Attracting and hiring the right candidate can often be a complex and challenging process, regardless of how much experience an organization has with recruitment. From identifying skill mismatches to managing communication gaps, recruiters often face a myriad of obstacles during the hiring journey.

To improve the recruitment process for all involved, you'll need a blend of strategic planning, effective communication and innovative problem-solving techniques. Below, Forbes Human Resources Council members share some of the biggest difficulties they’ve encountered during recruitment, as well as how to successfully mitigate these issues and hire the right people.

1. Gaps In Talent Acquisition

Gaps in any of the key areas during the talent acquisition process always result in the purple unicorn candidate situation, and it leads to a fair amount of frustration. The only way to fix this issue is to align the talent acquisition strategy, and correct pipeline and hiring manager expectations. This process takes time, but once that is in place, you will have a healthy talent strategy. - Angeles Escalante, SPHR, Caterpillar

2. Balancing The Hiring Manager And Candidate Expectations

There won't be a perfect fit in all the criteria (skill, knowledge, experience and cultural fit). Where can we compromise, and where can't we? For example, one position was open for six months. By having an open conversation with the hiring manager, we arrived at the critical criteria. Based on that, we hired a talent who became a highly successful talent for us. - Kannan Raghavan, Kemin Industries

3. Leading With Unconscious Biases

Early in my career, I struggled with the impact of my unconscious biases on hiring decisions. Biases such as a candidate's similarity to me, recency and overconfidence limited my view of qualified individuals. To overcome this, I implemented diverse interview panels and other techniques to mitigate bias, leading to a more inclusive and effective hiring process. - Donnebra McClendon, Dayforce

4. Finding Someone With The Right Drive

Finding a leader who truly fits the company culture and drives the business forward can be a huge challenge. A candidate who checks all the boxes on paper is not always the best person for the job. To avoid making that mistake, hire leaders for what they can do, not what they have done in the past. Look for high-potential behaviors and candidates who truly align with your mission and values. - Casey Huebsch, South End Partners

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