If your company is in the enviable position of adding staff, you’re likely facing this challenge: finding the time and resources to deal with the tremendous influx of applicants.
With a large number of highly qualified candidates still looking for work, hiring companies have their pick of the litter. And with many employees planning on jumping ship when the economy stabilizes in 2010, the number of candidates will only grow.
Rather than sorting through resume after resume and holding interview after interview, some companies have found creative — and effective — shortcuts to the traditional hiring process.
Example: I Love Rewards Inc., a then 38-employee consulting firm. Facing the challenge of sifting through 1,200 applications to fill nine positions, the company held an open house for the job seekers. Only 400 showed up, so that eliminated 1/3 of the applicants.
Next, the firm’s founder, Razor Suleman, and 31 of his employees set up the first floor of the office, so they could talk informally with the candidates. The second floor served as an area where employees could have one-on-one time with the applicants for a few minutes at a clip.
Results: The company whittled the applicants down to a mere 68 by the end of the open house. These lucky individuals will be called back for a group interview and, if they make the cut, individual interview — and maybe a job.
Has your HR department seen a noticeable boost in resumes? Let us know in the comments section.
