A common question I get from clients is, “How many people should I involve in my hiring process?” My answer is usually, “As many as you’d like.”
If you’re surprised at that response, think about it this way: Most jobs require collaboration, whether between coworkers, among departments or even across entire business entities. Shouldn’t hiring also be collaborative? Plus, research shows that groups tend to make better decisions than individuals.
Collaborative hiring or collaborative recruiting can best set you up to choose the right candidate. This is a critical decision that impacts all areas of your business. In fact, a bad hire can cost you up to 30% of that person’s expected first-year earnings.
Depending on the organization’s size and the position being filled, collaborative hiring can come in many shapes and forms throughout the various stages of the recruitment process. However, it is commonly practiced when interviewing and evaluating candidates.
For example, my company holds panel interviews with our top candidates. After applicants make it past a phone screen and interview with the hiring manager, they meet (in-person or virtually) with a group of three to five associates representing a variety of departments and roles. Panelists then provide feedback to help the hiring manager make the final decision and extend an offer.
One of the most significant benefits of collaborative hiring is its ability to reduce potential biases. When one person is responsible for hiring, their decision is more likely to be influenced by some form of bias (conscious or unconscious). With multiple stakeholders in the hiring process, everyone brings different ideas and viewpoints to the table. Someone may point out a key positive characteristic of the candidate that you overlooked or spot a red flag you didn’t notice. By reducing bias, you can even support your DE&I initiatives and increase the diversity of your work-force.
Collaborative hiring also builds trust with your employees. When you involve others in your process, you demonstrate that you value their opinions and show that you are not making decisions in a vacuum. At the same time, you can improve employees’ managerial, communication and decision-making skills.
For candidates, collaborative hiring comes with the benefit of showcasing your company culture. Interviewees can meet potential colleagues and see how your team interacts. This insight can help applicants determine if they will enjoy working with you and ultimately influence their decision to accept or decline a job offer.
A few additional benefits of collaborative hiring include taking pressure off one individual for making a crucial decision and allowing the hiring manager to easily obtain feedback from all participants at once.
In some cases, collaboration may elongate the hiring process, as finding time to get everyone together for a panel interview can be challenging. If you wait too long, you may deliver a poor candidate experience and miss out on top talent. Additionally, collaborative hiring can be costly from a salary, time and productivity perspective since you are taking associates away from their typical work duties.
Another disadvantage is that team members may not have experience with hiring, which can lead to unstructured interviews and irrelevant or even illegal questions. It’s also possible that top-quality candidates could make some interviewers feel insecure, influencing them to recommend a weaker hire because they fear that their job or seniority might be threatened. On the other hand, a panel interview could overwhelm and intimidate the candidate, causing them to underperform.
The most successful collaborative hiring initiatives comprise engaged participants. If panel members do not have a vested interest in the process, you won’t get the results you seek, so choose your collaborators wisely. Further, if a position doesn’t impact the panelist, they may not care about the skill set of the candidate. It’s also a best practice to include people of different backgrounds, representing diverse groups and roles to broaden perspectives.
Here is an example of what a well-rounded panel may look like:
When hiring a marketing writer, you might include their direct supervisor (if different from the hiring manager), another member of the marketing team who would work alongside the new hire, a member of your senior leadership team and someone from your product development team (for whom the writer may develop copy).
Hold a kick-off meeting to get everyone on the same page. What role are you filling? What are the must-haves? Everyone should be familiar with the position, so provide the job description for context as well as the candidate’s résumé. You might even consider removing names, dates and other personal information from résumés to avoid generating bias before each interviewer meets the applicant.
Next, create and assign interview questions. Each person on the panel can be responsible for fielding certain questions or touching on specific topics to avoid repetition and keep the conversations going. Panelists should take notes and ask follow-up questions when appropriate.
Hold a debriefing session with everyone involved while their impression of the candidate is fresh. When sharing thoughts, team members should make supported statements—simply saying, “This person is not a fit for our culture” is not acceptable. Instead, they should explain how or why this candidate is not a fit.
You can also make the process less subjective by having panelists rate candidates using a Likert scale, but be sure to identify the rating or selection criteria ahead of time. This will also help prevent panelists from rating candidates against one another (comparison bias) instead of rating them for the skills and competencies necessary for the job.
In closing, remember that the goal of a panel interview is not to make the hiring decision but to provide valuable feedback to empower the hiring manager to make the final decision. Recruiting is better together, so lean on your teammates to guide you toward choosing your next star employee with confidence.
Job seekers today face an increasingly competitive job market, where finding the right fit isn’t just about having the right skills—it’s about making the right..
The Changing Face of HR HR is going digital! More companies are using tools like AI and automation to manage employees better and faster. The..
