5 hiring mistakes that every small business makes

1. 5 hiring mistakes that every small business makes Tips from the Workopolis eGuide: Employer branding toolkit

2. Finding quality job candidates is hard.

3. Finding quality job candidates is hard. Especially for small businesses trying to compete for top talent.

4. Don’t make your hiring process even more challenging with these common mistakes.

5. Mistake #1: Not formatting your job postings

6. If your job posting is an unappealing mass of text, candidates will rarely give it a second look. 6 Not formatting your job postings WANTED: WEB DEVELOPER------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. If your job posting is an unappealing mass of text, candidates will rarely give it a second look. That means you’re wasting your hiring budget on a job posting that barely gets seen. 7 Not formatting your job postings WANTED: WEB DEVELOPER------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of applications: 0

8. Instead make the text easy to read with: 8 Not formatting your job postings

9. Wanted: Web developer Instead make the text easy to read with: 9 Not formatting your job postings Paragraph breaks ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------

10. Wanted: Web developer Instead make the text easy to read with: 10 Not formatting your job postings Paragraph breaks Subheads ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Wanted: Web developer ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------

11. Wanted: Web developer Instead make the text easy to read with: 11 Not formatting your job postings Paragraph breaks Subheads Bullets ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Wanted: Web developer ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------- Wanted: Web developer ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- • --------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- • --------------- • ------------------------------ • ---------------------------

12. Mistake #1: Not formatting your job postings Mistake #2: Writing bad postings

13. 13 A job posting can be perfectly formatted, but if the copy within it isn’t engaging and easy to read, seekers won’t make it to the “apply now” button. Writing bad postings

14. 14 Writing bad postings To get the most out of your job posting, make sure that your description is: Company background ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----- Duties • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- • --------------------- • ------------------------ Wanted: Web guru

15. 15 Writing bad postings To get the most out of your job posting, make sure that your description is: • Short and concise Company background ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---- Duties • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- Qualifications • -------------- • ----------------------------- Wanted: Web guru

16. 16 Writing bad postings To get the most out of your job posting, make sure that your description is: • Short and concise • Focused on qualifications and duties first Qualifications • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- Duties • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- Company background ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wanted: Web guru

17. 17 Writing bad postings To get the most out of your job posting, make sure that your description is: • Short and concise • Focused on qualifications and duties first • Free of industry jargon and slang Qualifications • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- Duties • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- Company background ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wanted: Web developer

18. 18 Writing bad postings To get the most out of your job posting, make sure that your description is: • Short and concise • Focused on qualifications and duties first • Free of industry jargon and slang • Spell-checked and free of grammatical errors Qualifications • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- Duties • -------------- • ----------------------------- • -------------------------- Company background ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wanted: Web developer

19. 19 Writing bad postings Want to learn more about writing amazing job postings? Check out our recent SlideShare presentation, 5 ways to improve your job posting

20. Mistake #1: Not formatting your job postings Mistake #2: Writing bad postings Mistake #3: Asking for the impossible

21. 21 Looking for an UX expert with 22 years of experience, a solid background in marketing copywriting, social media know-how and the ability to speak six languages? Asking for the impossible

22. Chances are, no candidate will have all the must-haves you’re asking for, which means you’ll get less applicants. 22 Asking for the impossible

23. Chances are, no candidate will have all the must-haves you’re asking for, which means you’ll get less applicants. And, you’ll miss out on some candidates that have a lot to offer. 23 Asking for the impossible

24. Plus, you’ll waste valuable time searching for an impossible candidate. 24 Asking for the impossible

25. Before you begin your candidate search, make sure your must-haves are logical, realistic, and relevant to your industry. 25 Asking for the impossible

26. Mistake #3: Asking for the impossible Mistake #4: Coming to the interview unprepared Mistake #1: Not formatting your job postings Mistake #2: Writing bad postings

27. Quality candidates do a lot of research and preparation for a job interview. Good interviewers should do the same. 27 Coming to the interview unprepared

