Finding candidates is the easy part

Say what?

Finding candidates is the easiest part of hiring. You’re either dumbfounded by me making that statement or you’re nodding your head saying “thanks Captain Obvious.”

The biggest challenge to companies with not-yet-fully-baked hiring processes is the idea that if you just find a boatload of candidates, everything is going to fall into place.

👉Then they find out everything “falling into place” is the hard part.

Sourcing candidates really is as simple as keyword searching. (Side note: don’t confuse simple with easy; that’s another rant for another day.)

But hiring and retaining that talent? Completely different beast. And by the most important – and hardest – parts of the hiring lifecycle.

You can be the best recruiter in the world at finding top talent, but if the company isn’t equipped to

1. Sell candidates on what’s in it for them
2. Offer a competitive package
3. Set up a support system to retain that talent

Finding all those candidates is pretty much all for nothing.

In virtually every new client conversation I’ve ever had, I’m asked the “what makes Hirewell different” question. Truth be told, there’s more than one thing.

But for the purposes of this little number, I want to focus on the things we offer, above and beyond normal recruiting, that help companies get up to speed with a fully-baked hiring process.

And I’ll put these into a plain language as possible:

1. Candidate Experience: Your hiring process excites candidates and makes them want to join. Value is conveyed. The steps make sense. Follow up actually happens.

2. A Trained Hiring Team: Your team actually knows how to interview people (yes, it’s a skill.) They can execute on point 1.

3. Messaging & Branding: Your messaging is intriguing. People want to learn more. When they do their own research they find (good) answers to their questions. You have buzz.

4. Org Design: You’re hiring for the right seats, intentionally. Not on a whim (where you later find out you hired the wrong role)

5. Comp Structure: The pay doesn’t suck.

6. Succession Planning: When people leave, you know what you’ll do. When people outgrow their role, you’ll have a plan. When it’s time to grow, you’ll know how to consider internal people for those promotions.

Yes, that’s a hell of a lot more than “finding candidates.” And they’re the most critical parts of the hiring process.

And no, not every recruiting firm does these. Hirewell does.

If you’re ramping up hiring in 2025 and realize you need help in these areas, DM me. We’re happy to help.

James Hornick

Partner at Hirewell. #3 Ranked Sarcastic Commenter on LinkedIn.