Doing anything faster than normal can increase the likelihood of errors, and hiring urgently is no exception. When you need to fill a position fast for the good of your business, existing employees and clients, it's easy to overlook minor details that could become major headaches later. Learn how to fill a job quickly following the five steps below for better outcomes.
how to hire someone to fill an urgent need
One of the first things to consider when you're filling urgent positions is whether you should go with temporary workers or dive right into permanent hiring. Opting for temporary workers when hiring urgently gives you a bit more wiggle room for making (and correcting) hiring mistakes, so it's often where businesses start.
But just because you're putting off a permanent hiring decision for now or don't plan to fill a position long-term doesn't mean you shouldn't approach this process with a plan.
1. identify critical skills and competencies
Decide on the must-have skills and competencies someone needs to be successful in this role. Remember that you need someone to fill the position immediately—or maybe yesterday!—and you can't afford to make a laundry list of nice-to-haves or expectations.
Certainly you don't want to hire someone under-qualified. If you urgently need a programmer, you can't fill the slot with an IT support staffer who can hook up your network but doesn't know Python from JavaScript. But you also don't need to create a job listing demanding an experienced programmer who knows 10 coding languages, has leadership skills and has the confidence of a top sales exec for presentations to the board. Be realistic about what you need.
2. create an attractive job description
Once you know what you need, write a job description that will draw in high-quality candidates as quickly as possible. You're going to have to sell your company a little to make talent want to move quickly, so your job description should include:
- details about the job to help the right candidates self-select. If you need someone who can create advanced PowerPoints or Excel pivot tables (and those are deal-breakers), say so. It reduces the chance that people without the right skills will apply, and that can help you find the right candidate faster.
- information about your company and culture. Give job seekers enough data so they know if they actually want to work with you. If you're only looking to hire someone for remote work, individuals who don't work well remotely should know that before they apply, for example.
- why the candidate should consider you. What can you offer that might make talent want to work with you over other employers?
Keep your job descriptions as to-the-point and concise as possible, and use language that engages readers. Job seekers are often as busy as you are, so long-winded postings may have them swiping or clicking away to see what someone else has to offer.
3. post the job in the right places
Throwing your job posting out onto extremely popular channels might result in an avalanche of applications, but that's not always how to hire someone quickly. In fact, if you're inundated with lots of low-quality candidates, it can take longer to find the right person—or increase the chance that you hire too quickly and pick the wrong person.
Instead, focus on high-value channels. Yes, you want fast responses. But you also want every response to have a high chance of being a good fit.
4. don't skimp on the hiring process
Hiring urgently should never equate to hiring haphazardly. Put in the time on resume review and interviews to appropriately vet and select the right candidates. Skipping these steps might put someone in the seat faster, but it can also lead to hiring an unqualified candidate or someone who isn't a good fit for your organization.
Consequences of skimping on hiring processes and jumping to a bad hire conclusion can include:
- Wasting your time and taking even longer to finally fill the spot with someone that works
- Reduced employee morale that can even lead to attrition from existing staff if the temporary hire is a bad fit for the team
- Errors, customer service issues and potential harm to your bottom line if the hire isn't able to handle the job
5. conduct onboarding and training
You should avoid skimping on onboarding and training for the same reasons you don’t want to skimp on the hiring process. Yes, you need a qualified person who can jump right into the role if you're hiring urgently. But they should still get appropriate orientation and training on processes that are specific to your organization. Even if you push them into their position, ensure they have appropriate support, so they can get questions answered quickly as they integrate into the team.
connect with HR experts that focus on temporary hiring.
Working with experienced HR experts that know how to quickly hire temporary staff can help you avoid the pitfalls associated with rushing hiring decisions. Here's what to look for when choosing a staffing partner for hiring temporary workers:
- A large network of pre-vetted candidates to reduce sourcing time
- Experience working with urgent timelines, so you have peace of mind they can perform under pressure
- Ability to hire on a shorter timeline and at a lesser cost when compared to doing it yourself
- Processes for handling administrative work and ensuring you're compliant with all local laws and regulations related to temporary work
To find out more about how Randstad ticks these boxes, download our guide on using an HR partner to hire temporary workers.