How to Accelerate Hiring and Enhance Candidate Experience

They say to hire slow. I disagree. I hire fast. In the tech world, where innovation moves at lightning speed, waiting too long to make hiring decisions can mean losing out on the best talent. I’ve found that a structured, efficient hiring process allows me to hire quickly without sacrificing quality. Here’s the process I follow to make fast hiring work: 1. Start with assessments.   ↳ For developer roles, I send technical assessments to 20-30 qualified candidates using tools like CoderPad. ↳ This step helps me quickly identify those with the technical skills we need. 2. Behavioral interviews.   ↳ I then conduct 30-minute behavioral interviews with around 8-10 candidates. ↳ This isn’t just about technical expertise—it’s about punctuality, communication skills, and how well they handle the basics, like setting up a Zoom call (amazingly, this can be an issue with some candidates).. ↳ These are critical indicators of how they’ll perform in a team setting. 3. Technical interviews.   ↳ The top 3 candidates move on to a 60-90 minute technical interview led by a team member or trusted colleague. ↳ This step ensures we’re confident in their technical abilities and cultural fit. 4. The two-week trial.   ↳ Once we hire, we’re transparent about a two-week trial period. ↳ The reality is, we often know within the first few days if someone is the right fit. ↳ If it’s not working out, we part ways respectfully and move forward. Why hire fast?  - The best candidates don’t stay on the market for long.  - A streamlined process saves time for both the company and the candidate.  - You can quickly identify who fits your team and who doesn’t. Of course, fast hiring isn’t without its challenges. It requires a clear process, strong communication, and the ability to make decisions quickly. But when done right, it’s a game-changer. What’s your take? Do you prefer to hire slow or fast? Let’s discuss.

Your slow hiring process could be costing you the best candidates, think sprint vs marathon. (Okay let’s make it 800 meters because it’s not quite a sprint.) "You want quality? Then take your time!" Not Exactly.. Honestly....the leaders I've worked with both as internal HR and 3rd party recruiter don't "take their time" thinking it will increase quality. Here's what I've learned on my own and from leaders I've worked with.. 1. It's not about just moving faster - it's about doing the work before and having a system in place. 2. Get your team on the Same Page Before you start interviewing...this is possibly the biggest issue I see. ➡️ Hiring leader wants this… ➡️ the Hiring Leader Manager thinks X… ➡️ Each party interviews candidate, 'calibrate' to find out they are not calibrated on what they are looking for.. The job description is a laundry list of requirements sometimes from old JD's and now from AI If you list out the real requirements showing which ones are priorities and have that as part of selection process, it will save you a lot of time.  Yes...priorities may change as you get going but you have a foundation to work from. Here's what you can do..it's not easy I get it but if you take an hour upfront..you'll get hours if not days back in time.. 1. Get Ruthless with Your "Must-Haves" 🎯 Take a good look at your team. What skills do you actually need? I mean REALLY need. 🎯 Stop copying old job descriptions and get real. 🎯 Trust me - you don't need 15 requirements. Pick 3-6 that actually matter. Game changer! 2. Get Your Team on the Same Page - 🎯 If your team isn't aligned on what you're looking for... you're gonna waste time. 🎯 Nothing kills hiring speed like five different people wanting five different things. Hash it out first! 3. Create a Simple Rating System Look, we all have biases (yep, me too!). 🎯 Having a clear way to evaluate candidates keeps everyone honest and moving quick. 🎯 No more "gut feeling" hires that we regret later... I’ve seen leaders take months finding the right candidates. With some preparation you can get it to several weeks, spend less time and higher quality. What's the biggest factor impacting the speed/quality of hire? #Hiring #RealTalk #Leadership #Recruitment

Back in June we went to Alex Hormozi's two day business workshop And biggest takeaway was that we were not spending enough time focused on the boring work We were chasing too many big ideas instead of focusing on the fundamentals One of those fundamentals was our recruiting and hiring process Here is our current hiring process that has allowed us to decrease time spent hiring new roles by 50% while evaluating 3x more candidates This is the same process I used to hire 7 new roles in the past two weeks managing 100% of the process while having time to focus on my other priorities The roles hired: 1x Sr. TikTok Shop Strategist 3x Influencer marketing & Community manager 1x TikTok Shop Coordinator 1x Influencer Coordinator 1 Influencer Operations Coordinator Our process: 1. We got set up with LinkedIn Recruiter This has saved me so much time and the quality of candidates has drastically improved 2. Post a job using one of our open job slots instead of using linkedin's pay per click job post 3. Use recruiter to filter people that have the exact experience we need 4. Mass invite them to open jobs 5. Send mass messages + automated follow ups using recruiters CRM directing candidates to go through a video interview process using MyInterview Instead of reviewing applications one by one and sending individual messages to each candidate, We can do a first pass at their job history and mass message all qualified candidates + schedule automated follow ups with one click This step also replaced our first round interview We set up 5-6 interview questions that each candidate answers related to the role 6. Watch videos interviews and create a short list of our top 10-15 candidates and set up first round interviews 7. Invite top 3 candidates to a second interview to go deeper on culture related questions 8. Ask for 5 references from each candidate (front door references) Schedule calls with each reference and have template questions that I ask 9. Reach out to 1-2 back door references - these are people that weren't included but had a working relationship with the candidate (usually one of the previous managers at company they no longer work at) 10. Make an offer LinkedIn recruiter + video interviews have given me more time back to dedicate to reference checks to make sure we're hiring the best possible candidate Before Hormozi, our recruiting and hiring process was embarrassing We mostly hired out of convenience and we paid the price for it I've completely cut out chasing big ideas to focus 100% of my time on the "boring" work The best part is that I love recruiting now Theres nothing boring about finding the best people to join our mission Lmk your best interview questions below

