There’s a reason that recruiting has its own function in larger companies. The hiring process can be lengthy and time-consuming, especially if you’re not a recruiter. Whether you’ve been tasked with hiring for the entire firm, or just your team, juggling the hiring process along with your actual job responsibilities is daunting. The tips below will help you stay on top of everything, recruiting and otherwise.

Research Best Practices

A great first step is to brush up on best practices to use during the hiring process. Constructing a great job description, for example, will draw better fits than simply winging it. This can save you a lot of time finding candidates in the long run. Cover all the major steps of the process, from where to find candidates to following up with them after interviews. Tag any articles that are helpful to refer back to later. There are plenty of resources, including this blog, that are a great way to learn more about reducing your time-to-hire.

Make a Schedule

Hiring new people doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Consolidate the process by allocating time each day for recruiting tasks. Maybe it’s thirty minutes in the morning to find candidates and thirty minutes at the end of the day to review them. Whichever you decide, stick to it. It will make the whole process seem more manageable when you chip away at it each day. Once you hit the interview stage, schedule them for chunks of time in the morning or afternoon. Dedicating one morning to interviewing will still let you accomplish what you need to do in the afternoon (or vice versa).

Automate when possible

Several steps of the recruiting process can be put on autopilot if you have the right tools at your disposal. Saved searches, for example, save a lot of time if you’re not getting the right applicants. OneWire’s talent alerts actually drive relevant candidates directly to your inbox daily so you can spend more time reviewing them instead of sourcing them. Automated emails sent when candidates apply or when a job closes can significantly decrease the amount of time you spend emailing. It will also ensure candidates have a smooth experience when applying for a job at your firm.

Stay organized

Even with these tips, the hiring process can get overwhelming when you’re not a recruiter. The key? Stay organized. Once candidates start flowing in, review them with your colleagues as soon as possible. Take notes to remember why you liked someone, or why you didn’t. CRM systems are extremely beneficial for this. OneWire lets you record feedback, take notes, and move candidates through stages without forgetting where they are. Otherwise, keep an excel document with columns designated for each stage of your hiring process.

Sure, you weren’t hired to be in charge of recruiting for your team or your firm. However, if you stick to these tips you’ll be a professional hiring manager in no time.