Finding and retaining the best hires starts with setting realistic recruiting goals. In addition to helping you develop your hiring strategy, goal-setting can ensure that your team is aligned with your overall business needs. In fact, according to a study carried out at Dominican University, having goals can make individuals significantly more likely to succeed in almost any endeavor.
So what’s the best way to set achievable goals? S.M.A.R.T goal-setting can be a great way to establish effective goals for your entire team. Pioneered by consultant George T. Doran in 1981, S.M.A.R.T goals are designed to be actionable and measurable. Here’s how to put them to use for your team.
Specific: Target a clear area for improvement
Giving your team the best chance of success starts with focusing on goals that are targeted to a specific part of the business. For example, if you’re looking to increase the number of hires during a given period, it’s important to dive into the what, why and how of what you’re going to need to accomplish this. This is a good way to identify where you should focus your efforts and how to develop the most effective goals.
Measurable: Have an indicator of progress
Once you’ve determined the specific types of goals you want to focus on, it’s time to determine how to make them measurable. Identifying how many new hires you’ll need and how many roles you’ll need to fill are the key things to focus on throughout this process. By doing this, you’ll be able to give your team a clear target to shoot for and help you assess progress along the way.
Achievable: Focus on attainable goals
Encouraging your team to aim high is important, but it’s equally important to set goals that are achievable. This will help your employees feel challenged, without making them feel overwhelmed or discouraged. A good rule of thumb when determining which goals are attainable is to ask what are the best ways to achieve these goals and how can this be done given existing resources? Once you have these answers, you’ll be able to determine what’s truly achievable for your team and most beneficial to the company.
Relevant: Align with existing business needs
Another key feature of successful goal-setting is to focus on goals that are relevant and make sense in the context of your company’s needs. This includes things like business growth as well as the direction you’d like your company to take in the coming years. A good way to determine what’s most relevant is to focus on whether it seems worthwhile and matches your other efforts. For example, if you’re focused on expanding your company’s technical capabilities, designing your recruiting goals with tech talent in mind can be a great way to address this need.
Time-based: Outline clear timelines
Few things are as important in business as having clear timelines and this is certainly the case when it comes to recruiting goals. Determining timeframes for your overall recruiting, as well as for specific positions, is the best way to help your team stick to their goals and prevent other things from taking precedence.
Effective goal-setting can make a big difference to the overall health of a business, and the beginning of a new year is a great time to do it. Along with helping you to align your recruiting practices with your company’s needs, setting recruiting goals can also streamline the hiring process while minimizing excess costs. By setting measurable and achievable goals, you can set your team up for success and ensure that you’re getting the right hires in the door.
Want to improve your recruiting strategy even further? Learn how to build your 2020 talent acquisition wishlist and why you should recruit career changers.