Landing your first job: Essential tips for recent graduates Stepping into the job market as a recent graduate can be exciting but difficult. After years..
From the Beach to the Office: Finding Balance to Go Back to Work Picture this: you’re lounging on a sun-soaked beach, the sound of waves..
Employee disengagement and quiet quitting are two big challenges that HR teams face today. Disengagement happens when employees lose interest in their work and stop..
In today's competitive market, businesses are constantly seeking ways to grow and succeed. One of the most important factors linked with business success is the..
Human resources and recruitment are often not taken into serious consideration by different departments of the company. However, in this article, we would like to..
As a recruitment agency, here at Advance Career, we are aware of the challenges a newcomer may face in the Human Resources field. Whether you..
Recruitment Tips: 5 Skills Interviewers Should Master Advance Career as a recruitment agency in Cyprus knows well that unlocking the potential of top talent begins..
When you might think about using a Recruitment agency: Personnel recruitment requires a lot of effort, and many organisations struggle to find the time to..
Employee Well Being - HR Function which evolves to a full time dedicated role for Organizations who invest in their employees. HR Executives are giving..
As an organizational psychologist, I look at the world through the prism of systems and structure. I’m curious about how organizations form, what goals a..
While formal education provides a solid foundation for a career in human resources (HR), there are certain invaluable lessons that can only be acquired through..
In today's dynamic job market, the role of HR leaders has undergone a profound transformation. No longer confined to managing benefits, training and compliance issues,..
The role of a Human Resources (HR) professional can vary depending on the organization and the specific job title. From identifying the most suitable of..
Soft skills are the personal qualities that enable an individual to communicate effectively, work well in a team, and adapt to changing situations. In today's modern workplace,..
It's no secret that a company cannot operate successfully without productive employees. What are you doing for yours? As a company, Twitter excels at employee..
Some could easily argue that the human resources (HR) department is not a "revenue-generating" service. We don't create new products, interface with the traditional customer daily, or..
Complex labour legislation is among the many reasons why more companies are choosing to outsource their human resource (HR) function to specialists while they focus..
One silver lining of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the surge in creative ways that organizations found to survive and succeed under dire circumstances. But..
Developing an active HR function in your business show that you value your employees and their business in your enterprise Growing startups and small and..
Building an amazing team is how we grew KnowBe4 into a unicorn. Without the team, we'd never have made it. This is why hiring is so..
Nothing is better for the bottom line than employees who are motivated to work for psychic benefits. Are you looking for ways to motivate your..
The power of one is mesmerizing. We don't realize it, but it can change how we see things. It can help us focus and help..
Businesses used to have a relatively easy time finding talented employees to fill all their job vacancies. That changed in 2021 when 47.4 million workers voluntarily..
If you work in recruitment, you’ve probably heard the saying, “You need experience to get experience.” In job listings, we’re often guilty of writing “zero..
Wells Fargo recently found themselves in hot water after it was reported that some managers at the company were interviewing non-white candidates for jobs that had already..
You know what it’s like. Some people are so much fun to work with that you actually look forward to seeing their faces come Monday..
A lot can be riding on the outcome of corporate brainstorming sessions. The list includes the need to come up with ideas for the creation..
Since the pandemic started, HR professionals have had to juggle retaining their current employees while also attracting new talent. Employees have more options than ever..
Are you struggling with new leads? Are you struggling with hiring? In this article I'm going to dive into three important ways you can create..
HR activities at startups are often reactive in nature instead of proactive. That leaves gaps in the system. When starting their businesses, most entrepreneurs tend..
Not long ago, I received a call from an HR manager at a large corporation seeking an executive coach for one of their senior leaders...
I recently met with a group of managers to discuss ways to improve meetings. Our goal was to figure out how to create a space..
Extroversion and introversion are used to define two ends of a personality spectrum. People can have a mix of introverted and extroverted traits, and we..
A reader asks: I recently got a new job in HR at a small (under 100 people) company. This is my first job in the HR..
Finding good people is hard, but it's the only way to build a company that can succeed in the long term. Not that long ago,..
Creating a learning culture in the workplace is all about fostering an environment that empoweres people to pursue knowledge. This is important for individual evolution,..
Artificial intelligence (AI) might be the way of the future in tech, gaming and smart-device industries. When applied effectively, AI can save on human employment costs and,..
When you finally land an interview for an exciting role or for a position you think might be out of your league, the main thing..
Through the turbulence of the past year, one of the constants for me has been my relationships with my colleagues. As a senior leader at..
Regardless of industry, job hunting remains a competitive process. Potential employees often look for out-of-the-box ways to distinguish themselves from other candidates; however, they still..
When applying to your dream job, it is not uncommon to be rejected or even ghosted by recruiters and hiring managers. The problem with rejection..
