A great challenge when hiring in the current climate it how volatile the job market currently is, when good candidates become available there are likely multiple companies looking to secure them. A challenge for hiring managers and HR professionals is how to give yourself the best chance at entice these candidates outside of company restraints (Salary, Package, Role responsibilities etc.) The companies that consistently win the talent they want share something in common: they have a clear, well-thought-out hiring plan before they even begin the search.
Let me share why this matters and what you can do to give yourself the best chance of securing your ideal candidate.
The Reality: Strong Candidates Won’t Wait
Here’s something I see constantly in my work. The best candidates are rarely only speaking to you. They’re actively interviewing elsewhere, often juggling multiple offers simultaneously. If your hiring process is unclear, drawn out, or disjointed, you risk losing them to a competitor who moved faster and communicated better.
A clear hiring plan isn’t just about being organised; it’s about being competitive.
What Does a Clear Hiring Plan Look Like?
Define the Role Properly
Before you advertise, take time to genuinely understand what success looks like in this position. Ask yourself:
- What will this person be responsible for day-to-day?
- What does the role look like in 6 months? 12 months? 24 months?
- Is there a clear progression path?
Candidates increasingly want to understand not just what they’ll do on day one, but where the role could take them. Being able to articulate this shows you’ve thought it through and helps attract people who are genuinely aligned with your vision.
Identify Essential Skills vs. Nice-to-Haves
I often encourage clients to separate what’s truly essential from what’s preferred. Being too rigid with your requirements can unnecessarily shrink your talent pool.
Consider:
- Essential skills: What does someone absolutely need to perform well from the start?
- Desirable skills: What could be learned on the job or developed over time?
Broadening your criteria, even slightly, can open doors to excellent candidates you might otherwise overlook.
This can extend to understanding whether you need direct industry experience or whether you can look elsewhere. For many FMCG companies, the ideal is that your candidate has previous FMCG experience. However, there is a lot of talent in other industries, such as retail, electronics, or broader consumer goods. Limiting yourself to FMCG can be okay when starting your search but understanding that skills can be transferable will help the search if you come across bottlenecks.
Plan Around Team Availability
This might seem obvious, but it’s surprising how often it gets missed. Before you kick off a hiring process, check:
- Is anyone involved in interviewing about to go on leave?
- Are there upcoming holidays or busy periods that could cause delays?
Not only is a several week delay in a hiring process frustrating for candidates, but it also keeps the door open for them to enter other processes and reduce your chances. Candidates are now expecting faster processes with a clear idea on how long it would take. If the hiring is urgent and leave is booked, have a think about who could substitute into the interviews to keep the process going smoothly.
Agree on Your Hiring Strategy
Think about how you want to approach the search:
- Will you use a recruitment partner, advertise directly, or both?
- How many interview stages will there be, and who needs to be involved?
- How many stages are realistically needed? Interview processes above 2-3 stages prolong the process and can lead to difficulty maintaining a candidate’s attention.
- What’s your timeline for making a decision?
Having this agreed internally before you start means everyone’s on the same page, and candidates experience a smooth, professional process.
Using a recruitment agency for hiring can come at an extra cost but it also creates greater capability for candidate management. Understanding the candidates priorities, expectations and managing them to relay back to hiring managers/HR is one of the greatest benefits of a recruitment agency and it can prevent unexpected actions from a candidate.
The Benefit of Being Prepared
When you approach hiring with a clear plan, you:
- Move quickly when the right person appears
- Communicate confidently with candidates about next steps
- Make better decisions because you know exactly what you’re looking for
- Stand out as an employer who has their act together
In a competitive talent market, these things genuinely matter.
A Final Thought
I know hiring can feel like one more thing on an already full plate. But taking the time to map out your plan before you begin can save you weeks of wasted time and, more importantly, help you secure the person you actually want.
If you’re about to start a hiring process and would like a second pair of eyes on your plan, or simply want to talk through your approach, I’d be happy to help. Drop me a message or give me a call; I’m always glad to chat.