You’ve found the perfect candidate—and then they disappear. 75% of the companies I have previously worked with have lost fantastic talent because they drag out their interview process. The candidate moves on after the 2nd or 3rd round, leaving you to start from scratch. The ripple effects are painful: Extra workloads pushed onto an already burnt-out team. Delayed product and feature rollouts that frustrate stakeholders. Lost momentum in your hiring pipeline. Why is this the norm? It doesn't have to be! Here are a few tips on how to avoid a candidate ghosting you. Streamline your interview process to eliminate unnecessary steps and move faster. (Do they really need to do a recruiter screen when the recruiter you are partnered with has filled 5 other positions in your company?) Set a realistic timeline to get through the entire process. "We need this person yesterday" and scheduling the first interview a week isn't exactly sending the right message. Maintain consistent communication with your recruiting partner so they can keep candidates posted with real updates. Even if it's just a "no update update." To keep them engaged and invested. Align the hiring team upfront so decisions can be made immediately after final interviews. In a competitive market, candidates aren’t waiting around. If you want top talent, you need a process that moves as fast as they do.

Companies - Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Recruiter! 💡 After so many years recruiting in EdTech, I've worked with countless organizations, yet sometimes we fail to successfully fill a search. This isn't because we aren't good at our jobs. A recruiter’s true value goes far beyond sourcing candidates and presenting a shortlist. While that’s part of the job, the real magic happens when you engage us as a trusted, strategic hiring partner. Here’s how to make the most of your recruitment partnerships: 1️⃣ Think of us as your GPS. 🗺️ The better we’re informed about your goals and roadblocks, the better we can guide you to a successful hire. Let us know about internal referrals or shifting priorities. When we’re in the loop, we can course-correct efficiently and ensure no time or opportunity is lost. 2️⃣ Transparency builds trust. 🤝 Trust is the foundation of a great recruiter-hiring manager relationship, and trust starts with open communication. Candidate feedback, challenges in the process, conflicting team priorities, delays - all this information empowers us to act in your best interest and create a seamless hiring experience. 3️⃣ Feedback is gold. 👏 Tell us why you like a candidate, or why you didn't. Feedback makes our search more effective and speeds up the process by eliminating guesswork. 4️⃣ Maintain Momentum 🚄 Candidates are frequently entertaining multiple opportunities. Weeks between interviews not only can be a buzz-kill for interested candidates, but it also gives other companies leverage. Remember, candidates are interviewing your organization as much as you're interviewing them. 5️⃣ Let us manage the process. 🌟 One of the most valuable things we can do as recruiters is manage candidates through the process. Candidate engagement and coordination allows us to ensure candidates are prepared, feel supported, have realistic expectations and remain engaged from start to finish. When we’re involved in every step, it allows us to build trust with candidates and keep them committed—even if there are delays or competing offers. 6️⃣ Talk to us BEFORE you make the offer. 🏆 This one I can't stress enough. Nothing kills a candidates excitement faster than an offer significantly below what they've asked for. Take the guess work out of it and consult with us so we can tell you what the candidate's expectations are. When you're ready to make the offer - let us handle it. By this point, we've already built a trusting relationship with the candidate, which ultimately gives us leverage and influence. #EdTechhiring #RecruitmentPartners #EdTech

