The short answer: Know who you’re looking for, their current working conditions and what they want so you can make them an offer they can’t refuse.
As with the past few months, the challenge to source quality candidates continues. Although job advertisements are at record levels, candidate applications are low and tapping into passive candidate markets and networks has become less successful. There is no doubt Covid has had a major impact, and due to current market conditions, people are hesitant to move or make decisions when the future seems so uncertain.
Finding the right talent is increasingly challenging in a candidate-short market. The competition for top talent is fierce and a lot of companies find themselves competing against other organisations for those employees.
My first tip for Recruiting and Hiring Managers is that you can’t afford to overlook any potential candidates. Don’t skim read! Take the time to review resumes, craft messages and be open to hiring qualified people from all backgrounds. We also need a mindset shift. Instead of expecting people to come to us, we need to know where to look, and how to make our available positions as appealing as possible.
Step one – Develop a solid recruitment strategy
In a candidate-short market, it is important to have a strong process in place for recruiting and hiring the right person. While it’s possible to find good people without a strategy, you’ll have an easier time and get better results if you take a thoughtful approach. Once you know what to look for, it becomes much easier to find qualified candidates who will be happy working with your company – and staying with your company. After all, that’s what recruitment and retention is all about – Building a team that can get work done.
An ideal recruiting process relies on the following:
- Profiling the role / person
- Sourcing / attracting talent
- Screening / interviewing
- Validating / reference checking
All these steps are equally important to finding the best quality candidates for an open position and for the future employee to be successful in their new role.
Step two – Be clear on what you offer
In today’s competitive job market employers also need to re-think what they offer as an employee value proposition (EVP). Job seekers are hesitant to move and there is heightened importance to clearly articulate what the company’s EVP is. This needs to be your focus, being clear to the employee about the great future your company holds for them, so they are not fearful about losing the benefits they have where they already are.
Step three – Offer flexibility and remote working options
It’s no secret that the demand for top talent is now more intense than ever before. This means employers are willing to do just about anything to find and keep the right person for their business. And we’re not just talking about hiring bonuses or free food anymore. Companies are promising flexible working hours, unlimited vacation time, and options for remote work arrangements, which we have all become accustomed to over the last couple of years. For the right person, many will even honour long-service leave that may have been accumulated at an existing employer.
Step four – Communicate your business strategy and positive outlook
Even when we find that elusive candidate who fits the brief, we are now having a hard time convincing them to take a position. The biggest reason? Economic uncertainty. After all, why take a job if there’s a chance you could lose it within a year or two? That makes retention strategies crucial for employers and recruiters alike, no matter your size.
Step five – Make sure you put forward your best offer
Another problem is that candidates are getting multiple offers and opportunities every day. So how do you get good candidates to take your call and give you a chance? The solution is to stop looking for a quick fix. Once you accept it’s more difficult for top talent to make a career change, you can begin to approach things from their perspective. What does someone who has a better opportunity than yours have to gain by accepting an offer from you? You need to provide a strong reason to work for your organisation.
Step six – Talk about career progression
Most people are choosing who they work with based on their perception of how their career will progress. If it looks like there’s nowhere to go at your company, they’ll keep walking.
Various economic factors have made it more difficult to find and hire good people. Unemployment rates have dropped to record levels, which naturally drives down available talent. But that doesn’t explain everything. There are still great people out there, you just need to be prepared to work to find them. And remember, if you wish to attract those who have more than one job opportunity, make sure you’re offering them reasons to choose your company – do the hard sell and don’t leave it up to chance.
If you have any questions about this blog or need help solving your recruitment challenges, please get in touch.
Kind regards,
Sybille Goss
Photo by Edmond Dantès from Pexels