With the ever challenging job market conditions some companies are looking to hire at lightning fast speed. It’s called “rapid hiring”.

According to the Wall Street Journal, some companies are no longer requiring educational or job experience requirements in hopes to speed up the hiring process. UPS for example is starting to hire workers in as little as 10 minutes.

“Using rapid hiring for manufacturing positions can help employers fill needed positions to get their products on shelves and to consumers. Most manufacturing positions require utilizing a forklift, pallet jack, and the ability to load vehicles manually. For these types of jobs, advanced education is not needed and can be filled quickly. When looking for employees to fill these critical roles, employers look for someone dependable, pays attention to detail, and cooperates with others.” says Annette Harris, HR Expert and Expert at ResumeBuilder.com.

I asked Annette to expand on this topic via email. Here’s what else she said about rapid hiring strategies.

Describe the steps it takes to do rapid hiring at scale?

Rapid hiring involves sourcing candidates for multiple open positions in which a high level of skill may not be required. Through rapid hiring, employers post a job, and most or all interested candidates that apply are interviewed for the position.

Interviews are scheduled back to back for a set amount of time. Candidates are asked a series of basic questions about their abilities and receive a brief overview of the job. If they are successful, candidates are offered a contingent position on the spot. 

Who are some companies doing this today?

Companies like Amazon, Jimmy Johns, and BJ’S are conducting rapid hiring today. Amazon is constantly hiring in many of its locations nationwide quickly and advertises its extraordinary benefits as a recruitment feature. Jimmy John’s is continually looking for restaurant members and delivery employees.

In addition, BJ’s is seeking overnight stocker and tire service members. Positions like the tire service member even offer a sign-on bonus. 

Pitfalls to hiring someone this quickly?

Potential pitfalls of rapid hiring are high turnover or hiring someone who does not align with the company culture. High turnover results from candidates not being vetted appropriately to ensure that they align with the duties they are required to perform.

It may also be challenging to determine if the individual will fit into the company culture when hired quickly. Putting corporate culture in the background can create a toxic environment for coworkers and supervisors who must interact with those whose values are not aligned. 

Smart employers realize that moving candidates through the hiring tunnel quickly is a critical component to business operations. Rapid hiring is likely here to stay since the labor shortage isn’t getting better any time soon.