The Importance of Time Management When Hiring

Problem

Effective time management is of the utmost importance to both your personal and professional success. The key to effective time management is to allocate the right amount of time to a specific activity. The same applies to the hiring process that often ends up in endless talks and nerve-racking waiting period. By being respectful of the candidate’s time not only will you save yourself time (and consequently, money), but will speak volumes about the company itself.

Actions taken

Three fundamental ingredients to prepare for effective time management during the hiring process are:

• Be organized and prioritize all hiring-related tasks.
• Make sure that messaging about the company and the role is consistent.
• Be respectful of a person’s time.
  

Try to optimize the interviewing time. For example, if an engineer is going to interview a designer there is no need for him/her to go through a portfolio (a creative director will do that), but to assess if the candidate understands the technical aspects of the role.

Try to maintain the flow. The hiring process should not only be seamless but it should follow a logical order. Prioritize whom and why the candidate is meeting first and especially, near the end, how. Inviting the candidate for a chat to meet the team after the offer is gone is an important stage of the hiring process. I prefer to do it over the coffee or lunch, in an informal setting when the candidate knows s/he won’t be grilled. Smaller companies, where interpersonal relationships are more important, would take even a junior engineer for a dinner to make sure s/he is the right fit.

Lessons learned

Being time considerate will enhance the overall experience of the candidate. If if they walk away without accepting the offer, they should still say how professional and respectful of their time your time. Your company culture will be broadcasted through that experience.