When it comes to the local job market, it’s highly competitive with an unemployment rate of 4.1%. So how can you contend for the best candidates and hire the top talent you need? It comes down to a healthy hiring process. To ensure yours is in great shape, here are five checks from Houston, TX staffing firm, Murray Resources, to be on the lookout for:

#1: Offers are accepted.

When you routinely extend offers that are accepted, it’s a sign your hiring process is in good working order and what your company is offering is competitive in areas such as compensation and benefits. A low offer-to-acceptance ratio, on the other hand, signals something’s off either with the candidate experience or the specifics of the offer.

#2: A reasonable cost-per-hire.

Whether you hire on your own or work with a local Houston, TX staffing agency, your cost-per-hire should be one that makes sense for the size of your organization and the volume of hiring you do. According to the Society for Human Resources, the average for US companies is $4,129. However, yours may be more or less depending on the position you’re filling.

#3: Time-to-hire doesn’t deter candidates.

This metric helps you keep track of the speed through which candidates move through the hiring process. Look to industry averages to assess yours. If it’s is too slow, then you’re going to lose out on top candidates who accept offers at companies moving faster. That’s why it’s important to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

For instance, once you know your time-to-hire, it might become clear it’s taking too long to source and recruit candidates. Taking steps like building a talent pipeline ahead of time can offset this.

#4: Positive online reviews.

Most candidates research the companies they’re applying to. As a result, if you have negative reviews from employees or applicants on sites like Glassdoor and others, it can impact the quality of those you’re attracting. Creating a positive candidate experience and maintaining a solid employer brand are therefore essential for organizations that want to compete for the best professionals.

#5: High retention rate of new hires.

An effective training and onboarding process translates into new employees who are happier, adjust faster and perform better. If, however, you’re experiencing a lot of turnover with your most recent hires, it’s time to take a step back and evaluate how you onboard them.

Would you like to outsource your hiring process to local Houston staffing experts?

For over 30 years, Murray Resources has helped high-performance organizations – including numerous Fortune 1000 companies – build better teams through custom staffing services, available to companies across Houston. And we have the awards to prove it. Contact us today to learn more.