Plan the hiring process…really.

Don't shortcut your planning because you are too busy. Motivate yourself to plan by noting how much of your workload has been increased by previous hires, some of whom appear to be bent on your psychological breakdown. Set aside adequate time. Among the steps of your process, for example, should be multiple interviews for at least certain positions, and you have to get all the stakeholders involved and scheduled.

Create a quick backfill plan.

Be prepared to lose high performers. Your company is not the only one hiring: Many others are hiring also, so you will not only have to hire for new positions but you will have to backfill when those backstabbers leave your project for more advanced positions. Create a backfill plan for your critical or hard-to-fill positions. First, list internal candidates who can act as "acting" persons in those positions if necessary so that you will not get swamped with two jobs. Oh yes, why not reward those who have performed well with moving them into new positions? Then you can backfill with new people.

Follow the correct process.

Of course, you expect us at gantthead to say this because we harp on the importance of following an effective process. But your organization will likely have some kind of revised policy, procedure or guideline document for staffing if it is like most. This process is not meant to slow you down and frustrate you, even though it will. It is meant to formalize best practices and to keep the organization out of legal trouble resulting from the many laws and litigation associated with the staffing process.

Take advantage of internal hiring options.

Sure, you might eventually prefer to go outside your organization, but it will be so easy to identify and evaluate a high performer in your own organization. That way, it will be easier to get background work history from multiple sources that you can trust. Some of this work can even be done in advance, keeping you ahead of the game. How often does that happen?

Delegate.

Your organization may have recruiting specialists that may be able to shoulder much of your burden. Dump it on their shoulders! Just start early so they will have plenty of time.

Provide recruiters with useful information.

Garbage in, garbage out. The more detail you can supply regarding what you need, the better they can find it. They may be happy with a list of competencies, but they will be ecstatic with requirements specifying attitude and expectations, and a description of your work culture. This information will help them find that precise match.

Use technology to search.

Find out what technology can do for you. Out of thousands of candidates, new talent management systems can whittle the group down to a manageable number of excellent candidates. To use this option to your advantage, you will need to be clear on the competencies of the position you are filling. Define that early in your planning.

Sure, you can wait to the last minute and start looking for candidates, but the results are likely to be painful for years.