If there’s one thing the pandemic has brought into clear focus, it’s what each of us considers important—especially at work. Diversity, equity and inclusion, and..
If you’re anything like me, you’ve found yourself in a situation like this a few times over the last year. A friend invites you to..
Summary. What’s the first thing you focus on when applying to a new role or looking for a job? If you said job title, you’re..
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused several changes in the workplace and future work behavior. With several countries going into lockdowns, every sector was required to..
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an interruption for businesses around the globe. It is an unsettling time for everyone as we are all unsure of..
People are checking you out on LinkedIn. Will you be embarrassed by what they find? Are you aware that 95 % of recruiters use LinkedIn..
“Ugh, I got called in for an interview on Friday, but I don’t really want to go,” a friend moaned to me last week. In..
I got into management earlier than many of my friends and colleagues, and now I find myself becoming the go-to resource for when they're struggling..
According to anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell, who pioneered the original study of nonverbal communication called "kinesics," face-to-face conversation is less than 35% verbal. In comparison, more than..
You can hire the best team in the world, but if they can't communicate well, you won't get very far. A business owner I know..
Raising awareness is the key to inclusion. We’re all fighting against centuries of conscious and unconscious bias in the workplace. The first step is acknowledging..
Today’s organizations spend considerable time and energy selecting and recruiting creative talent. And rightly so. Creative employees help their organizations survive and remain relevant in..
As a member of a team, you have a responsibility to help your co-workers, just as you’d expect them to offer assistance when you need..
As we put July firmly in the rearview mirror and enter August, I can’t help but reflect on how unique this month is every year...
Consistency Is the One Rule in Building a Great Company Culture Company culture is a topic that’s been often explored by entrepreneurs and business analysts, but..
Your Words Have Impact, So Think Before You Speak Do you know of those people who fly off the handle without stopping to think about..
Why Empathy Is One of the Most Overlooked Skills in Business It was a sunny day in April. The air was crisp and the walk..
How The COVID-19 Crisis Has Made HR One Of The Most Important Jobs Today n a matter of only a few months, the world as..
The Ideal Team Size At Work May Be Smaller Than You Think Close your eyes for a moment. Think back to all the teams you..
The Key To Carrying Out A Productive And Effective Job Search In my experience as a career coach, I have found that people who are..
Retain More Employees With Stay Interviews Employees are quitting in droves, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, backed up by hard data from..
3 Things You Need To Know About A February Job Search There’s no bad time to look for a job, but there are seasonal trends..
Hire Without Looking At A Resume We’re all more than what’s on our resume. But while a lot of leaders pay lip service to that..
8 Things You Should Not Do In Meetings Meetings are perhaps the most powerful personal branding tool there is—when you master them. They also make..
How To Turn Down A Job Offer Without Burning Bridges Sometimes you have to make the difficult decision to turn down a job offer. It’s..
How To Prove You Can Do The Job, Even Without Direct Experience "Tell me about a time you...." As a career switcher, you may be..
The Interview Question You Need To Answer Right: ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ “I bombed the interview.” This was a message I got from a brand..
Belonging At Work Is Essential—Here Are 4 Ways To Foster It In the complex study of human psychology, one finding is remarkably consistent: our well-being..
11 Signs You're Not Managing Your Calendar Effectively Time to admit there's a better way to stay on top of your appointments. If you’re like..
How To Make A Great First Impression At Your New Job You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make it count...
4 Reasons You Should Keep Up Your Job Search During the Holidays Now that the holidays are upon us, you may be considering taking a..
What Not To Do After A Job Interview The waiting period after a job interview can be one of the most stressful times. You’ve done..
3 Surprising Reasons Your Job Search Still Isn't Working It’s been months into your job search and you’re just about ready to pull your hair..
4 Leadership Methods for Empowering Employees and Building Strong Teams Realizing your responsibility to lead can be scary, but done right, leadership breaks down to..
The Five Things Employees Really Want I haven't managed to catch all the episodes of Undercover Boss this season, but there was one I knew..
10 Essential Strategies To Succeed In Your First Job Congratulations, graduate! After the exhausting and stressful process of finishing school, searching for and landing your..
8 Clues That a Candidate Will be an Exceptional Employee Over the past 40 years, I have reviewed at least 30,000 resumes and LinkedIn profiles..
4 Smart Ways to Increase Employee Retention Keeping your employees once you have them is a thorny problem in the staffing services industry. The difficulty..
How do you make sure you don’t lose out on those candidates who bring additional talents, interests, and unusual experiences that can be a real..
In an 8-Minute Animated Film, Pixar Just Captured Why Companies Still Struggle With Workplace Diversity Yes, it's a movie about a pink ball of yarn--but..