Hiring works a lot like sales. After spending more than a decade identifying and onboarding top talent—both for my startups and for clients at InCommon—I’ve realized that hiring top talent is like closing a great deal. In both hiring and sales: - The window to act is small. - Indecision costs more than losing. - Top candidates, like deals, always have other offers. Here’s how we approach hiring key team members for InCommon: How We Hire – Step-by-Step: 1. Define the role early and clearly. - We outline exactly what the person will be doing in their first 90 days—the deliverables, workflows, and expected outcomes. - Role fit isn’t just about experience; we think through growth potential and team fit right from the start. - This upfront clarity makes sure both we and the candidate know exactly what success looks like. 2. Align with stakeholders before the first interview. - Hiring is never just HR’s job. Managers, co-founders, and team leads align early to avoid bottlenecks. (Ensures fewer back-and-forths once the process begins) 3.Shortlist with structure. - Every candidate is vetted against a consistent, structured rubric. - We know ahead of time how we’d support a candidate who shows promise but lacks specific experience—whether through training, mentoring, or shadowing. 4. Conduct fast, intentional interviews. - We streamline panel interviews so candidates meet the right people at the same time. - No waiting between decisions—we aim to give feedback as soon as possible to keep things moving. 5. Offer alignment without hesitation. - We get compensation conversations on the table early—no surprises at the offer stage. - Once both sides align, the offer goes out immediately. Delaying only increases the chance of losing them to someone faster. Of course this takes our time. But it allows us to move with deliberation and speed - so we can close the right candidates without sacrificing quality. If you’re finding it hard to hire the people you want, ask yourself: - Are we aligned on what success in this role looks like from the start? - Are we creating unnecessary delays between stages? - Are we treating this process like closing a deal—or just going through the motions? Because in both hiring and sales: you act fast, or you miss out.

Job hunting should not feel like running a marathon with no finish line. I was recently helping a client who is a VP-level candidate excited about the next adventure. A graduate of good institutions and with experience working at top notch companies. Here is what the interview process looked like - → First round with the recruiter  → Hiring Manager  → Psychometric assessment  → Meeting with nine different team members → Panel presentation  → Interviews with three senior stakeholders → Final round with the CEO And after all that … Pin drop silence! Even worse, while there was no response back from the company, the job was reposted after a few weeks. A message to all the companies who are hiring - it’s time to look beyond resumes and see the people behind them. Behind every interview is a person who’s juggling hopes, responsibilities, and the pressure to land the right opportunity. Multiple interview rounds. Ghosting after weeks of effort. Job descriptions that ask for the world. It’s exhausting. It’s frustrating. It takes a toll. Companies need to do better. Here are a few basics to begin with - 1. Do not keep the candidate hanging - How hard is it to let the candidates know if they’re still a part of the process, if they’re out or if the decision will take a few more weeks? 2. Preparation needs to be on both sides - Coming to the interview late or coming without any preparation to interview the candidate is not okay. 3. Streamline the process - Limit the interview rounds to a maximum of five. You are not hiring for the Secretary of Defense or a C-level executive, so there is no need for so many interviews. Save the case study or panel presentation for the final two candidates. 4. Respect their time and share feedback especially if you have made them jump through hoops and invest endless hours in the process. 5. A better hiring experience doesn’t just attract great talent - it builds your brand. The good news? Some companies are doing it right. Avis Budget Group keeps the process efficient, with most candidates completing interviews in a day or two. Red Robin moves quickly, with 72% of hires reporting a smooth, two-day process. Hilton leads the way in employee experience, ranking No. 1 on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” If you're in the middle of a job search, take it one step at a time. The process might be tough, but your skills and experience are valuable. Don’t let the rejections define you. What is one thing you wish companies did better during the hiring process? Which companies are doing great in their hiring process? Let's tag these companies and give positive reinforcement.

Over the past 5 years, I've conducted hundreds of interviews and hired over 30 employees both in New York City and remotely worldwide. Here are three ways I hire the right person 80%+ of the time: 1. One-Strike Policy This one sounds tough, but you need to implement a “one-strike policy.” If someone makes a mistake early in the application process – the time when they’re arguably supposed to be the most diligent – they’re probably not a good fit. Don’t get me wrong, if there's a small typo in an email, that’s probably fine… (Unless you’re hiring for a detail-oriented position like copywriter or executive assistant!) But if they make mistakes in following simple instructions or there are other red flags, that should be a strong indicator that it’s time to move on. 2. Avoid Early Phone Interviews One-on-one phone interviews are the most time-consuming part of hiring. So, skip them! Rather than immediately jumping into a Zoom call with every candidate whose CV looks interesting, do this instead: A) Send a list of interview questions in a Google doc B) Ask them to record a video answering each question C) Have them upload the unedited video to YouTube as an unlisted video This will save you SO much time! From there, you can ask all of the candidates that you like to submit an “application assignment” where you have them complete some tasks similar to the types of work that they’ll be doing for you. P.S. I strongly suggest that you offer compensation for the application assignment. This increases candidate follow-through and shows that you respect their time. 3. Tap into the Global Market If your hiring budget is near the bottom of the market in the U.S., you should STRONGLY consider hiring a remote worker in Latin America or South East Asia. In the U.S., $30K - $60K typically gets you an entry-level employee with little to no experience who will: • Require extensive training • Have a slower ramp-up period to become productive • Contribute less to important projects Not to mention, once you get your new entry-level employee trained and up to speed on your business, you’re going to worry about retention. Now that they have some experience, how long can you keep them before they find another company willing to pay more? It’s not worth the stress! Meanwhile, $30K - $60K is generally "top of market" compensation in Latin America and South East Asia. So, for the same budget, you can hire someone who: • Is well-educated (potentially with multiple degrees) • Has several years of experience (often at top companies) • Requires less training And you won't have to worry as much about retention because you’re giving them top of market compensation! - If you enjoyed reading this and want to see more from me in the future, leave a like and comment on this post, and then send me a connection request. This tells the LinkedIn algorithm to show you my content more often. Your time is your greatest asset, thanks for sharing it with me 🕊

