How can hiring be made easier?

Shouldn't the question be how to make hiring more effective than easier?

6 steps to making hiring easier.
1. Create a clear picture of what you need. (This is not a job description)
2. Develop better questions to use in the interviewing process (Behavioral interviewing doesn't work any more)
3. Only let your best interviewers interview.
4. Make sure you test and look at everything you do in the hiring process as a test.
5 Remember there are two sources of information about an applicant. The applicant and anyone who knows anything about the applicant.
6. Use tools not time.

Hiring of a candidate made easier at present scenario. The contribution of the Social media's like Linked-in, Facebook and other job portals are hunting the desired candidates. all the company HR built an association in Linked-in or particular portal and they connects the network across all other companies. The desired candidate easily connect to network and get in to the job. i have seen lot of quality posting in the Linked-in.

http://www.nichesuite.com/

First and foremost make sure that you a skiiled recruiter on board that knows how to source and recruit talent. Secondly make sure that hiring managers are trained/skilled at interviewing.

That being said make sure that job duties are clearly defined and agreed upon. This is not some generic job description bit an actual day to day week to week snapshot of what the new hire will be doing.

Next step is through the interviewing process (sorry Mel I still see value in behavioral interviewing as part of an overall interview strategy) make sure the candidate has exhibited the skills/qualifications to do the job. Next utilize tests/assessments that are applicable and check background/references (both supplied and other).

Make sure the process is timely and that everyone including the applicant is updated every step of the way.

Like most business practices - for recruiting and hiring to be easier it needs to be systematized. In other words finds what works and keep doing it.

I like to start with some sort of job description of what is needed - not just tasks but overall responsibilities and requirements (excel, social media, powerpoint, etc.)

Then create the questions to determine if the candidate has the qualities you need. Now write your ad.

Review the resumes against your criteria and then interview. Keep in mind during the interview you are not only looking for skills, aptitudes, results but cultural fit as well. The best skilled candidate who doesn't fit your company culture will be ineffective.

Always check references not only the ones they provide but if you know of others who may know the candidate or someone else at their previous company.

David,
My colleague Joseph Skursky and I share a philosophy we call Hire Hard, Manage Easy.
Like others have said the most important part of hiring and engagement occurs before you ever seek applicants.
The first step is to define your desired culture in terms of the key attributes that each person in your organization must share. The second step is to invest in assessment tools that validate candidate/applicant alignment with those attributes.Then you develop your position specification which includes the position specific skills and attributes you need for a particular job or role.
Then you "process" applicants. The first few steps should weed out a bunch of people. From there you use interviewing, reference checking, and the assessments to validate your decision. Next comes onboarding or integrating them into your organization.
What I am descibing is probably not "easy", on the other hand turnover costs the U.S. economy $5 trillion per year, 40% of new hires especially managers and executives fail within 18 months because of poor "fit" not skills.
Lack of engagement costs us additional billions annually. Great companies like Zappo's, Apple, Starbucks, Google, etc outperform their competitors because they have an employment brand.
They hire hard and manage easy....