Too often candidates and employers make the hiring process much more complicated than it should be. The principle that more job seekers and hiring authorities should adopt is Occam’s razor, which advocates for simple assumptions to be used in the hiring process. Not only will this principle simplify the entire recruitment process, but it can also help employers find better candidates, and helps candidates better prepare for interviews. However, if you need further assistance in the hiring process, utilize our human resource consulting services which help candidates and employers find the best option for employment. Or, take a look below to learn more about how you can simplify the hiring process for yourself by not making complex assumptions.
William of Ockham created the problem-solving principle known as Occam’s razor, a theory that expresses a simplified way of coming to a more beneficial conclusion. His theory states that when considering the best possibility, the one with the fewest, or most simple, assumptions should be chosen. Today, this principle can be effectively used in the hiring process because it acts as a model for both candidates and employers to follow. For example, if more people made fewer assumptions during an interview, they would be able to get to key details more quickly and with less frustration. Not only would the recruitment process and interviewing be much more simple for both parties, but it would also provide better results.
Both the applicant and the hiring authority can benefit from making simple assumptions during the hiring process. Here’s how:
Typically candidates make too many assumptions about their resume. These commonly incorrect presumptions are that their resume will be read, the person reading the resume will already know what to look for, and lastly that the reader will understand the message they are trying to convey. However, using Occam’s razor will allow candidates to better prepare their resume for what employers are actually looking for. Candidates should write their resume with the simple assertion that “I am a good employee and this is why.” This uncomplicated assumption will make their resume more clear and garner them more interview opportunities.
And when it comes to the interview process, applicants should remember to also keep things simple. Your main goal as a candidate is to sell yourself to your potential boss. By straightforwardly explaining “here’s what I’ve accomplished and done for others and here’s what I can do for you,” you’ll easily get the attention of your interviewer and have a better probability of being considered for the job.
Using the simple assumption theory also helps interviewers, or hiring authorities, make uncomplicated assumptions that alleviate the stress of recruiting a new employee. Employers should consider these four simple assumptions:
These questions are uncomplicated and direct which allows hiring authorities to make better decisions in a shorter amount of time. This simplifies the entire process and typically provides better end results as well.
Another crucial way to find the best candidate for an open position is to test their critical thinking skills. To do this, start by giving your prospective candidate a business-related problem that would pertain to your company. Then ask them to solve the problem and analyze their results. When doing this you want to look for two key things - what their answer is (if it’s right or wrong) and how they came to this solution. The most important thing to figure out is how they think, so look for creative and surprising responses that you think will be a good asset to bring to your company.
Also, don’t be afraid of politely pushing back during an interview. A critical thinker will defend their answer and give reasons to back up that defense. This shows the type of personality that is beneficial to have on your team and displays whether or not the candidate is confident in their own abilities.
If the hiring process leaves you feeling overwhelmed, then connect with the experts at The Applied Companies. Our human resource consulting services are designed to help candidates and employers alike throughout the recruitment process. We help candidates find their ideal job and assist businesses in hiring appropriate employees. Whether you’re looking for a career or searching for the right candidate, we’re here for you.
A bad hire can kill productivity and morale and really set your organization back. Co-workers may come to feel resentful of a colleague who can’t do the job properly. Restarting the hiring process from replacing that bad hire is also a drain on productivity and adds to hiring costs. It can take months to really get back to speed after a bad hire.
Replacing a bad hire could cost your business tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, between recruitment, relocation and training fees for the new employee, plus the disruption the increased turnover causes within your team and with your business. Fortunately, a great recruiting partner can help to significantly reduce the risk of a bad hire. Here’s how.
Can you believe how far we are from New Year’s already? Are you still sticking to the career and personal resolutions you made when 2019 was still new and shiny?
You may not be. For 80 percent of people reading this post, you’ve fallen off track from your resolutions already. New resolutions are hard, because they require you to modify your behavior. They may require you to get out of your comfort zone. New traditions and practices might involve unfamiliar or uncomfortable behavior, and those habits take a long time to stick.
But resolutions have the power to change your life for the better as well. If you made a personal resolution, not sticking with it means you’re still in the same place a year from now. If you made a career resolution to find a better-paying job and break that resolution, you’ll be stuck in the same spot too.
So how do you make sure you keep resolutions? Here’s how.
A company’s culture can be a key component in ensuring that employee morale and retention are strong. Employees who enjoy the culture tend to be happy and engaged, and will stay with the company for a long time. Cultural fit can help teams worth at peak productivity. Companies known for a culture their staff loves, moreover, tend to attract top employees.
But how can you build a stronger culture and become an employer of choice? Follow these three tips.
