If your search process takes too long, odds are the best candidates will no longer be available by the time you’re ready to make an offer. Here are some common pitfalls we've seen and how to address them:
You’re juggling multiple priorities. Inevitably, if you and your team are juggling multiple high-priority projects, some of the important projects will get neglected. Partnering with Alt Protein Partners, or the search firm of your choice, can help by lifting time-sensitive work off your plate. Good executive search partners should also manage the timeline and keep everyone accountable so that the process moves along in a timely manner.
Too many people are involved in the hiring process. We recommend keeping your search committee small. Involve only those who are absolutely necessary to the hiring process.
The need isn’t well-defined. When the need and role aren’t well-defined, it becomes difficult to spot the right candidate when you see them. A substantial benefit in partnering with an executive search firm is that they will help define the need upfront, imposing crucial structure on the search.
Lack of communication. Candidates will lose interest quickly if they don’t hear from you, especially the best ones. To address this, there should be frequent communication among the hiring authority, the recruiter, and the candidates.
When you're requirement isn't realistic. For example, your JD is a laundry list of conflicting or unrealistic skills and experiences; or when you're looking for a candidate who has exactly the right education, experience, and qualifications, but isn't too expensive to hire, and happens to be ready to jump right in and hit the ground running, while still being eager to adapt to the company's culture and processes. Spending time to define the need upfront will save you from a long and costly drawn out process with multiple search iterations. Spend time honing in on the skills and aptitude needed, or coming up with a realistic compensation plan, to get a strong hire in the door faster.
Your job description is boring, or isn't selling the opportunity. In our experience, something as simple as a compellingly written job opportunity can yield much more interest than one that reads like a checklist. A job post shouldn’t just be detailed, specific, and interesting, it should also sell your company and the opportunity to prospective candidates.
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