How Long Does the Hiring Process Take

How Long Does the Hiring Process TakeHow Long Does the Hiring Process TakeHow long does the hiring process take in todays job market? That varies depending on a number of factors, says Matthew Rowles, senior resource manager at Kavaliro, a national staffing firm specializing in placing qualified candidates in the information technology, engineering, finance, accounting, administrative, and professional services industries. Factors include, but are not limited to these reasons, says RowlesEntry-level jobs Lower level punkts tend to move much mora quickly, as there are less decision makers involved in the process.Managerial jobs Managerial roles can move much slower as there may be more people involved in the hiring and interviewing process, and/or more background check and vetting of the candidate needed.Size of an organization Smaller organizations are typically more lean with less red tape to slow the process down. In larger organizations there are talent acquisition teams in place that review hundreds of applications submitted for a single job opening. Within those 100+ resumes there may only be a handful of qualified applicants. Talent acquisitions responsibility is to vet the applications and bring qualified candidates to the hiring manager, who will then decide to set up interviews.Arlene Vernon, a human resources consultant, management trainer, and speaker, says each company has a different process for how they handle applications, applicants, interviews, and selection decisions.I have clients with elaborate processes that take weeks or a couple of months to complete and other clients with formal processes that move along more quickly, says Vernon. Theres really no rule of thumb regarding time to hire. Sometimes it depends on the urgency of filling the position and sometimes on the availability of the hiring manager to find the time to screen, interview, and hire.Even though the job market has improved, this doesnt necessarily mean the hiring process will take less time, says Rowles. The improved economy can actually have the opposite effect as there are many people that find this as their best opportunity to make a move from their current position or company. This increases the application pool and can slow down the process, says Rowles.Other factors that influence the hiring process include how quickly the employer is looking to hire for the position, what the market demand is for the skill level required, and the length of the internal process, says Danann Smith, vice president of Robert Half Finance Accounting.Regardless of economy, there are some industries that may take longer in the hiring process, says Smith. Much of this is driven by the technical requirements and potential credentialing and certification verifications required.That could include industries such as federal or government jobs, which could require more security clearance.When applying for jobs, consider these factors that also play a role in the hiring proce ss, says SmithCompanies look at candidates well beyond skills match. Personality and culture play a large part in a hiring decision. This could translate into additional interviews with different employees at the company for buy in.Occasionally, other candidates will draw theprocess out longer than necessary by kicking the tires on particular positions or companies. While shopping for the right fit as an employee is important, stretching a job or company beyond the capabilities it has to provide could prove to be a waste of your time and company resources.Avoid applying for positions well below your salary range thinking you may negotiate a higher salary or jobs below your skill set believing you will grow the position. Most companies have budgeted salaries for the roles of their employees and look for candidates who will stay in the position for more than six months.When interviewing, asking the right questions about the follow-up process can save time- and stress. In many cases, j ob seekers forget or are not willing to ask questions that will give them an indication of the follow-up process with the potential employer, says Smith. During the interview process, Smith says its perfectly okay toAsk about the next steps in the interview and hiring process.Ask when the employer hopes to make a decision.You have a follow-up requirement as well. Handwritten thank-you notes following interviews are still the best and most thoughtful approach to showing interest in a position, says Smith.Following up, however, may not have the affect job seekers expect.In my communication with HR staff, following up doesnt typically speed things up for you, says Vernon. And theyre usually too busy to respond to applicants- especially in those positions where the quantity of candidates is large. However, if youre somehow connected or networked with someone in the organization or youve been referred by someone in the organization, it is appropriate to follow up with that contact.Vernon also adds this, from personal experience, When Ive done searches, it hasnt helped the candidate to contact me. I contact the people who are the best fit after looking at the normal factors of education, experience, skills, and compensation. The phone call doesnt make a difference.The key is to be patient, says Vernon. Remember this, she says If youre right for the job and youre a top candidate, youll be contacted.Readers, how long does your hiring process take? What have you done in hopes of speeding up the process? Share with us below

