5 Traps to Avoid When Hiring PR Pros
Every week, we’re talking to busy agency owners, heads of recruitment, and talent managers. Everyone wants to find the best possible candidate while keeping the hiring process quick, smooth, and painless. Sound familiar? If so, keep reading. Drawing on more than a decade of experience, we reveal key pitfalls that can hamper your quest for the ideal new recruit.
1. Incomplete (or inaccurate) job description
Having a clear expression of what the role entails is essential. Yet all too often, understandable time pressures can see this crucial step sacrificed.
In the long run though, that can lead to more false starts, mismatches, and wasted time on the road to finding ‘the one’. This is especially true if the role requirements change during the search.
Do this instead:
Take the time to set out the important aspects of the role and the type of candidate you’re looking for. If you’re working with a recruiter, they should be able to help you with this part of the process. Keep them updated with any new or changing needs along the way.
2. A narrow idea of the ‘perfect’ candidate
The perfect candidate on paper isn’t always the right one in real life. For example, we sometimes see clients prioritising candidates who have been in the same agency or team for many years. While in some cases this can indicate reliability, in others it might be a sign of stagnation. Candidates who move more often aren’t necessarily flaky — they might be more flexible and go-getting, or have faced challenges beyond their control. It all depends on the individual. A CV is only one part of the picture.
Do this instead:
Be open to considering candidates with different journeys, while maintaining your truly essential must-haves for the role.
3. Moving too slowly
We’ve seen it so many times: a client is impressed by a CV but can’t get round to seeing the candidate just yet. Or they have a great first-round interview but then take a while to set up the second meeting. Before adding a third round… and maybe a fourth, just to be sure.
In the meantime, the professional is interviewing with another company and — before you know it — they’ve landed an offer elsewhere.
Top-notch candidates don’t hang around for long, even in tough employment markets.
Do this instead:
If you like the look of a candidate, keep up the momentum. Last year, 43% of jobseekers reported leaving an interview process because it just took too long. We wouldn’t advise going beyond three rounds.
4. Skipping feedback
In PR recruitment, silence is definitely not golden. We know from talking to candidates week in week out that when employers go quiet, it really puts them off.
Sharing what went well and what could have been better might seem like a nice-to-have, but it’s important to build trust and engagement with potential recruits, both current and future.
More than half (52%) of candidates would not recommend an employer that had been slow to update or feed back to them.
Do this instead:
Provide timely feedback as this will help to engage the candidates you’re interested in, while reducing the risk of reputational damage from those who aren’t a great fit this time.
5. Not using your recruiter to the max
Recruiters always want to talk, but agency and in-house PR life is non-stop. We know the drill. The thing is, you might find a 15-minute conversation does wonders for the quality of your candidate search, saving you time and effort in the long run.
The more you can help them understand the role and the team, the quicker they can find you the ideal fit. You can also glean valuable information on the state of the market from them: after all, they’re speaking to candidates and companies in your industry day in, day out.
Do this instead:
Make the most of your recruiter and strengthen your hiring process by having a chat to get into the ins and outs of what you’re looking for. And don’t be afraid to ask them questions about what they’re seeing in the wider PR recruitment landscape.
We’re always ready to help you enhance your recruitment process. If you’d like to have a chat or a virtual cuppa, get in touch with Gavin at PR CROWD.