Business is back. Every industry is working to regroup and move forward. But you need people to fuel that growth spurt, and the July jobs report reflected that, noting there were more than 943,000 jobs added that month alone. That might be good news for job-seekers, but it presents two significant challenges for employers.
Competition for top talent is stiffer than ever. Supply of prospective jobs is way up, and interestingly, supply of willing candidates is not. Job seekers simply aren’t willing to return to the pre-pandemic workplace status quo. With vast choices available, candidates can be selective. Very selective.
It is a candidate-driven market.
Recruiting and hiring is no longer about what you want and need, it’s about what you’re willing to offer – location flexibility, compensation, etc. – in order to attract and hire the right candidate for your requirements.
Still, there are ways to take advantage of the candidate-driven marketplace by positioning your company as most-wanted to candidates.
Hire with Speed
Before you do anything else, be sure – 100% certain – that the position is fully approved and in the budget. The last thing you want is get a great candidate excited about your position and lead them all the way to the point of offer, only to admit you still need permission to hire them. The candidate – and your reputation – will be in the wind, and you’ll be back to square one.
Forego the traditional, methodical hiring process in favor of agility. Don’t advertise now for a position that won’t be open till some time later, because the pool of candidates will be different by then. Dragging your feet with a prolonged process puts off candidates – are you serious or merely testing the water? A slow process also might indicate that you or your firm are indecisive, not a good sign to candidates who want to roll up their sleeves and make a contribution in an innovative organization.
Besides, the point of hiring is to advance the company. If you find a terrific candidate now, why not go ahead and hire them now and start reaping the benefits you both want from this new relationship? While you dither, someone else will snap them up.
Be More Flexible
Rigid job descriptions and working conditions guarantee some candidates will ignore your opportunity. They have job-related wants and needs, too, and they expect you to acknowledge and cater to their perspective. Flexibility benefits everyone, and it gets you off to a good start with candidates – your first collaborative project together.
How can you be more flexible?
- Less is more -- pare down the job description, choosing only must-have qualifications and traits rather than a laundry list of every little thing. A concise announcement is more appealing, and it opens the door to a broader array of potentially exceptional candidates.
- Open-minded requirements – if you specify a minimum of 5 years’ experience, you could be missing the very best candidate out there who doesn’t bother to apply because she has only 3 years on the job. (But what a 3 years – if you only knew!)
- Along that same line, open your eyes to candidates currently at the “next level below” the position you’re hiring for. You could search for an existing director-level person to fill your open director position, but don’t you really want someone who has skills but who is also hungry to grow with you? Choosing someone who is ready to move up can be the best move for both of you. Even better, if that person is an internal candidate, you already know they have the attitude and cultural fit to thrive in your organization.
- Location and scheduling – the best talent in the market may not be willing to work onsite 100% of the time, or even 50%. So what? Consider a hybrid model, 4- or even 3-day work weeks, even job sharing. The more flexible you are on location and scheduling, the wider the pool of candidates you can attract. Flexibility leaves room for candidates to help shape the details so your position becomes a perfect fit.
Get Professional Help
Especially now, you may not have the internal staff, time or other resources to deal with this tougher-than-ever hiring environment. Nonetheless, you need to fill vital positions, soonest. With a professional sourcing team on your side, you can relax and attend to other business, confident the search is underway.
At Power-4, sourcing, engaging and delivering top candidates is our mission. We are constantly making new contacts and strengthening relationships with candidates in our pool. We may already know the person you’re looking for – someone who meets your requirements and will fit in well. If not, we know where to find them and how to sell them on your position and your company. So we can act fast on your behalf.
We will deliver only a few candidates for you to interview, but you can be sure they are highly-qualified against your requirement(s). That’s why our placement rate is significantly higher than industry average. Our clients also retain all sourced candidates to augment their own pool. When you need to fill another position, that candidate may be a great right fit.
On the other hand, you might want to create a new position right now, temporary or permanent, to put the candidate’s talents to work for your organization right away. After all, this is a candidate-driven market. If you don’t act now, chances are good they won’t be available in the future.