Using Project Management Tactics to Improve the Hiring Process

One of the reasons the staffing industry continues to grow at such a rapid rate is the direct impact that hiring has on a company's success. When done well, hiring can help a company grow and thrive. But when mistakes are made in the hiring process, it can cost a company in more ways than one. The need to make the hiring process as efficient and effective as possible is why companies often look to other areas for ideas and inspiration. An area that can be very useful for improving the hiring process is project management. By taking proven strategies from project management and applying them to the hiring process, it becomes possible to significantly improve how this process is handled.

Key Elements of Project Management That Apply to Hiring

Planning and structure are the two most important elements of project management. Of the various methodologies within the field of project management, Scrum is the most relevant to hiring. Just as a product development team uses Scrum, a recruiting team can use this methodology to move through multiple stages in an organized manner. Those steps include filing a database with qualified candidates, taking the right candidates through each step in the hiring process and delivering an initial offer as what's referred to within Scrum as a potentially shippable increment (PSI).

In terms of hiring process steps, another useful tool from Scrum is Kanban. This visual tool, which uses movable cards to track work in progress, is ideal for the various steps in the hiring process. Using a Kanban board makes it easy to see where a candidate is at as they move from application to screening to phone interview to skill assessment and so on.

3 Project Management Principles to Use with Hiring

Not only is applying project management to the hiring process useful at an overall strategic level, but there are also several principles that are very applicable. The first is to set a specific goal with a clear timeline. In the context of hiring, that means knowing exactly what roles your company is looking to fill, as well as figuring out how soon they need to be onboarded.

The next project management principle that can apply to hiring is product ownership. For hiring, the "product" is a new hire. The hiring process can be enhanced by designating who's responsible for delivering the new hire. Creating this type of accountability will make it possible to maximize the amount of value that's delivered and meet all stakeholder expectations.

Last but not least, collaboration should play a role within hiring. By creating a central repository with property security controls, information can be easily shared among the individuals who are involved in finding and bringing the right candidates into a company.

By using project management strategies and principles within the hiring process, companies can reduce costly mistakes and improve their overall hiring efficiency.