There are over 420,000 full-time cannabis employees in the United States, and that number continues to grow along with the industry. During the cannabis job interview process, a second interview signals interest, and a third interview may mean you’re close to the winner’s circle. However, what happens when the candidate is called back for a fourth, fifth, or even sixth interview for the cannabis job? Never-ending job interviews are an issue in the cannabis industry, as in several other spaces as well.
Many exceptional candidates are seeking cannabis jobs, and there’s plenty of time spent preparing for and going to the interviews. After a handful of cannabis job interviews, you would expect a call that will get your cannabis career started. But, many candidates are getting cut after multiple interviews. Fine-tuning the cannabis hiring process is a must to not miss out on exceptional talent due to a poor interview procedure.
Endless Cannabis Job Interviews for One Company
A cannabis job hiring process should be efficient. If you’re pulling your cannabis candidates through multiple cannabis job interviews over the course of several weeks, it may be time to refine your job interview process. Cannabis job seekers will become frustrated with companies that do not make decisions in a timely manner and move on to the next opportunity. Job seekers may be competing with each other, but cannabis companies are as well.
By stretching out the hiring process with multiple interviews, cannabis companies are wasting critical time and resources. According to a survey by Robert Half, employers in San Diego (48%), Boston (47%), and Dallas (46%) are taking longer to higher. If candidates feel like hiring managers are dragging them along, 49% are likely to drop out of the process altogether. Additionally, 41% of candidates said that they would blacklist the company. Seemingly endless cannabis job interviews and long hiring processes are an issue across all industries, including cannabis.
Risk of Losing Good Cannabis Candidates
There’s a talent war in the industry. So, a cannabis company that is indecisive about its hiring choices will likely lose the best of the best. Around 62% of employees over the age of 22 are working remotely at least part of the week. With an expansion of cannabis company options due to remote opportunities, candidates may be more inclined to drop out of a hiring process that is moving too slowly with excessive interview rounds. Without an organized hiring process, you risk losing the best cannabis candidates. The two-way street of the hiring interview process has never been truer. Both the cannabis employer and candidate have to present their best selves and be wary of each other’s time. Time is everything regardless of what industry you are in.
As a cannabis employer, your cannabis job hiring process reflects how your company functions. If you are lining up seemingly endless interviews and dragging the process out past three weeks, candidates will lose interest fast. Additionally, word of mouth may spread about your hiring process from those candidates that drop out of the process. Sites like Glassdoor allow talent to write interview reviews, which will show up on your company profile on the site. If your hiring process is lacking in organization and prompt decision-making, it may deter future candidates who are an ideal fit from even trying to apply to your company. So, how can you set up an efficient cannabis job hiring process?
Build a Streamlined Cannabis Job Hiring Process
So, how many cannabis job interviews are ideal for the hiring process? On average, employers will have candidates go through 2-3 interview rounds before making a decision. Google examined past interview data and they concluded that four interview rounds are enough to make a decision with 86% confidence. Keep that in mind for any cannabis jobs your cannabiz is hiring for. To assist you in streamlining your cannabis hiring process, here are a few steps to follow:
Steps to Streamlining the Cannabis Hiring process
- Be explicit in your requirements for the cannabis job. List qualifications and expected duties of the position in detail. Additionally, include ideal hard and soft skills for the cannabis job to weed out applicants that will not be a good fit.
- Be proactive in your search. Seek out A-list candidates who may be a good fit, even if they’re working elsewhere. Also, enlist the help of a cannabis staffing agency and advertise that you’re hiring. Waiting around for the best talent to apply will slow down the hiring process.
- Phone screen your top candidates and narrow down your list to around 10 afterward. Keep this phone screening short with a few questions to learn about their skills, qualities, and knowledge.
- Initiate 2-4 interview rounds for your top cannabis candidates. Prepare both common and behavioral interview questions for each round, and do not repeat questions. All interviewers can meet to review questions and needs for the role beforehand. Also, do not wait more than a couple of weeks to reach out between interview rounds.
- The best candidate for your cannabis company may not be ideal. Trying to find the perfect candidate is a waste of time—there is likely no unicorn. Therefore, go for the best fit and gauge their growth potential as well. Chances are that candidate is interviewing for several cannabis jobs, so don’t let them slip by.
Assembling Your Best Cannabis Staff
Once you form cannabis hiring process steps that consider time and efficiency, you’ll be able to increase your chances of landing the talent you need. There are plenty of cannabis jobs for candidates, so don’t push away top-tier talent with never-ending job interviews. If you need support looking for talent in the industry, our proven cannabis staffing agency can help. We have a deep network of talent and specialize in searching for candidates that fit your company’s needs and align with your company culture. From temp and consulting talent to cannabis executives, we can help you assemble the best cannabis staff.
If you’re looking for proven cannabis industry talent, start here. And, if you don’t see anyone you’re interested in, contact us so we can learn more about your cannabis staffing needs.