How to conduct an effective job interview As the employment market improves and candidates have more options, hiring the right person for the job has..
14 Ways to Stay Focused at Work Through the Holidays We’re in the midst of the holiday season, and as you try to juggle parties,..
Why Great Employees Leave “Great Cultures” “We have a great culture.” We have all heard it. We have all said it. But what does that..
Young Workers No Longer Get the On-the-Job Training They Need -- So They're Finding It Elsewhere With companies training people less, the most valuable path..
3 Ways You Can Help Your New Hires to Succeed Filling a vacant position is expensive, and unless you do these three things, it's liable..
Three Ways To Prevent Someone From Stealing Your Spotlight In A Meeting We've all been there at one point or another. You're in a meeting,..
That 'Bad' Interviewee You Just Talked to May Be the Perfect Match for Your Job Opening The 'pattern matching' that companies have long used to..
Why managers should overlook results in these situations By focusing on culture and people first, you can set your team up for success in the..
Recruitment in Cyprus - Thoughts and Ideas from Advance Career Team Read the detailed interview published on TopJobsCyprus website and share your comments and ideas!..
Help Your Team Members Succeed (Especially When They're Tempted to Leave) Help that valued employee being lured by another opportunity think through what they are..
Are You Hiring a 'Team' Player -- or Someone Just Looking out for No. 1? How can leaders make sure they're not unwittingly inviting a..
When 'What Happens In Vegas' Ends Up In Your Job Search What happens in Vegas really doesn’t stay there. That “funny” picture about that..
How To Develop More Emotionally Intelligent Employees In the quest to develop leaders who will foster a culture of equity and inclusion in the workplace,..
5 Ways to Reward Employees When Raises Aren't an Option Many workers are doing double duty these days because employers either can’t afford to hire..
5 Steps to Hiring the Right People for Your Business "Hire slow, fire fast" is great advice, but it's not always easy to follow. The..
When to Hire Raw Talent vs. Job Experience Experience is a must for some jobs, but people with raw talent offer unique benefits. You have..
Why Office Communication is Highly Valued and Often Ignored A huge number of employees don't trust their bosses, and it's not hard to figure out..
The Negative Impacts of a High Turnover Rate High turnover rates can negatively affect a company and its employees in many ways. With the constant..
Five Final Checks To Ensure GDPR Compliance It is just one week until the EU update to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance deadline of..
Seven New Onboarding Strategies You'll See This Year According to a study from Equifax, more than half of all employees who left their job in..
AI will make HR more Human, Strategic and Innovated Artificial intelligence (AI) is a source of both huge excitement and fear across the HR function...
Is giving negative performance feedback really negative? Negative performance feedback is a difficult topic to talk about. Does it help the performance? This feature throws..
4 Ways To Inspire Change In Your Employees Have you ever listened to a speech that inspired you so much, you were ready to make..
Don't Shuffle People Into the Wrong Job Just Because They're Already on the Payroll You grow your company by putting proven performers where you need..
Why the Best Internal Candidate Might Be from an Unlikely Part of the Company Nearly a decade since Gallup released its bible, Strengths-Based Leadership, which..
Tips for Minimizing Workplace Negativity To Deal with Negativity in the Workplace, Use These 9 Tips Nothing affects employee morale more insidiously than persistent workplace..
The Best Way to Set New Employees Up for Success Create an onboarding program that's both meaningful and memorable Congratulations; you've just hired a terrific..
7 Ways Modest Leadership Increases Team Success When we imagine the traits of successful leaders, whether they are managers, high level executives, CEO's or owners..
Grateful Workplaces and Engaged Employees All leaders need to ask themselves why happy and engaged employees are worth their weight in gold. If you’re a..
What's HR going to be in 2022? A Study sheds some light... A recent study shows us a glimpse of what HR might look like..
How to Avoid the No. 1 Reason People Leave Their Jobs William James, the father of psychology, stated that the most fundamental psychological need is..
Will You Be Leading an HR Function in 2024? Here are five things to look at to examine and determine if you’ve got what it..
Importance of Effective Employee Appraisals The performance appraisal may be one of the few times during the year where an employee and the reviewer, typically..
Employees don't see link between pay and performance Employers gave themselves only mediocre ratings on pay programme effectiveness. Employees are struggling to see the link..
Workplaces still hamper productivity Noise, lack of privacy and space are some of the factors causing the greatest dissatisfaction among office workers Nearly half of..
The Best Ways to Reward Employees. Having an effective reward program in place can help solve many of your HR issues. Every company needs a..
People Don’t Take HR Seriously; Here’s Why That’s Dangerous Legacy beliefs like being the bad guy and a lack of strategic vision isolates HR, and..