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Recruiting and hiring great talent often raises just as many questions as it answers. From how to let candidates know about your open positions and handling job offer acceptance, to background check discrepancies, HR teams and business owners frequently look for clarity. Whether you’re scaling your workforce, replacing a key employee, or bringing on your first hire, knowing the answers to some common HR questions can help you stay compliant, streamline decisions, and build a stronger, more confident hiring process.
Q: We are struggling to find applicants. How can we more effectively get the word out about our open positions?
A: Getting job postings in front of the right audience can be a challenge. We recommend casting a wide net, tracking results, and then narrowing your efforts to focus on the channels that deliver the best results. Here are some ways to consider sharing your available jobs:
On your premises with a “help wanted” sign
Yes, it’s old-school, but if your employees come from your customer base, a visible sign may be very effective. You can modernize it by adding a QR code that links directly to your application. Simple, straightforward, and convenient!
Community events and job fairs
These are great ways to introduce your organization and open positions to potential applicants in person. We recommend inquiring in advance about fees, expected attendance, and the types of roles sought by those who typically attend.
Local schools and colleges
Many schools have a career service department that connects students and alumni with employers. You can contact these departments to share your opportunity with their networks or to participate in their events.
Paid ads in newspapers or general job boards
These ads can reach a broad group of potential applicants, but as they have a cost, it’s essential to pay close attention to whether they’re netting you qualified applicants.
Previous applicants
People who applied for a position but didn’t get the job previously might still be interested. Consider reaching out and encouraging them to apply for current openings.
Past employees
This approach works best if you had to conduct layoffs. Still, it can take time to compile a list of suitable former employees, so we’d generally suggest refraining from this path until you’ve exhausted alternatives.
Employee referrals
Many companies have found success by asking their employees to help identify applicants. You can even offer a bonus for successful referrals.
Professional associations and community groups
Think industry associations, trade groups, chambers of commerce, or veteran programs. You can also ask current employees if there are any groups you could add to your network.
Social media
If you have a presence on social media, use those channels to share your open positions. Some sites have local neighborhood and community groups, which may be worth joining if your applicants are likely to come from a specific area.
Applicant feedback
Ask applicants where they learned about the job opportunity on the application. This feedback can provide valuable insight into which measures are attracting applicants.
Q: I just made a job offer over the phone, and the candidate accepted immediately. What do I do next?
A: Congratulations on your hire! The time between now and their first day of employment will be filled with anticipation, excitement, and paperwork. Here are key things to get done before their first day:
1. Send a written offer to the candidate so they can review and sign it.
An offer letter typically includes information about the employee’s role, pay, benefits (if applicable), at-will status (if applicable), employment classification, start date, work location, and any contingencies that must be met before hire (such as a background check or drug screening).
2. Plan the employee’s first week.
It will probably involve job training, compliance training (if applicable), and paperwork (more on that below).
3. Order and configure equipment and tools the employee will need to do their job.
These might include a computer, email address, system login credentials, phone, badge, and a key to access the worksite. If the employee is fully remote, coordinate the shipment of necessary equipment and confirm receipt.
4. Call your new employee before their start date.
Welcome them, express your excitement, confirm their start date and time, and outline what to expect on their first day. Follow up with an email outlining this information, along with anything else they should know before starting.
5. Prepare onboarding paperwork.
Gather the necessary forms, such as the I-9, W-4, and applicable benefits enrollment materials, so they’re ready on their first day. Keep in mind that soon-to-be employees shouldn’t be required to spend time completing forms or reading employee handbooks before they start, as that time would be compensable.
Q: What do we do if we find a discrepancy in a background check?
It depends on the seriousness of the discrepancy. You probably don’t need to make an issue of a minor variance like a candidate telling you they started a job in April when their background check says they began in May. However, a significant difference, such as the candidate apparently not having a college degree, which they claimed to have, likely warrants further review.
If you see a discrepancy, allow the candidate to explain. If you’re satisfied with their explanation and everything else is fine, you can proceed with the hiring process. If it turns out the candidate isn’t qualified for the job, wouldn’t be permitted to work in the position, or deliberately lied, you can withdraw the offer of employment.
If you withdraw the offer, you’ll need to comply with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and any applicable state or local laws regarding background checks. Among other things, the FCRA requires you to provide the candidate with a notice that includes a copy of the background check report you used, as well as a notice titled A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Applicants, candidates, and employees have a legal right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information.
GTM’s HR Consulting Can Help with Recruiting and Hiring
GTM’s HCM technology and HR consulting expertise form a winning combination that can help address the questions above.
Our HCM platform, isolved, makes it easy to leverage employee referrals, customize application and interview questions, filter candidates, and conduct interviews, helping you identify the right candidates for your positions. Then the onboarding module gets your new employees off to a positive start by streamlining the process and allowing any new hire to enter information directly into isolved, avoiding duplicate data entry. The system also notifies the appropriate personnel and guides them through each step, task, and form in your company orientation.
Our HR experts can also assist with recruiting. They can review your job applications and interview process, as well as your background check procedures, new-hire training process, job offer letter template, job descriptions, pay rate acknowledgement document, employee handbook acknowledgement document, and harassment training acknowledgement document.
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