Meghan Biro, a writer for Forbes, describes the recruiting process as the beginning of a relationship, in her article “5 Recruiting Habits Of Successful Leaders.” Most candidates understand that their first impression on you is extremely important, but does your company realize that the candidates are also judging you? The first interview and on site experience is a major reflection of the company culture and workforce brand personality. This is the company’s chance to wow a future CEO. Meghan explains the five steps that companies can take to turn their recruiting strategy into an exciting demonstration of why their company is the perfect fit.

Step one is to take a deeper look at the current company HR and recruiting practices. Ask yourself how are you trying to reach your ideal candidate? Are you really utilizing social media, if appropriate? Is your career site fresh and appealing to all generations, as well as user-friendly? Biro suggests deconstructing the entire recruiting process from the very being when you post the position, to the very end when you hire the perfect candidate. A tip is to gain feedback from recent hires, and to not be afraid to ask those who decided to take another career path, it’s learning from the negative feedback that allows your company to grow.

Step one will help you identify what aspects of the recruiting process you need to work on. Step two is deciding whether to break the weaknesses down even further, or just make selective changes. Regardless of what you decide, you should look into hiring outside talent to help you develop this new recruiting process. There are many recruiting companies out there, and some are even specific to your industry, giving them the extra knowledge to find the perfect candidates for your company.

The third step encourages you to gather information on specific job postings from people in the department where the job is available. Additionally, you can ask those who are succeeding within the company to make suggestions, the more input you have throughout the organization, the more likely you are to hire the right candidate for not only the specific position but the company in general. 

There are some that will enjoy step four and there are others that will cringe at the thought, but this tool is extremely powerful when used correctly. Use Social Media. Use social media platforms to establish a brand presence on sites that your ideal hire is likely to use. Most importantly, make sure your online interface and application submission process are user-friendly. It would be a shame to lose the perfect candidate, because the application process was confusing.

And finally, last but not least, “Keep It Real.” Meghan explains that “your HR and recruiting process must be honest – a genuine reflection of your company’s leadership and workplace culture.” Your goal isn’t to attract the wrong type of hire; you’re looking for someone who will fit in with the culture and values, so make sure to be upfront about it.