Companies searching for top talent in today’s competitive job market face significant challenges. With unemployment rates at historic lows, skilled employees are in high demand nationwide—and Northern Nevada is no exception. This tight labor market makes recruiting the right candidates more difficult, as many top professionals are already employed and satisfied in their roles. That’s where staffing agencies in Reno come in. They provide valuable expertise, connections, and resources to help businesses find the most qualified candidates, even in a competitive hiring environment. Here are three ways these agencies can support your recruitment efforts and improve your hiring outcomes.
Staffing agencies in Reno specialize in building strong relationships within the local job market. These agencies maintain deep connections with both active job seekers and passive candidates—individuals who may not be actively searching for new opportunities but are open to the right position.
This gives staffing agencies access to a broader and more diverse pool of potential candidates than many individual companies have. They also receive referrals through word-of-mouth networks, allowing them to identify and engage with hidden talent.
Reno staffing agencies are experts in their industries. They understand where qualified candidates come from, what skills are in demand, and the unique challenges businesses face in hiring. Their knowledge extends to niche markets, seasonal employment trends, and the influence of local factors like geography and climate on staffing needs.
By leveraging this expertise, staffing agencies can tailor their recruitment strategies to fit your business’s specific needs. They help develop customized staffing solutions designed to attract and retain top talent, ensuring your workforce remains competitive and well-suited to your industry.
Recruiting can be a time-intensive and costly process. Writing job descriptions, reviewing applications, conducting interviews, and verifying references are all tasks that require significant effort—time that hiring managers might need to dedicate to other responsibilities.
Staffing agencies streamline the recruitment process by handling these tasks for you. They efficiently screen resumes, conduct preliminary interviews, and provide only the most qualified candidates for final consideration. This allows your business to focus on core goals while leaving the hiring process in the hands of experts.
Moreover, by reducing the time-to-hire, staffing agencies can minimize the productivity losses associated with vacant positions. They also help avoid costly hiring mistakes, ensuring you find the right candidate the first time around.
Hiring is an investment, and delays in filling positions can impact your bottom line. Whether you need to fill a single role or scale up for seasonal demands, staffing agencies in Reno can help you find the right candidates quickly and effectively.
The Applied Companies is a trusted partner for businesses in Northern Nevada. Our team is ready to assist with all your staffing needs, offering tailored solutions that save you time, money, and effort. Let us help you focus on growing your business while we take care of the hiring process.
Contact The Applied Companies today to learn more about how our staffing services in Reno can benefit your business. Whether you’re navigating a tight job market or planning for long-term growth, we’re here to connect you with the talent you need.
Most employers do not spend time thinking about the interviewing process, which can be a strategic error in the long run. Far too often, the process is overly reactive. Interviewers and hiring managers jump to a quick decision and hire one of the first candidates available as opposed to hiring the right candidate. They end up with an unstructured interview process that may or may not net the best candidates.
There’s a real need to use the interview process to identify the best candidates. The cost of employee turnover ranges anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the position’s annual salary for service sector jobs. For supervisory positions, the cost may be over 100 percent of the annual salary.
What can you do if you’re not getting candidates who are highly qualified for the positions you need? With unemployment continuing to reach historic lows, it can be tough to find the right people for the right jobs, so you face stiff competitive for high-level candidates.
If you’re struggling to find qualified applicants in Reno and across northern Nevada, The Applied Companies’ staffing team can help you build a comprehensive solution. What strategic steps can you take to attract higher quality candidates to your job openings?
How do the rates of pay you offer employees stack up with those paid by competing businesses? If you aren’t aware of what the going pay rates are, and the pay is low, it can hurt your business.
In addition, many businesses, especially small and midsize ones, may decide to offer somewhat low pay rates, feeling they want to achieve greater cash flow and profits before raising salaries. That’s not a good idea in the long run, either.s
The Millennial generation, which covers many young employees today, currently accounts for about one-third of the U.S. workforce. Chances are any position you’re looking to fill is going to include Millennials as part of the applicant pool, especially in a low unemployment economy.
Can you find top Millennial workers to fill your open positions? Sure, but you need to know that Millennials bring different behaviors and mindsets to the table than their generational predecessors like the Baby Boomers and Generation X. Many common Millennial traits make them a good fit for your organization, offering a different perspective and work style.
If you outsourced your human resources (HR) functions, what could you do with the time saved? The short answer: a lot!
A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can perform HR functions, from hiring and screening to administering benefits to keeping up with applicable laws and regulations. The primary role of business is, after all, to stay in business. To do that, small businesses need to focus on their bottom line. They need to ensure that revenue is flowing in and profits are maintained and increased over time.
To do all that, small business leaders need to focus on their most important business tasks. As important as HR is, there might be multiple areas of business whose revenue potential requires your time more urgently than HR.
Fax: (775) 853-5466
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday - Friday:
8:00 AM - Noon | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday:
CLOSED
