How startups can hire top talent 2x faster
Max Kolysh
CEO @ Dover
August 9, 2024
•
3 mins
Here at Dover, we know a thing or two about expediting the hiring process. We’ve taken the time to find out what works for startups and what differentiates an efficient and effective hiring process from others.
So, we split up 300 companies into two groups to see what works. Group 2 ends up hiring 2x faster with 2.5x better conversion. The difference was stark, but it wasn’t complicated. Did these companies have more resources or more funding? No, they just did five things to tighten up their interview process. Here are the five steps they implemented and how you can do the same in your startup.
Here are the five tips we found most effective in speeding up the hiring process and improving conversion rates.
1. Schedule phone screens within 24 hours of an application or outbound reply
The longer you wait for the first touch, the more time top candidates have to field other offers. Instead, you should be scheduling phone screens within 24 hours of receiving an application or a positive response to an outbound message. Top talent wants to know you’re enthused and interested. This helps keep the momentum going and your best candidates in the hiring pipeline.
In short, startups that implement 24-hour turnarounds for phone screens can reduce their candidate drop-off rates and give candidates a positive impression from the start.
2. Schedule the next interviews within 24 hours of each round
Keep the momentum going after initial contact. Once you have a group narrowed down from your initial phone screens, don’t let them sit on ice. Schedule the next interviews within 24 hours to keep things moving through the hiring pipeline. It’s a good idea to set this expectation for candidates during the phone screen, so they’re enthused about the next steps and have a clear schedule for upcoming interviews.
The 24-hour rule should apply for all phases of the interview process, as long as there aren’t any scheduling conflicts on the candidate's end. If you keep things from slowing down, you can beat out competitors and make offers to top talent before they can receive other offers.
3. Send 2 followups for each day candidates didn’t schedule
Communication is foundational to an expedient hiring process. If you notice candidates aren’t scheduling times for interviews or responding promptly to reach-out messages, don’t hesitate to send follow-up reminders. A best practice is to send two follow-up emails for each day a candidate doesn’t schedule an interview.
These reminders can be short and sweet. Make them polite and encouraging to express interest in the candidate’s continued participation in the hiring process. This simple tactic can up your response rates and ensure fewer top prospects fall through the cracks.
4. Ensure interviewers have 6+ hours of availability that week.
If the interviewers in the hiring process have limited availability, it can significantly slow down your hiring process. To avoid bottlenecks and delays, make sure your interviewers have at least six hours, preferably more, of availability each week to interview candidates. The main benefit of this is that it gives top candidates more flexibility for scheduling and ensures the interviews aren’t rushed.
Freeing up this time is easier said than done for startups if those involved in the interview process are busy or wearing a lot of hats. That’s why it’s a good idea to touch base with interviewers and see what kind of support and coverage they need to help free up their schedules. The previous tips, like the 24-hour rule, should also help with this as it means interviews aren’t dragged out over weeks and interviewers only need to have the additional availability until the positions are filled.
5. Send candidates prep notes before each interview round
The actual interview should be as smooth and pain-free as possible, for both the candidates and the interviewers. One way to ensure each interview goes smoothly is to provide candidates with prep notes ahead of time. These prep notes can provide a timeline and clear expectations for the interview.
Also, even the most experienced candidates can get a bit nervous for interviews where they have no idea what to expect. Prep notes can help reduce anxiety and allow for a more natural, confident conversation. Prep notes can include information like the interview format, key topics you’ll cover, how long the interview will take and any other information you think is relevant for candidates to know.
Top candidates are more in demand than ever, especially in the hypercompetitive and fast-paced world of startups. Running a tight interview process is now essential, as it gives candidates a positive experience and leads to less wasted time and resources during the hiring process. A tight and positive interview process means your best hires won’t hesitate to make referrals, which can be one of the best sources of talent.
Overall, an efficient interview process leads to cost savings, time savings and more top hires for your team. There are virtually no downsides, which is why so many startups need solutions to improve their hiring process and speed.
If you need help bringing on top talent and expediting your interview process, Dover has you covered.
Get Help From an Expert Recruiter
One great way to expedite your hiring process is by partnering with an expert recruiter. But recruiter costs can quickly balloon your hiring process if you don’t choose the right partners. That’s where Dover’s Recruiting Partner marketplace comes in. We help connect you with independent, full-cycle recruiters at an affordable hourly rate. Instead of committing to a long-term contract, our Recruiting Partners work as often or as little as you need.
Oh, and those five tips that we talked about for 2x-ing your hiring process? Dover’s all-in-one recruiting platform gives you all the tools you need to do them automatically. Bring on a Recruiting Partner to handle sourcing, scheduling, first phone screens and more. A dedicated recruiter can be a powerful way to bring on more top talent in a fraction of the time, so find your Recruiting Partner with Dover today.
Try Dover’s Free ATS for Startups
Want to improve your hiring process for free? Don’t overpay for an applicant tracking system when you can get features like AI-assisted applicant sorting, candidate tracking and job board integrations with Dover. Our ATS is perfect for startup founders, giving you a streamlined and centralized solution for your recruiting pipeline. Let us help you stay organized and save time throughout the hiring process. Sign up with Dover today to get started.
