If you’re looking for top design talent, with 8 years or more of design experience make sure you don’t make these mistakes when posting an application for them to fill out.
1. Proprietary Software
Asking the candidate to download some software, you created, to hop on an intro call with you, will really shine a poor light on your self-awareness as a hiring team and company.
It makes more sense to just pick up the phone and call them, or use something more universal like zoom, if a video call is needed.
It’s just too heavy of a lift at such an early stage in the relationship
2. Creating an Account
If you’re looking for senior folks who value their privacy and are spending whatever small amount of free time they have to fill out an application, you may want to avoid turning off top talent by removing the need to have an existing third-party account or by creating one with your company. It’s just too heavy of a lift at such an early stage in the relationship and you’ll find that most folks won’t want to put forth the effort because it’s too time consuming.
3. Conflicting Ecosystems
If you’re targeting top tier designers, chances are, they use macs. So, why on earth would you send them an invite through Outlook? The last time I remember, Microsoft and Apple, were mortal enemies. Do you really think outlook will jive with iCalendar?
Do you really think they have Microsoft teams on their MacBook pro? So, why send them an invite and ask then to download the app?
Here’s another awkward one, sending a designer a google hangouts invite, when they use a mac. Apple is not best friends with Google, so what compels you to send this invite? Use something OS agnostic, like zoom. Google hangouts on a designer’s machine, will require all sorts of security hoops to connect just to get their headphones to work with Google in a browser.
When you are asking a designer to meet up with you for a call, be quick and make it easy. Use something operating system agnostic like zoom, or just call them on the phone.
4. Asking for an Essay
Whoa there; cowboy. An essay in an application, that’s a bit much. You might say, “but we’re a writing company,” or, “we want candidates that really want to work here, and an essay tells us this.”
News flash champ. They don’t really want to work there, they want to pay their rent, they want to afford dog food, and they want the security of a salary. In the Maslow’s Hierarchy of what is important to them, they are scouring the web in search of a job that will provide a roof over their head. They are not in the mode of razzling or dazzling you. Not yet!
If you want to hire a candidate with some amazing backstory about how they have always wanted to work at your company since they were 8 years old, then you’ll get that; eventually. But you sure as hell won’t get an employee who is hard working, dedicated, adaptable to change or capable of boosting your team’s morale so much they achieve a 100% ROI in 3 months.
Take a year of human psychology and spend 6 months at physiologist’s office, shadowing them in interviews.
Then, come back to the hiring committee and try your search again, knowing how humans think, why they think, and why they act the way they do. You will realize two things:
You were grossly unqualified to hire anyone, a year and a half ago.
To get the right person on the team, all you need to do is research them, extensively, and ask them the right questions.
5. Salary
There’s not a lot to say about this. You have an agenda, that’s clear, but you are failing to come through as a company who wants to understand what the candidate brings to the table, before asking what it will cost you. Besides, this is illegal in a lot of states.
6. Education
Most folks have a resume, can we just grab education details there? What is this for anyhow? This one will make you look odd, unless education is a pivotal part of the job.
7. Your Form is Web 1.0
If I am applying to a tech company, I have certain expectations. If your form has native browser buttons and is misaligned with limited or no CSS — expect potential candidates to bail early.
8. Manifestos and Other Propaganda
Let’s chill with the click here to read our company’s values. I read them already and I know we both align. Go easy on the “watch our culture,” videos. That just makes you seem like a cult. It’s a massive turn off. Folks will align to how you do business very quickly. No need to worry.
9. What is your Age?
What in the actual heck? Do I need to elaborate? Just don’t ask this.
10. Your Form is Too Long
Keep your application short and sweet. I should be able to get in and out in a matter of minutes. If your form is too long, folks will drop off.
Conclusion
You want to start your relationship off right. Candidates are looking to do great work at great companies and it begins with making the barrier to entry effortless.
If you’re targeting designers, they’re a different breed. They have low tolerance levels for things other employees wont. Make sure to get them in the door quickly and take time to evaluate them deeply. With an instagram account, a twitter account an a resume, you have all you need to learn more about a candidate after they’ve submitted their initial application.