Have you ever built a system you thought was rock solid—only to have a key person leave and suddenly, the whole thing falls back on you? What do you do while you search for a replacement? How do you keep results up without burning out? This happens a lot in small businesses, and it’s not just a challenge—it’s an opportunity. Stepping back into the weeds of your own systems can be eye-opening. You see firsthand what’s working, what’s not, and where things can improve. That’s why, in our business, even leaders cover their teams’ roles when on vacation. It keeps us sharp and keeps the systems evolving. When our HR Specialist went on leave, our HR Director had to make a choice: let the gap slow things down or use it as a chance to improve. She chose the latter. In just a few weeks, she transformed our hiring process from a two-step system into a three-step approach: 1️⃣ Recruiter Screen: A quick 15-minute call to identify the top candidates (down from 30 minutes). 2️⃣ Leader Phone Interview: A new, mobile-friendly 30-minute deep dive. 3️⃣ Director Interview: Reserved only for the best candidates. This tweak doubled the number of initial screens, sped up hiring, and freed up valuable director time—all without sacrificing quality. The result? A more efficient, effective hiring process that’s helping us fill roles faster with the right talent. Processes, like assets, depreciate over time. Jumping back into the systems gives you a chance to shine a light on what’s outdated and uncover better ways of doing things. The best systems aren’t built once—they’re refined over and over. Sometimes the challenges that force you to pause are the same ones that push you forward.

🚨 Philly Job Market Update & Analysis 🚨 It’s 2025—let’s look forward together! Over the last week, I’ve heard from a TON of friends, colleagues, and connections across all sides of the hiring process. Everyone’s feeling the same frustrations. Job seekers are struggling to land roles, and hiring managers can’t find people who stick around. Many people are still searching for a new job, myself included. The WSJ recently reported that “More than 1.6 million professional workers have been unemployed for at least six months.” At the same time, hiring managers are telling me that even when they do hire, retention is a nightmare—new employees often leave within six months. 🤔 Here’s the paradox as I see it: companies are hiring, candidates are applying, but something’s not syncing in today’s market. Traditional hiring methods—endless job descriptions, applicant tracking systems (ATS), and long interview processes—are making both the job search and hiring process exhausting. So, what can we do? Analysis, education, and a willingness to embrace change—not run from it! 🔑 Here’s how we can fix it: 🚫 Stop Relying on ATS/AI Screenings – We’re not robots or machines. Let’s not have our first interactions with applicants or hiring managers facilitated by an algorithm. ✅ Move BEYOND Keyword Filters – Get back to human-driven recruitment and networking. ✅ Rethink Job Descriptions – Make them clear, concise, and relevant—cut the fluff! ✅ Build Personal Connections – Hiring managers should engage proactively, not just post and pray. ✅ Focus on Skills, Not Titles – Look at what candidates can actually do, not just where they’ve been. ✅ Speed Up the Process – Top talent never waits around for a drawn-out hiring cycle. ✅ Enhance the Candidate Experience – Offer real feedback and keep the process transparent. No ghosting from job applicants or hiring managers! 👏 Companies must pivot and INVEST in human-centric communication and interaction. Hire experienced, forward-thinking HR and Talent Acquisition professionals who focus on a referral-first approach. Tap into employee networks before posting externally, and incentivize referrals. Replace multiple early-stage screenings with a simple 30-minute call with the hiring manager. No hiring process should have more than three interviews. 👏 The hiring process is broken, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. The best hires come from real conversations and connections, not algorithms. Let’s lean on each other and collaborate to make 2025 better together! Let me be your advocate—we’ll get through this together. What’s been your biggest frustration with hiring or job searching lately? Reach out, let’s TALK. I’m here to help and listen! 😀 #PhillyHiring #Digital #Interactive #PhillyJobs #CreativeProfessionals #DigitalMarketing #Hiring #Recruiting #JobSearch #TalentStrategy #HR #FutureOfWork