Career Management and Development

Career Management and DevelopmentCareer Management and Development

The Career Mistake You Didnt Know You Were Making Stereotyping

The Career Mistake You Didnt Know You Were Making StereotypingThe Career Mistake You Didnt Know You Were Making StereotypingAs humans we try to organize information in a way thats easily understandable. We have preconceived notions about people who dress a certain way, who come from certain geographies and who work in certain departments. In our effort to comprehend the world we generalize and put people into neat categories.Even in the professional world, as unbiased and open-minded as wed like to think it is, stereotypes about coworkers and departments creep up. Stereotyping at work, like all stereotyping, is harmful. It can hinder us from understanding others and ourselves. Sometimes the people whom we least expect to be fit for a role are the people who really thrive in them. Lets take a look at two workers from within Simply Hireds own ranks.The Sociable Software Engineer In the tech industry engineers are seen as the brilliant brains and builders of the company. They often are perceived as nerdy, studious, idiosyncratic, reserved and antisocial. Recruiter Avni Shah says that to some extent these assumptions about engineers are true and points out that fitting into these partality types can be a good way to fit in with a team or department. Shah said, Personality shapes you and people tend to gravitate towards a role that fits their personality.But what about the case of the super social engineer?Justin is a software engineer who describes himself as outgoing, social, loud, boisterous and talkative. He also says that the stereotypes about engineers are fairly accurate but adds that those generalizations are not true of all engineers. For himself, he admits he doesnt fit into the stereotype. Justin says that he dislikes sitting still at his computer all day, a common misconception about his department and peers. He is also known to dedicate his weekends to sports and social outings, contrary to the assumption that engineers prefer to be alone.Despite all th ese indicators that his traits dont befit an engineering role, Justin leads many projects at Simply Hired. He cites his gregariousness as a strength that helps him excel in his work. His social nature and outgoing personality make him a strong communicator and better collaborator. He asks questions and becomes aware of how his work fits into business goals. Justin demonstrates how his seemingly unusual personality has shaped him into an excellent engineer.His advice? If you have an extroverted personality and want an engineering job, go for it 100 percent. Dont become discouraged. You will end up in a high demand stelle with desirable soft skills. See it as opportunity to buck the trend.The Shy and Soft-Spoken SalespersonSalespeople are often seen as outgoing, engaging, chatty, smooth talkers and assertive sellers. Shah says that displaying these traits during interviews will help give the impression you are suited for a sales job. However, she said, During the interview process you want to portray yourself as accurately as possible because recruiters are aware that what you see is not always what you get.What happens when a salesperson is more of a listener than a talker?Joy is a sales development representative who views herself as a little shy at first, detail-oriented, diligent, a good listener and patient. She acknowledges that many see the sales department as loud, energetic, ostentatious and suave, sometimes unknowledgeable and always looking to make a sale. Joy says that she doesnt have the traditional make-up of a salesperson and falls somewhere in the middle between completely quiet and extremely talkative.She says that her sales peers generally fit into those descriptions, but its not wise to stereotype the team. Some actually take the time to learn the product, she said. Joy also says that in sales you need patience and meticulousness to follow up and remember your last conversation with a prospect. She doesnt push sales that are unfit for customer s, claiming that transparency is what helps her to succeed and better relate to her customers. Ultimately what makes Joy different from the typical salesperson enables her to succeed in her position.To be successful in sales, it comes down to hard work, confidence and understanding your customers needs, she said.There are specific hard and soft skills required for any job, but an individual can offer so much more than what their job description dictates. Oftentimes we assume that a persons role also defines their personality. This is misleading. What seem like atypical personality traits can reveal themselves to be unexpected assets. What makes you different can be your strength and give you an advantage over others.Dont underestimate others or yourself by falling victim to generalized assumptions. No personality type is better for a given role than another, and there is no cookie cutter personality when it comes to a career path. In the end, if you play to your strengths you can fi nd success on any path you choose.