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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesTo hire the best talent for a role, start by defining what successful performance requires, then use that definition to attract candidates and evaluate them consistently. A résumé, interview, or assessment is only useful when it provides evidence about the work. These 12 practical steps help employers build a fairer, clearer hiring process without treating any single tactic as a guarantee of a good hire. Requirements and hiring checks vary by role and jurisdiction, so confirm applicable local rules.
1. Define what success in the role looks like
Meet with the hiring manager and people who understand the day-to-day work. Identify the role’s responsibilities, essential skills, expected outcomes, and which capabilities a new hire can learn on the job. This analysis should guide the job description, sourcing choices, screening criteria, interviews, and any assessment. Revisit it when business needs change rather than relying on an outdated profile.
2. Write a clear, realistic job description
Describe the actual work, what the person is expected to deliver, and the skills needed to do it. Distinguish genuine requirements from preferences. If a degree, a specific number of years’ experience, or a particular credential is not essential to the work, consider removing it; retain requirements that are genuinely necessary for the role.
SHRM reported in 2025 that 73% of organizations that had removed degree requirements for some positions said they had made at least one hire they previously would have considered unqualified. That figure is from SHRM’s 2024 Talent Trends research, as reported in SHRM’s 2025 article; it is not a promise that removing a requirement will produce the same result at every organization.
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3. Broaden where you look for candidates
Do not limit outreach to familiar employers, degrees, or job titles if other routes can develop the skills the role needs. Depending on the position, consider candidates with relevant certifications, boot-camp training, industry-event connections, professional-network referrals, or experience gained through less traditional routes. Judge channels by two questions: how many relevant people they can reach and how closely those people’s skills match the role.
4. Screen applications against role-based criteria
Use the same pre-defined criteria to assess each application. Look for evidence of relevant skills and accomplishments, not just familiar labels or prestige signals. Consider adjacent capabilities that can transfer to the work and skills that can reasonably be learned after hiring.
If your hiring system supports it, masking details such as a candidate’s name, address, prior employer, or education can reduce exposure to cues that are not relevant to the role. It does not replace clear criteria or careful decisions; review the process for whether it actually supports fair, job-related evaluation.
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5. Structure interviews so candidates are assessed consistently
A structured interview is more than a friendly conversation: interviewers ask the same core questions in the same order and score answers against criteria agreed in advance. This makes it easier to compare evidence from candidates rather than relying on memory or overall impressions.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchBehavioral questions can prompt concrete examples of relevant skills. For instance, ask a candidate to describe a time they handled a work problem similar to one the role involves, what they did, and what happened. Agree on what a strong answer demonstrates before interviews begin. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management explains structured interviews and their design.
6. Use work samples only when they add useful evidence
A short, job-relevant exercise can show how someone approaches work—for example, a coding task for a programming role or a writing assignment for a position that requires writing. Before assigning one, check that it measures skills the job actually requires and that candidates can complete it under reasonable conditions.
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- Job relevance: Does the exercise reflect real tasks or required capabilities?
- Consistency: Will candidates receive comparable instructions and be assessed against the same criteria?
- Effort: Is the time and complexity proportionate to what you need to learn?
- Accessibility and fairness: Can candidates access the exercise and request reasonable adjustments?
Extra rounds and lengthy tests can burden candidates without necessarily improving the decision. SHRM reported in 2025 that 49% of job seekers in Indeed’s 2024 Workforce Insights Report said most application processes were “too long and complicated,” while 33% said they abandon overly complex processes. These are figures reported by SHRM from Indeed’s report, not a measure of every applicant pool.
7. Explain the process before candidates enter it
Tell candidates what stages to expect, what technology or assessment types they may encounter, and the likely timing. Make instructions understandable and give people a way to raise access needs or request reasonable adjustments. Process clarity and accessibility are part of selection design, not details to add after a problem occurs.
8. Respect candidate time and close the loop
Keep the process no longer than needed to gather useful evidence. Tell candidates when they can expect an update, share next steps, and communicate outcomes promptly. A pile of assessments followed by silence can damage the candidate experience: in a July 17, 2025 SHRM article, Texas Oncology talent sourcing lead Chris Covey described delayed follow-up after hours of assessments as “an awful candidate experience.”
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9. Choose recruiting technology for a defined need
Applicant tracking, scheduling, assessments, analytics, and collaboration tools can support different parts of a recruiting workflow. Start by identifying the task or bottleneck the tool should address, then assess whether it fits the process and can be used responsibly.
- Check whether it integrates with the systems and steps your team already uses.
- Review whether reporting helps you understand the hiring funnel and workload.
- Consider the candidate experience, accessibility, fairness, and applicable compliance needs.
- Confirm that the tool supports human review where judgment is needed, rather than treating an automated output as a hiring decision.
CIPD’s Resourcing and talent planning survey resources cover recruitment technology and resourcing practice. A figure about increased technology use is not included here because the year associated with that statistic is not clear in the cited fact sheet.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.10. Keep references and background checks relevant
Use references or background information only where they help assess requirements of the job. Decide in advance what information is relevant, apply the same approach consistently, and avoid allowing unrelated details to influence the decision. Which checks are permitted or required depends on the role and jurisdiction; confirm local requirements before using them.
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11. Make offers based on role-related value
Base the offer on the skills the candidate brings and the expected impact of the role, using your organization’s compensation practices and applicable requirements. Explain the compensation clearly and, where relevant, how pay and growth opportunities can progress. An offer should reflect the work and the organization’s terms, not an assumption that a candidate’s previous pay determines their value.
12. Measure the funnel and improve it
Track a small set of measures that show whether the process is efficient and whether it is leading to successful outcomes. Interpret measures together: filling a role quickly is not useful if the hire is not a good fit, while a long process may indicate unnecessary stages or a difficult-to-fill role.
| Measure | What it can help you examine |
|---|---|
| Time to fill | How long it takes to fill a role and where delays arise. |
| Cost per hire | Recruiting spend associated with making a hire. |
| Quality of hire | Whether hires meet the role’s expected outcomes; define the measure in a way that fits your organization. |
| Turnover | Whether employees leave, and whether patterns merit closer examination. |
| Candidate movement between stages | Where candidates drop out and whether a stage creates avoidable friction or workload. |
Use the results to investigate specific problems—for example, whether an application requirement is excluding relevant candidates or whether an assessment stage is creating delays—then adjust the process and monitor what changes.
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