For anyone with hiring responsibility, you already know the challenges of recruiting during a Pandemic but hiring in Q4 Peak Season will prove to be even more difficult. As of May 2021, there are more than 9.4 million job openings in the U.S. as compared to the 6 million open positions reported in June 2020. That means employees don’t just get to choose what they want in a new job, but they also get to choose who they want - making it a very competitive job market. On the bright side, there a few simple strategies that employers can use to help attract talent. While you may not be able to control the job market, you can lean into the things that you can control. Here are a few simple tips that we hope will make it easier for your business to attract more applicants.
Capture their Attention
As an employer, you must be as enticing as possible. In today’s job market, candidates need to decide early in the process if the job will meet their requirements. We recommend sharing as much information as possible. Make sure applicants don’t pass on your job opportunity simply because you didn’t advertise your benefits or any perks, they would be eligible to receive. In this case, it’s not only ok but encouraged that you brag about your total compensation package and incentives.
Treat Candidates Like Customers
Create a great first impression by being sensitive of their time. Whether it’s a phone screen or Zoom interview, it’s important to make candidates feel that you are as excited about getting to know them as they are about being considered for the opportunity. Chances are they are actively interviewing with other potential employers so this is also an excellent opportunity to find out where they are in the interview process to help you plan should you need to fast track the interview process.
Offer a signing bonus.
Most organizations have an Employee Referral Program where employees are incentivized to produce quality candidate leads in exchange for a cash bonus. Employee referral programs continue to be an excellent source of candidates who convert into new hires at a 13 times higher rate than applicants from job postings. However, in 2021, you may want to consider offering a bonus to applicants themselves upon being hired. If this is a new program for your organization, you can always add a stipulation that the signing bonus will be paid after a specified time passes.
Company Branding
One of the first steps candidates will take before applying to a position is to visit the company’s website, social media, and websites that provide a company’s reviews. A big reason employer branding is so important is it’s the business identity of your company. It’s what makes your company a good employer and stand out to candidates who are looking for jobs. It also helps your recruiting team attract and improve the talent pool of applicants as well. You can also use your careers page as a channel to market your employer brand and get candidates excited about working for your company.
Promote Career Development
A recent study by Prudential cited 80 percent of respondents concerns around their career advancement as the reason for considering switching jobs. This highlights the desire that applicants are focusing on identifying opportunities that will offer them career progression and upskilling opportunities. This presents an opportunity for companies to prioritize upskilling and skilling opportunities to help employees meet their goals and to attract new talent.
The current job market will continue to prove to be a challenge for recruiting great talent but with the right strategies and approach, organizations can modify their recruitment strategies to align to the current demands of applicants. Remember that empathy for your candidates will go a long way. Consider their struggles, their desires, and their wants and try to align your vacancies to match their needs.
Please feel free to reach out to us with any staffing questions. We are here to help you assess the appropriate personnel need, be it managed services, consulting, temporary, or a permanent hire. You can also find great hiring manager video content posted on the BC Management You Tube channel. Arrange a complimentary discussion today at info@bcmanagement.com.