Recruitment timescales are getting slashed! Time to fix up and look sharp

Almost half of company head honchos admit to slashing their recruitment timescales.

That's great news for candidates, who just want to get settled into their swanky new job. It's not so cool for already hard-pushed recruiters, who'll need to think outside the box to make this sum add up.

Back when it was all paper cuts and lever arch folders, you could expect a recruitment campaign to take weeks, if not months. And, even once you'd made your mind up, you had the joy of waiting out the candidate's notice period.

In 2017, it's all about the here and now:

• 92% of employers have offered someone a job within seven days of the first interview
• 59% have trimmed the advertising to onboarding process back to just two weeks

But, why the rush? Well, because employers are clamouring for the best applicants, of course.

Competition for the pick of the litter is more intense than ever (think Black Friday on steroids), and a long employment process can be a major turn-off for applicants.

*sigh* So, what am I supposed to do now?!

Short of stumbling across Bernard's watch, you're probably thinking that the only way to make your time go further is to knuckle-down, put a sleeping bag next to your desk and just get on with it.

But, there's a better way you know! And, it's not about working harder. It's about working smarter.

Robo-recruitment

You're gonna need help.

If the boss won't loosen the purse strings enough to get you an assistant and your crazy flatmate's yet to crack human cloning, then there's only one option.

It's time to fall head over heels in love with recruitment tech.

Software's already giving recruiters a run for their money when it comes to intelligence. You can use it for just about everything:

• Posting a job ad on as many boards as you like, all at once
• Creating a dedicated careers site to answer candidates' questions before they've even asked them
• Chatting with candidates instantly via social media
• Screening candidates pre-interview
• Scheduling and shifting candidates through the recruitment cycle

Everyone wants a robo-buddy. Isn't it about time you found yours?

Get on the front foot

Your recruitment strategy could probably do with a bit of a spring clean, too.

Rather than twiddling your thumbs waiting for your next recruitment window, then getting in a bun-fight for whoever's on the market, try thinking a little further ahead.

It might sound like a lotta hard work, but shifting to a state of consistent recruitment - where you hire proactively whenever the talent is there - can save you in the long run.

This way, you can approach the top talent calmly, and find staff who are likely to stick around for longer.

If you're not quite ready for this, try sprucing up your candidate pool. At least that way, you'll know who to call on come your next recruitment rush. Raid your professional social media, and your colleagues, to keep tabs on the best in the biz.

There's no use crying over slashed recruitment timescales. It's time to get smart and take your hiring processes to the next level with intelligent recruitment tech.