According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there are 7.4 million open jobs at the end of February and over 8 million people that have left the workforce during the pandemic. A majority of those folks will have to return to the work at some point and the recruiters that take a pro-active approach will fill the openings.
Despite the unemployment rate at 6%, the job market remains very tight. So how do your job openings grab the attention of scarce job seekers? Below are a few things to consider to help better build your candidate base and convert them into successful placements.
Appeal to the “Job Optimizer's”
In the past, candidates that changed jobs every year or two were considered job hoppers and employers would be a little hesitant to consider them for employment. In 2021 - the term job hopper is very dated and frankly obsolete.
People are not hesitant to leave their employer if they don’t recognize their value. The easiest way for an employee to optimize value in a tight job market is to take a position with a company that offers better pay, growth, lifestyle etc. Employers that recognize this will attract talent.
Think of it this way. Companies tend to focus on ways to reduce costs and limit wage increases to optimize shareholder value. Who can blame employees (especially younger ones) who want to do the same thing and optimize their value.
Job Optimizer's will switch jobs for the right opportunity. Staffers need to understand this and proactively recruit people who are already employed – even if they have only been with their current employer for a few months.
Define your search strategy
Top employers are using a variety of methods to identify qualified candidates. A balanced search strategy that integrates effective online tools will serve today’s companies well. Smart employers are enhancing their websites to sell their company’s story and culture to candidates. Additionally, companies are investing in targeted tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram etc. to ensure the right candidates see their job postings. Firms that are willing to pay for prominent placements on LinkedIn and other social-media platforms are gaining the most exposure and winning top candidates.
Other traditional methods of recruiting are still effective:
• Employee referrals can be a big help from your existing employees. No one wants to refer to a poor candidate.
• Networking works. Go back to your networks and spread the word about your job requirements. Ask acquaintances and friends if they had former employees who were excellent employees matching your requirements.
• Post job openings in multiple media, attend job events that can help you meet diverse candidates.
Invest in your reputation
Invest in building and maintaining your online reputation as an employer. The up and coming generation of workers are going to research your company as much as you are going to research them, so pay attention to what people are saying about your company on social media and on sites like Glass Door.
You can facilitate this much the same way you get good reviews for your business; by asking successful employees to consider writing about their experience with your company and helping to spread the word online.
Cater Your Hiring Process to the Candidate
When candidates do apply or send resumes, consider your hiring process from the candidate’s point of view. What does your recruiting process say about your organization?
• How has the interview process been communicated in advance?
• Streamline the interview process. How many interviews do candidates have to go through (and take off from work for)?
The longer the interview process, the greater the chance the candidate takes a job someplace else.
Keep candidates engaged
Many of today's job seekers, especially those in younger generations, are constantly on their phones. This trend opens a new opportunity for candidate communication -- text messaging. In fact, recent data found that 90 percent of job seekers believe it would be helpful to receive text messages during the application and hiring process.
Attempting to reach candidates via phone calls can lead to never ending phone tag and if you reach out via email, you risk your communication getting overlooked. Instead, text messaging candidates can speed up communication throughout the hiring process and boost engagement. Your team can leverage text messaging to coordinate interviews, share directions to your office/job site, remind candidates of critical hiring process steps, and more.
Focus on culture
Organizational culture is one of the most important features today’s workers are conscious of. Employees who fit into a company culture feel they belong, are willing to work hard and enjoy coming to work each day. That’s a powerful combination, and it makes for higher productivity levels. And most importantly for a staffing company, they stay on the job.
Sources: Entrepenuer.com. employmentcrossing.com, cciconsulting.com Ketan Anjaria CEO at HireClub
תגובות