28. When you sit down for an interview and read over an applicant’s resume for the first time (and yes, they can tell when it’s the first time), it sends the candidate several messages: 28 Coming to the interview unprepared

29. When you sit down for an interview and read over an applicant’s resume for the first time (and yes, they can tell when it’s the first time), it sends the candidate several messages: 29 Coming to the interview unprepared • You don’t value their time

30. When you sit down for an interview and read over an applicant’s resume for the first time (and yes, they can tell when it’s the first time), it sends the candidate several messages: 30 Coming to the interview unprepared • You don’t value their time • You’re not excited about their application

31. When you sit down for an interview and read over an applicant’s resume for the first time (and yes, they can tell when it’s the first time), it sends the candidate several messages: 31 Coming to the interview unprepared • You don’t value their time • You’re not excited about their application • You’re not an organized workplace

32. Before the interview, read a candidate’s resume and cover letter, and make notes on any details you’d like to know more about. 32 Coming to the interview unprepared

33. Before the interview, read a candidate’s resume and cover letter, and make notes on any details you’d like to know more about. 33 Coming to the interview unprepared The simple phrase, “I’ve looked at your resume, and…” at the start of the interview can tell the candidate that you’ve done your homework, and you’re ready to talk in more depth.

34. Want to learn more about interviewer mistakes? Check out our recent article, 8 interview mistakes hiring managers make, and more expert advice on hiring, management, and HR at hiring.workopolis.com.

35. Mistake #3: Asking for the impossible Mistake #4: Coming to the interview unprepared Mistake #5: Not following up with candidates Mistake #1: Not formatting your job postings Mistake #2: Writing bad postings

36. In a Workopolis poll, job seekers who had recently gone through an interview process were asked how long it took the employer to respond after their last interview. 36 Not following up with candidates

37. In a Workopolis poll, job seekers who had recently gone through an interview process were asked how long it took the employer to respond after their last interview. 37 Not following up with candidates heard back within a day24%

38. In a Workopolis poll, job seekers who had recently gone through an interview process were asked how long it took the employer to respond after their last interview. 38 Not following up with candidates heard back within a day heard back in one or two weeks 24% 17%

39. In a Workopolis poll, job seekers who had recently gone through an interview process were asked how long it took the employer to respond after their last interview. 39 Not following up with candidates heard back within a day heard back in one or two weeks heard back in over two weeks 24% 17% 15%

40. In a Workopolis poll, job seekers who had recently gone through an interview process were asked how long it took the employer to respond after their last interview. 40 Not following up with candidates heard back within a day heard back in one or two weeks heard back in over two weeks never heard back 24% 17% 15% 43%

41. When a candidate doesn’t hear back, they are left wondering what went wrong. 41 Not following up with candidates Should I stop waiting for the call? Did I miss the call? Should I call them back? Are they still deciding?

42. …and when candidates go through this kind of experience, they instantly become detractors of your brand. 42 Not following up with candidates Don’t apply there! They probably treat their customers as badly as their candidates! They don’t respect their employees!

43. To avoid ruining your employer brand, follow one simple rule: let candidates know whether or not they got the job. Every time. 43 Not following up with candidates

44. To avoid ruining your employer brand, follow one simple rule: let candidates know whether or not they got the job. Every time. 44 Not following up with candidates • Applicants that don’t receive an interview should get an email letting them know they’re not moving on to the next stage (an automated form email is fine). • Applicants that get an interview should receive a short phone call letting them know they didn’t receive the job.

45. Ready to learn more?

46. Download the full eGuide: Employer branding toolkit A concise guide to telling top talent why you’re an employer of choice.

47. Download the full eGuide: Employer branding toolkit Our free eGuide provides impossible-to- ignore statistics on the importance of employer branding in the recruitment process. Learn how to develop an amazing Employee Value Proposition, promote your brand online, and attract top talent to your company.

48. Workopolis is here to help With over 16 years in the recruitment business, Workopolis has the expertise – and the tools – to help you hire and retain top talent. To post a job, or learn about our hiring tools, visit hiring.workopolis.com today. 48 Visit Workopolis today