotech and pharmaceutical space. He has been a key asset in helping clients find long-term hires. Trevor has worked on positions from entry-level to C-Suite and has demonstrated the ability to source highly qualified candidates that will be key resources to your organization. In his spare time, Trevor loves to travel, spend time with friends & Family, and cheer on Boston Sports teams.